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Image: PDSA vs DMAIC

PDSA vs DMAIC: Choosing the Right Process Improvement Model

In process improvement, two titans stand tall: PDSA and DMAIC. But which one is right for your organization? As businesses strive for operational excellence, the choice between these powerful methodologies can significantly impact your success. Understanding the nuances between PDSA and DMAIC is crucial for making informed decisions. Key Highlight Understanding PDSA The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) […]

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The Definitive Guide to Cycle Time vs Lead Time

Efficiency and optimization are the names of the game. Whether you’re a manufacturer striving to streamline production or a project manager aiming to deliver on time, understanding metrics like cycle time vs lead time can be game-changers. But what exactly are cycle time and lead time? Cycle time measures the duration to complete one cycle […]

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Mastering Process Capability – A Lean Six Sigma Perspective

I’ve seen firsthand how evaluating process capability can transform businesses. By understanding a process’ natural variability through metrics like Cp, Cpk, and Ppk, operations gain valuable insights. They can identify high-risk areas needing attention and see the true performance capability.  Throughout my career, I’ve led projects involving process capability studies. From manufacturing to business operations, […]

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A Practitioner’s Guide to Cpk vs Ppk: Choose the Right Metric for Your Manufacturing Process

Over 20 years of applying quality improvement methodologies across numerous industries, I’ve seen firsthand how process capability metrics like Cpk and Ppk empower manufacturers to effectively monitor production quality and drive continuous improvement. However, in working with countless engineers internationally, I’ve also found some confusion exists around determining when each metric is best leveraged depending […]

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Business Process Improvement: Why Every Company Should Implement It

Business Process Improvement is a systematic approach to identifying, analyzing, and enhancing existing business processes to achieve greater efficiency, effectiveness, and overall performance. Business Process Improvement serves as a critical tool in this endeavor, offering a structured methodology to streamline workflows, reduce costs, and ultimately deliver superior value to customers. Key Highlights Introduction to Business […]

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The Importance of Having a Process Improvement Plan for Your Business

A process improvement plan is a strategic roadmap designed to enhance organizational efficiency, reduce waste, and boost overall performance. It’s a systematic approach that combines data-driven analysis with proven methodologies to identify, implement, and sustain meaningful changes in business processes. Key Highlights Understanding Process Improvement Plan Process improvement plan is the backbone of any successful […]

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Mastering Process Improvement Methodologies: 2024

Process improvement methodologies are structured approaches used to identify, analyze, and optimize business processes with the goal of increasing efficiency, reducing waste, and enhancing overall quality. These methodologies provide a systematic framework for organizations to continuously evolve and adapt to changing market demands, technological advancements, and customer expectations. Key Highlights Introduction to Process Improvement Methodologies […]

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Defining and Optimizing Value-Added vs Non Value-Added Activities

Value Added and Non Value Added concepts are pretty straightforward on the surface, truly understanding the differences can impact efficiency, waste reduction, and customer satisfaction. For any organization looking to drive continuous improvement, mastering these core concepts is essential. Key Highlights Value Added vs Non-Value Added Properly categorizing process elements enables organizations to optimize efficiency, […]

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All You Need to Know About Process Safety Management. The Only Guide You Need

Process Safety Management (PSM) is a comprehensive preventative approach for inherently risky chemical-handling operations. The core aim is to involve preventing uncontrolled releases whose consequences endanger lives, property, or environments. By methodically identifying, weighing, and controlling process risks, PSM safeguards facilities, and surrounding communities. PSM empowers sustainable progress through opportunity management and hazard governance aligned […]

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Image: A circular diagram depicting the Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Cycle

Continuous Process Improvement (CPI): A Guide for Businesses

Continuous process improvement (CPI) describes identifying, outlining, implementing, measuring, and analyzing effectiveness shifts within an organization’s workflows. Surpassing the notion that “unbroken works best”, this recognizes that even flowing operations can benefit from refinement and optimization. Key Highlights What is Continuous Process Improvement? Continuous process improvement (CPI) is the cornerstone of operational excellence and long-term […]

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SPC Charts: The Ultimate Guide to Statistical Process Control & Quality

Introduced by Walter Shewhart’s pioneering work and then enhanced through W. Edwards Deming, SPC charts offer visual representations showcasing workflow shifts. Organizations pursue steady excellence, leading to widespread Statistical Process Control adoption – a potent tool for observation, analysis, and progression. By graphing data against calculated boundaries, charts discern natural flux from source-worthy deviations. SPC […]

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Process Improvement Methodologies. What is the Continuous Improvement Model

Keeping up with the changing market dynamics and customer needs is key to survival. This calls for a continuous improvement model in business processes, products/services, etc. to gain and maintain an edge over competitors. The continuous improvement model is a systematic approach to identifying and implementing incremental changes to drive efficiency, reduce waste, improve quality, […]

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Kanban Cards: Visualize Workflow, Boost Productivity & Drive Improvement

Where agility and efficiency matter most, visualizing workflows proves pivotal. Enter Kanban cards – a simple yet potent approach revolutionizing how cross-sector teams approach their work. Fundamentally, each card tangibly represents tasks requiring completion. Displayed on Kanban boards compartmentalized by workflow stages, the card’s fluid movement across columns permits easy tracking, bottleneck finding, handoff streamlining, […]

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Six Sigma Terminology – P chart. What is it and How it Works

Organizations bank on reliable quality and minimal defects fuelling success. An outstanding ally hitting that target involves the p-chart, also known as the proportion control chart. This potent statistical technique tracks and analyzes non-compliant piece rates over time within methods. It’s handy when data classifies each unit simply as “hits standard” or “misses standard” based […]

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U Chart Guide: Monitoring Defects per Unit for Quality Control

Quality charts prove invaluable aids. Among options, U-charts stand as a treasure controlling non-compliances observed per item when dealing with varying batch sizes. Dubbed the “defects-per-unit control graph“, the U-chart helps quality experts track typical non-compliance amounts discovered per unit or area inspected. Unlike counterparts simply noting complete non-compliance counts, it scales findings by batch […]

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Lean Techniques – Kanban Pull System. The Only Guide You Need

One handy methodology that has gained steam in recent years: Kanban Pull System. Coming from the Japanese terms for “visual cue” or “card,” Kanban revolutionized the industry’s grip on workflow direction and crafting processes. Unlike traditional “pushed” arrangements, Kanban depends on downstream signals to initiate upstream flow. This demand-reactive approach minimizes overproducing, lowers what sits […]

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What is The Kanban Maturity Model? How Does it Work and More

Businesses relentlessly pursue stronger workflows, market-tuned flexibility, and customer-centric value. The Kanban Maturity Model emerges as a robust compass, steering teams through a step-by-step refinement journey leveraging Kanban principles. Crafted by lean/agile experts, it offers a full roadmap for weighing current aptitude, pinpointing enhancement avenues, and driving agility plus streamlining through gradual progress. By progressing […]

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Process Tolerance: Balancing Quality & Cost | A Comprehensive Guide

Ensuring quality while optimizing costs is so important. This delicate balance surfaces through comprehensive knowledge and application of process tolerance – a core concept in quality control and enhancement techniques like Six Sigma. With over two decades as a Master Black Belt, I’ve seen process tolerancing’s profound impacts firsthand working extensively with major brands. Insights […]

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Throughput Time in Manufacturing. Definition, Benefits, and More

These days, speed and flexibility are everything for keeping ahead of rivals. A major metric companies rely on for measuring and refining performance is throughput time. Also called lead time or cycle time, it’s the full duration needed to complete a process or deliver a product/service to a client — from request received to final […]

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