fbpx

Articles

Image: 3P Lean Methods in Six Sigma

3P Lean Methods in Six Sigma. A Definitive Guide (2024)

It is critical to optimize processes for effectiveness and the production of value for customers. To align processes with lean concepts and client objectives, the 3P (Production Preparation Process) methodology offers an organized approach to process design or redesign. Fundamentally, 3P Lean entails cross-functional teams working together to assess the current state, find waste and […]

View More

Image: How to Use Input Process Output Model For Business Success

How to Use Input Process Output Model For Business Success

Teams are the backbone of modern organizations, driving innovation, problem-solving, and organizational success.  However, building and sustaining high-performing teams is a complex endeavor that requires a deep understanding of the underlying dynamics and processes. This is where the Input-Process-Output (IPO) model comes into play, providing a framework for analyzing and optimizing team effectiveness. Key Highlights […]

View More

Image: Conquering Waste Through One Piece Flow

Conquering Waste Through One Piece Flow. A Lean Approach

One piece flow, also known as single piece flow, is a lean manufacturing concept that allows products to smoothly flow through production processes one piece at a time.  It is a pull production system where downstream processes signal their needs to upstream processes, which then produce just what is needed by the next step. Key […]

View More

Image: Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY)

Gain a Competitive Edge with Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY)

Companies need to optimize their production processes and guarantee top-notch quality. One metric that’s rising in importance is Rolled Throughput Yield or RTY for short. RTY gives the full picture of how much usable product is getting made when you consider the cumulative impact of any flaws or hiccups that happen at each stage of […]

View More

Image: Takt time for Production Excellence

Takt time for Production Excellence. Calculate and Implement

Takt time is a foundational concept in lean manufacturing that helps organizations match production with customer demand.  The term “takt” comes from the German word taktzeit, which translates to “cycle time”. It is the maximum time allowed to produce one piece without falling behind or getting ahead of customer demand. At its core, takt time […]

View More

Image: Pilot Run in Six Sigma

Pilot Run in Six Sigma. A Complete Guide (2024)

Whether it’s a new product launch, a significant process change, or an increase in production volumes, a pilot run serves as an invaluable opportunity to validate processes, identify potential issues, and refine operations before committing substantial resources. By understanding the nuances of pilot runs, manufacturers can mitigate risks, optimize processes, and ultimately deliver high-quality products […]

View More

Image: Drive Business Growth and Capability with Process Maturity

Drive Business Growth and Capability with Process Maturity

Process maturity refers to the state of improvement and evolution of business processes within an organization. It indicates how consistently and effectively processes are managed, controlled, measured, and optimized over time. Key Highlights Introduction to Process Maturity To increase quality, cut expenses, and simplify operations, modern firms now consider process maturity to be a critical […]

View More

Featured Image: Improve Process Capability and Performance with Process Performance Index

Improve Process Capability and Performance with PpK

PpK, aka Process Performance Index, measures how much a process varies overall and how well it can consistently match the requirements for a given good or service. To ascertain process capacity, the spread of the process distribution is compared to the specification limitations. Key Highlights Introduction to PpK (Process Performance Index) Process Performance Index is […]

View More

Featured Image: Lean Six Sigma Bell Curve

Normal Distribution in Lean Six Sigma. Learn the Bell Curve

Six Sigma is a quality management system that aims to decrease variance and errors in business processes. The strategy makes use of statistical analysis and a data-driven methodology to reduce inefficiencies in the process and attain enduring outcomes. A key concept in Six Sigma is the normal distribution or bell curve. The bell curve helps […]

View More

Featured Image: Heijunka

Drive Production with Heijunka. Lean Manufacturing with Lean Six Sigma

Heijunka, which was initially adapted from the Toyota Production System, is now a crucial component of lean production in several different sectors. The primary objective of Heijunka is to precisely sequence things to spread production volume and product mix evenly over a certain amount of time. This produces a balanced, consistent, and predictable workflow that […]

View More

Featured Image: What is COPQ (Cost of Poor Quality)?

