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The Scrum framework’s history is relatively short, in the grand scheme of things. However, its introduction to businesses had a transformative effect seemingly overnight. At its core, Scrum seeks to address the rigidity and linearity of older methodologies to better suit the rapidly changing needs of customers. So, with that in mind, we’re […]

If you’re looking for a management philosophy that will help your organization identify any factors preventing you from achieving a goal, it’s likely based on the theory of constraints. The goal is to identify any factor that is limiting a company’s ability to achieve its goal and then make the necessary changes until […]

What can you do to engage employees in your BPR initiatives? Any sort of BPR effort can be a vast undertaking. When we consider the wider scope of what needs to be done to achieve any sort of success, the odds are stacked heavily against us at first glance. Overhauling a process from […]

What are the best data visualization tools for Lean Six Sigma? There is no shortage of options when it comes to how you approach visualizing the data your organization gathers in Lean Six Sigma. Some tools have become something of a de facto industry standard, with plenty of documentation and dedicated learning resources […]

In the world of different management techniques and methodologies, Hoshin Kanri stands out. A Japanese management style, Hoshin Kanri, is no doubt a game changer. For any organization, Hoshin Kanri can help it align goals at every level of the business and direct everyone in the same direction to achieve a common set […]

When you have an undertaking as massive and diverse as a BPR effort, you need a little help to get things rolling. While getting your workforce on board with your efforts is instrumental to the initiative’s success, that isn’t the only consideration you’ll need to keep in mind when planning your BPR effort. […]

One of the most important things for any organization in today’s world is to figure out how to best handle remote work. For better or worse, remote work is here to stay, and millions of employees worldwide are happier for it. Enabling a stronger work-life balance, there is a good chance that employees […]

Six Sigma in healthcare is a fine fit, but there are always going to be things you don’t plan for in the mix of it. There are few industries better suited for Six Sigma than healthcare, and we’ve certainly seen more organizations pivoting towards it in recent years. However, it can be tough […]

When a company considers how to best bring its teams together in a collaborative manner, several approaches can be taken to achieve this goal. At the top of any list should be Kaizen, which is the philosophy of continuous improvement. Translated as “changing something for the better,” the origin of Kaizen stems from […]

Scope creep is the bane of any project’s existence, and one thing that can seriously hinder your BPR efforts. Avoiding scope creep is going to be paramount to the success of any efforts you’re undertaking to revamp your processes. Thankfully, it isn’t quite as difficult as you might think to stay focused and […]

What does design thinking in practice look like? There has been much talk about its power and efficacy. However, when you peruse the many online resources available, the picture is incomplete. We know it’s a human-centered take on product design, but what does that look like in motion? Design thinking in practice isn’t quite what […]

What data visualization tools are you leveraging for Lean Six Sigma? Lean Six Sigma relies heavily on the interpretation and use of data to make the most of your decision-making process. Looking at hard numbers on a computer screen can be a bit daunting, however. Ultimately, you’re looking to present the data in […]

Whenever an organization has to make key decisions about improving its operations, it must decide how to best improve processes across the board. In this decision-making, someone must evaluate the different process methodologies, such as Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, and Quality Management Systems.  These systems are popular approaches for […]

Is Chaku Chaku a real word or the sound of machines loading and unloading parts? It turns out that Chaku Chaku is Japanese for load load and a system of loading and unloading parts from a machine. Let’s explore this a little deeper.

When you think about the world of business and how complicated the number of roles can be, it comes as no surprise that silos are a very real concern. In today’s world, it also won’t come as any surprise to learn that businesses need to respond to the changing environment around them, including […]

What are the real differences between BPR and Six Sigma? When it comes to business processes, there are a few different ways to get there. Our focus is primarily Six Sigma here, but we are certainly open to other complementary methodologies that get us to where we need to be in the grander […]

Promoting employee engagement while going through the cycle of process improvements doesn’t seem like something that is generally done. However, you can actively engage your employees throughout all steps of the process. This has tangible benefits, as your employees feel involved in the entire cycle of process improvements. Lean Six Sigma is a […]

