#Lean six sigma methodologies how to#

An operation can be Lean and still have an unacceptable level of variation in the output. While it may be desirable to use both Lean and Six Sigma, they are separate issues.

#Lean six sigma methodologies how to#

It further defines the common wastes and how to eliminate them. Anything that does not directly add value to the customer is a waste. The goal of Lean, on the other hand, must begin with the view that the product and process that creates it must add value to the customer. Then, you could work to reduce them to a Six Sigma level. In your sample output, you discover that fifty out of 1,000 widgets are flawed (e.g., wrong size, shape, or weight). To correct this, you could use Six Sigma to determine what’s causing the variation/defects. Using a manufacturing example again, let’s say you have a factory that produces widgets. The widgets should all be a certain size, shape, and weight. T o remove waste, you find the root cause of defects (using statistical methods), then design an improvement ( Design for Six Sigma) or replace a fault so that the defects no longer occur. Six Sigma DMAIC starts with the view that waste includes defective products. Six Sigma seeks to identify the flaws, determine their cause, and eliminate them.

The goal of Six Sigma is to produce output that is consistent and free of defects. Defective output requires re-work, and re-work is waste. Inconsistent output is the result of a flawed process. Pick the right tool for the right purpose. Six Sigma is about the elimination of variation. How is Lean Different from Six Sigma? Lean is the elimination of waste.