Rapid Lean Sigma - The NEED for SPEED

LEAN SIGMA RETOOLED

We wrote The Need for Speed to adapt Lean Sigma approaches to meet the changing business needs found in today’s environment. While Lean and Six Sigma have been embraced by industry for well over 30 years, and some of the emphasis on the application of Lean Sigma has changed over this time period, there has not been a widespread modification in these methodologies and supporting tools. However, the business models, technology and the workforce have changed dramatically. In the mid-eighties, business to business computer systems and online learning were unheard of, and desktop computers were only beginning to be perceived as serious business tools. Google, YouTube and social media were yet to be born.

Today, baby boomers are turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 each day, and most are exiting the workforce, being replaced by millennials, born between the mid-1970s and early 1990s. Millennials have now surpassed Generation X to become the largest generation in the American workforce. One in three American workers is between the ages of 18-34.

While the boomer generation learned primarily through books and classroom experience, the new workforce is digitally literate, and prefers rapid, self-directed and just-in-time learning. Millennials favor collaboration and experiential learning, and they excel at exchanging information through social media networks. They tend to have fresh outlooks on projects, ideas and how to achieve results. Their search for knowledge starts with Google, Wikipedia and YouTube, not the corporate training schedule.

We have worked very hard to be on the forefront of the changes necessary to drive success in this dynamically changing environment, and have received a growing number of inquiries about our methods and tools and how they can be applied. While many books address traditional Lean and Six Sigma topics, we truly believe that our adaptations are unique and will add to the existing body of knowledge in this field. We believe even seasoned practitioners will find new tools and approaches to process improvement. To achieve measurable, bottom line results, improvement programs must operate faster, better and cheaper, and the approach must be adapted to the company’s needs, culture and knowledge base. We must apply Lean concepts to the methodologies themselves. What worked in the past is no longer effective in today’s rapidly changing world.

William Favier
John Ghidiu

BOOK

A large and well-documented body of knowledge around the continuous improvement methodologies of Lean and Six Sigma exists today. This book, however, is not a primer for Lean, Six Sigma or any other improvement methodology. This book is written as a practitioner’s guide. The focus here is on what can and cannot be changed to increase speed and quickly customize an improvement program based upon company culture, needs, experience and desired outcomes.

We have received a growing number of inquiries about our methods and tools and how they can be applied in practice. Although many books address traditional Lean and Six Sigma topics, we think our adaptations are unique and will add to the existing body of knowledge in this field. Even seasoned practitioners will find new tools and approaches to process improvement.

Our goal is to challenge traditional thinking about how to bring about rapid cultural and organizational change. Using a modified set of tools, our approach supports and encourages rapid, continuous improvement; speed with rigor. Only by challenging long held beliefs and applying an innovative approach to existing improvement tools and methodologies can we successfully adapt them to meet today’s challenges.

To learn more about adapting Lean and Six Sigma to the changing work environment, we have documented our experiences, approach and tools in an eBook.

TEMPLATES

We have also created templates for the most frequently used tools, including:

B/E Matrix with Virtual sticky-notes (Visio)
Idea Vault (Word)
Charter (PowerPoint)
DCI/RACI (PowerPoint)
Heat Maps (PowerPoint)
Team Norms (Word)
Process Mapping (PowerPoint)
Risk Analysis (PowerPoint)
Private Collection of Data (Excel)

Each tool includes an instructional slide and the tool template, for use with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Visio.

Download

AUTHORS

Bill Favier

Bill Favier has more than 30 years’ experience working with Fortune 100 and smaller organizations to drive improvement in organizational performance. He spent 29 years with Bristol-Myers Squibb, a pharmaceutical company, in a wide variety of positions. He led Plant Engineering and Maintenance in Manufacturing, rolled out Continuous Improvement approaches at manufacturing sites globally, worked in corporate Organizational Development leading improvement initiatives, created Manager and Leader Training for the corporation, developed Breakthrough Innovation workshops and led the company-wide implementation of Lean Six Sigma. Since “retiring”, he has formed his own consulting practice (Evolution Solutions, Inc.) and has worked with other pharmaceutical companies in many capacities. He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from Virginia Military Institute and a MBA from Syracuse University. Bill and his wife reside in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania.

John Ghidiu

John Ghidiu is an independent management consultant who has furnished team building, instructional design, continuous process improvement, change management and leadership development support on a global basis for Bayer, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He previously worked for over 20 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb in Syracuse, New York in Process Control, Telecommunications, Information Management, Human Resources and as a continuous improvement internal consultant at sites in the US, Europe and Asia. John holds a degree in Economics from Hartwick College and a Masters degree in Information Resource Management from Syracuse University. He is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, a certified Performance Technologist and a certified Professional in Learning and Performance. John and his wife reside in Central New York.