It shouldn’t be surprising that the amount of data available has grown exponentially in a digitized world. As a result, process methodologies like Lean Six Sigma have become cornerstones across any organization looking to improve its processes, find more efficiency, and eliminate as much waste as possible to increase the bottom line.  In […]

How do you navigate the generational skills divide? Workforces aren’t hired in a vacuum. At the end of the day, you’ll have to contend with workers and team members from all walks of life, including all ages. Now, this can be a blessing in itself, as you can draw from different perspectives and […]

Does your company have what it takes to thrive through digital transformation? Embracing the modern era is a tricky subject, especially for legacy companies with decades of practices to update. It isn’t quite as simple as flipping a switch and everything is online. After all, these things take time. Rather than guide you […]

How do you even begin to start remote process optimization? When we talk about the methodologies and principles behind Lean Six Sigma, it is highly dependent on the notion of being in person to get the work done in the first place. However, that isn’t always the case with many teams. As most […]

It won’t surprise anyone to learn that leadership is one of the most basic yet fundamental qualities in the business world. Anytime there is a discussion about how well a company’s leadership can contribute to its success, it’s the leaders that everyone looks to create an environment that sets employees up for success […]

Adapting Six Sigma for service industries is easier than you might think. Service industries defy certain expectations when it comes to the services and goods provided. Ostensibly a customer-centered business, you’re acting more as a middleman in a retail context than providing actual solutions. That isn’t to say you can’t adapt the tools […]

Total Quality Management, or TQM, often comes down to caring for customers. The best companies operating today have figured out that taking care of customers is the best way to directly impact the bottom line. Of course, to get to this point, you need to have a strong culture that wants to help […]

Do Six Sigma and design thinking work together? Six Sigma is one of the leading methodologies for businesses around the world when it comes to things like efficiency and quality. Design thinking seems almost opposed to the design work done for services and products in the Six Sigma way of life. However, the […]

Ready to implement sustainability goals into your Lean Six Sigma projects? Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword touted around to imply green practices for businesses. You can make a true difference in the ecological condition of the planet with some careful planning and application of Lean and Six Sigma tools alike. So, with that […]

When you think about how technology has improved over the last hundred years, you can think about the car, the microwave, the television, smartphones, and so much more. Just as technology has improved our lives, it’s also doing something similar in the workforce and in the workplace.  When diving deeper into the workplace, […]

Lean Six Sigma and diversity are natural partners when looking at continuing current efforts or even starting brand-new projects. There is something to be said about what diversity brings to the table in a grander scope. Diversity is a wonderful thing, and something worth integrating into any workforce on a larger scale. So, […]

Keypoints Any time an organization looks to make changes using process improvement methodologies, it often meets heavy internal resistance from the “doers.” These individuals are responsible for instituting many of the internal changes, and unsurprisingly, as there is fear of the unknown, change is rarely easy.  This is an unfortunate but true reality, and it […]

The future of Lean Six Sigma is looking brighter than ever. Technological changes are nothing new, especially when we consider the rapid advancements in computing just over the last 40 years. That said, business methodologies and philosophies have to change right alongside things to make a difference. Lean Six Sigma is highly adaptable, […]

What future trends are driving innovation in Lean Six Sigma? Lean Six Sigma is in a state of constant evolution, as you might expect from the fast-paced markets in place these days. That said, it can be a bit difficult fully ascertaining the direction of things to come. There are a few things […]

One of the biggest challenges any company faces is employee turnover. Depending on the company’s size, the time and resources spent hiring, training, and upskilling employees and then having to do it again when an employee leaves can add up. For this reason, many organizations are looking at how they can combat employee […]

Is Six Sigma applicable for nonprofits? Well, given the sort of site we run here, we think Six Sigma is for everyone. That said, there are some prime targets for the methodology to make a splash and quite a difference when it comes to nonprofit organizations. So, with that in mind, let’s take […]

