Lean Six Sigma For Leaders

2Business Problem Solving

LET'S HAVE A look at the Lean Six Sigma problem‐solving method with a particular focus on leadership.

First, as with all problem solving, we start with a problem – and in the world of Lean Six Sigma, ‘problem’ is not a bad word. We know that our processes are not perfect and problems are everywhere. A continuous improvement mindset will always be looking for opportunities to improve things. In a later chapter, we will look at how leaders can set up systems to select the ‘right’ problems to work on but for this chapter let's assume we have selected a problem and we are starting a Lean Six Sigma ‘project’ to tackle this problem.

The five phases of the Lean Six Sigma problem‐solving method are:

These are shown in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1 The DMAIC phases

The aim is to take a problem, which may well be ill‐defined to start with, and work through the phases to understand the current situation (Measure); then to work down to discover the root causes of the problem (Analyse); with this knowledge we can move into the Improve phase where we initially consider different options to solve the problem, select the most appropriate option, plan and test it before finally implementing the chosen solution; and ensure ongoing controls are in place so that the improved ...