What is COPQ (Cost of Poor Quality)?

Quality issues can significantly impact a company’s profitability and reputation. To quantify the financial impact of poor quality, the concept of cost of poor quality (COPQ) is used. COPQ refers to all the costs associated with preventing, finding, and correcting defective work. It provides a metric to understand the cost of quality problems and drive […]

View More

Featured image: What is Pooled Standard Deviation? How to Calculate It

What is Pooled Standard Deviation? How to Calculate It

The pooled standard deviation is an important statistical measure used to summarize and describe the amount of variability in a dataset that combines multiple samples or groups.  Unlike a regular standard deviation calculated on a single sample, the pooled standard deviation allows you to merge and blend the spread of separate groups into one overall […]

View More

Featured Image: What is TIMWOODS? 8 Waste

What is TIMWOODS? 8 Waste of Lean and How to Reduce Them

Lean manufacturing is a methodology focused on maximizing value and minimizing waste in production processes. The core principle is to only use the necessary resources to make a product or deliver a service. TIMWOODS is an easy-to-remember acronym used to recall the 8 common wastes that occur in manufacturing. It stands for the first letter […]

View More

Featured Image: Special Cause Variation

What is Special Cause Variation? How to Identify It?

Variations are inherent in any process and the sources of these variations play a crucial role in determining process performance and stability. While common cause variations are predictable and result from the process design itself, special cause variation arise due to unexpected factors and lead to process instability. Managing these special cause variations by identifying […]

View More

Featured Image: KPIV (Key Process Input Variable) for Business Success

KPIV (Key Process Input Variable) for Business Success

Key Process Input Variables (KPIVs) play a vital role in process improvement initiatives. They are inputs to a process that has a significant influence on the process performance and quality of process outputs. By identifying and focusing on these vital input variables, organizations can drive effective analysis, monitoring, and improvements of their business processes. KPIVs […]

View More

Featured Image: Control Charts in Six Sigma

The Ultimate Guide to Control Charts in Six Sigma. Achieve Process Excellence

Control charts in Six Sigma are statistical process monitoring tools that help optimize processes by identifying variations.  They were introduced by Dr. Walter Shewhart as part of his work on statistical quality control in the 1920s. Control charts display process data over time which enables the identification of special and common causes of variation. This […]

View More

Featured Image: Six Sigma Defects Per Million

A Complete Guide to Six Sigma Defects Per Million (2024)

Achieving consistent and predictable business process performance is crucial for delivering value to customers. However, variability, defects, and errors threaten this objective, eroding quality and driving up costs. To systematically enhance process capability, organizations leverage Six Sigma – a rigorous methodology centered on statistical thinking and defect elimination. One of its pivotal concepts is defects […]

View More

Featured Image: SIPOC in Six Sigma

What is SIPOC in Six Sigma? Everything You Need to Know

Six Sigma has emerged as a powerful approach for organizations seeking to enhance operational efficiency, reduce defects, and drive customer satisfaction. At the heart of Six Sigma lies a structured framework known as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), which guides practitioners through a systematic problem-solving process. Within this framework, the “Define” phase plays a […]

View More

Image: Systems Thinking in Business. How Does it Improve Workplaces?

Systems Thinking in Business. How Does it Improve Workplaces?

Organizations encounter dynamic problems as the business landscape becomes more complicated due to causes such as globalization, technology disruptions, climate change, and other dynamic issues. The most successful businesses in the world have to negotiate complex webs of interwoven connections with their partners, customers, rivals, and staff. Linear, reductionist thinking falls short in handling such […]

View More

Featured Image: Poka-Yoke in Six Sigma

A Complete Guide to Poka-Yoke in Six Sigma

Quality management philosophies like Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing aim to achieve near-perfect processes that have minimal waste, maximum efficiency, and high customer satisfaction. A key tool for accomplishing these goals is poka-yoke, a concept pioneered by Toyota Production System pioneer Shigeo Shingo in the 1960s. Poka-yoke, which translates from Japanese as “mistake-proofing”, refers to […]

View More