Take your Career to the Next Level
By this time, most of us are aware of what Industry 4.0 (I4.0) or Smart Manufacturing means. The basics are covered in a blog I wrote back in 2018 titled “Smart Manufacturing and Lean Six Sigma.” Just as with a Quality Management System or a Lean Enterprise, the journey towards a true digital enterprise, linking business … Read more
The game is tied. With only two seconds remaining, it comes down to one play, one decision to decide victory or defeat. You choose the player with great past results to get the most out of the current situation. He’s never let you down. He’s always present. He is a leader among his peers. He … Read more
How many times have you led a Team Launch in which team members begin to jump to solutions? This is a very common experience for most Lean Six Sigma practitioners. The recommended response is to explain to your team that LSS requires use of the DMAIC methodology. It is also important to let them know … Read more
In last month’s blog I shared examples of the often-overlooked lean principle of Creativity Before Capital. The non-lean approach is to spend money – buy new equipment, hire more staff, or work overtime. The lean approach is to embrace the ingenuity of staff in using existing equipment and employees to meet customer needs. In this month’s … Read more
Most Lean Six Sigma practitioners focus their improvement efforts on applying tried and true lean tools to eliminate waste such as Work Simplification, Process Balancing, Mistake Proofing, Visual Management, and 5S. All of these tools can be very effective, and they certainly have their place. Yet the application of such tools is often done in … Read more
(Yes… “Data” is Plural!) Dear Lean Six Sigma Readers, I hope you are having an amazing Spring as I am! This month’s blog is about analyzing data. Have you ever been asked to analyze a dataset? If so, what was your approach? If you are like me, and enjoy discovering the story of the data, … Read more
Author: Pat Boutier (Shingo Prize Winning Author, Certified TWI and Coach, and retired TMACer) Welcome to the Musings of a Retired LSS TMACer! I have had the privilege to learn, experiment, and work with Lean Six Sigma over the past 16 years. Over that time, I have learned much and wanted to share a few … Read more
A Core Skill for Effective Data Collection Program Manager and Master Black Belt Russ Aikman was a presenter at the 19th Annual Lean Six Sigma World Conference. The event was held virtually and provides advances learning for Lean Six Sigma practitioners. Below is the PowerPoint presentation used: Russ Aikman’s presentation from the 2021 Lean Six … Read more
Over the course of many years of interactions with organizations in a wide range of industries, as an employee, visitor, or consultant, I always find myself looking for posted performance measures (charts, graphs, etc.). The existence of measures is as big a variable as the type used and the quantity found. In some cases, there … Read more
Imagine you are getting on a roller coaster. You buckle your seatbelt in the car and the gears turn and start slowly moving you up a steep incline. Your adrenaline starts to build in your stomach and your heart starts racing. You are excited and terrified at the same time. You know what is coming, … Read more
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