While the term “Hoshin Kanri” might not be well-known outside of corporate planning circles, it’s a very important idea nonetheless. Designed to get all employees in an organization moving in the right direction, Hoshin Kanri is a Japanese management methodology that has been around since the early 1960s. Some indicators place it origin […]

How do you build a customer-centric organization? When we focus on the methodologies, technology, and processes hard at work, we lose sight of how to make an organization work first for customers. However, customers are vital to any organization’s well-being, as they drive market trends and ultimately dictate what we make. With that […]

Six Sigma in government is an effective means of leveraging the methodology’s teachings to reduce waste and promote greater efficiency overall. Ultimately, a government is intended to serve the people. This can be done through the creation and maintenance of public works and outreach programs. However, given enough time, a government entity is […]

When you think about what it takes to improve processes and the methodologies you can improve from, there will always be fans of one method over another. This is very much the case when discussing design thinking versus DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), two methods often at the heart of a company […]

A culture of continuous improvement helps to make Six Sigma and sustainability a reality. The earth we live on is a precious resource. Beyond just the place we call home, it is also the environment we rely upon for food, shelter, nourishment, and even air to breathe. As such, it only stands to […]

In the world of total quality management, you have a philosophy that focuses on improving the quality and products of an organization while ensuring that every person inside the organization is on the same page. Not only does this require a chain of continuous work to improve, but it also demands a balance […]

The intersection of AI in Six Sigma shows that the methodology readily adapts to introducing new technologies. Rather than stagnating and sticking with traditional data analysis methods, AI in Six Sigma presents new opportunities for analysis, process improvement, and additional benefits. Further, when leveraging this technology, especially when speaking on bespoke models, artificial […]

Lean Six Sigma and Agile make for a potent combination when deployed in several different environments. However, one area where you can leverage this powerful combination for exemplary results is in software development. Software development is a tricky business sector to hem in, thanks in part to the actively shifting targeted goals of […]

If you’re looking for two perfect partners to work together to improve things, it’s the retail industry and Six Sigma. These ideal partners for success are not at all surprising, considering how much Americans love to shop. Introducing a data-driven methodology from Six Sigma can only improve efficiency across retailers to help increase […]

Lean Six Sigma in agriculture might just be the transformation needed for the world’s food supply. When you get right down to it, agriculture as a whole isn’t too different compared to the likes of manufacturing. You have all the hallmarks of your standard production line, with shareholders, inputs, suppliers, and so forth, […]

In what can only be described as one of the most competitive business environments in modern history, few things matter more than quality. Quality should be the absolute goal of industries everywhere, especially the service industry, where businesses focus not just on hospitality, like restaurants, but also on banks, hospitals, and even retail […]

Six Sigma and Agile are two of the major methodologies behind businesses these days. While today’s article title might lead you to believe this is a shootout of sorts, I didn’t have that in mind. Instead, when it comes to the question of Six Sigma vs. Agile, I was wondering where these methodologies intersect […]

The benefits are hard to ignore when you consider everything good about remote work, like having a better work/life balance and spending more time being productive rather than commuting. However, staying focused when working remotely is a very real challenge as many daily distractions can occur.  Thankfully, remote work and even hybrid work […]

The common mistakes found when implementing Lean Six Sigma are all too common for many businesses. When it comes to adopting a new methodology, it can be difficult to stick the landing as it were. Some of this can be attributed to resistance to change and a lack of proper change management behind […]

Quite a bit of noise has been made about AI, but artificial intelligence ethics require an equal amount of focus. Six Sigma is quick to embrace emerging modern technologies, making for more efficient and nimble organizations that can change with the times. Artificial intelligence is one such tool, with established stalwarts like ChatGPT […]

In the world of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT, it’s becoming more of a question of not what it can do but what it can’t do. There is little question that AI is going to have a transformative effect on business processes, and the signs of this are already showing.  Data analysis, automation, and […]

Are you using FMEA for your IT projects? There is no shortage of viable frameworks for risk management in enterprise technology applications. Ask a dozen technicians what they use in their shops, and you’ll likely get a dozen different answers. I’ve understood this since my time in the tech industry, as each deployment […]