What Is a Lean Six Sigma Project?

Lean Six Sigma improves a process quickly and cost-effectively.

Lean and Six Sigma are very different methods of continuous improvement. Lean targets efficiency in a process, while Six Sigma targets quality. Lean Six Sigma combines "Six Sigma Quality with Lean Speed," as the subtitle of the seminal book "Lean Six Sigma" describes. Both Lean and Six Sigma originated in manufacturing, but Lean Six Sigma is at work in all business sectors, including customer service, government and education.

Scope

A Lean Six Sigma project requires a charter which "Captures the essence of a project," wrote the authors of "What is Lean Six Sigma?" The charter describes what the team will accomplish, who is involved in the project and in what roles, timelines and any other essential information. Lean projects are not typically so rigid. A team or individual may suggest a process improvement, which a manager approves immediately.

Stages

Lean projects follow no particular process; the methodology (identifying a need for improvement, then acting on it) is purposely simple, which enables fast improvement. Six Sigma is a lengthier process with five stages: define a problem or goal; measure the existing conditions; analyze the results; improve the process; and control the process so that those improved results are ongoing. This is known by the acronym DMAIC, and Lean Six Sigma uses DMAIC.

Evolution

While both Lean and Six Sigma are continuous improvement techniques, Six Sigma has taken hard knocks for being lengthy, costly and time-consuming. In some situations, companies use the word "Lean" to describe any improvement methodology, including Six Sigma; or, a company may use the term "Lean Six Sigma."

Lean Contribution

A Six Sigma project is lengthy (often several months), labor- and measurement-intensive. What Lean does is improve the Six Sigma process by eliminating the time wasted in a project; ensuring speed of delivery (thus customer satisfaction); ensuring that the project concludes on time and under budget; and ensuring the highest profitability. One value proposition of Lean is to reduce lead times to nearly zero, and "Minimizing the lead time by 80 percent will allow the [project] to be completed five times faster," author Salman Taghizadegan estimated in his book "Essentials of Lean Six Sigma."

Responsibility

A Lean Six Sigma project typically (but not always) uses the Six Sigma hierarchy. This hierarchy is largely adapted from martial arts, with a Black Belt being the most advanced, White Belt being a novice. At the top is a Corporate Champion (like a vice president or division manager); Business Unit Champions (high-ranking managers in a particular business unit, like accounting); Master Black Belts (often the quality manager); Black Belts (team leaders); and Green Belts, Yellow and White Belts, who are team participants as well as leaders

References

• "What is Lean Six Sigma?;" Michael L. George, Dave Rowlands, Bill Kastle; 2004
• "Essentials of Lean Six Sigma;" Salman Taghizadegan; 2006
• "The Six Sigma Project Planner;" Thomas Pyzdek; 2003