Introduction
Lean Six Sigma combines the concepts of Lean product development and management with the Six Sigma strategy. It is focused on process improvement, collaboration, and systemic removal of operational waste and process variation. Like traditional Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma uses the the same DMAIC approach: define, measure, analyze, improve, and control — in effect, this results in identification of the root cause of inefficiencies, particularly for processes, products, or services with a notable amount of data and measurable characteristics.
Theory
The idea of combining the Lean approach with Six Sigma results in a framework (or perhaps “philosophy” is a better word) that both emphasizes the principles of data-driven decision making and the prevention of bugs and defects in the first place as opposed to detecting them after the fact — proactive instead of reactive.
This combination of frameworks focuses around maximizing customer satisfaction and the company’s bottom-line by reducing development time, variation, and general waste. More explicitly, Lean achieves waste reduction awhile Six Sigma achieves standardization.
Execution
Lean Six sigma goes through five phases.
Define
In this phase, you define what the opportunity or problem is from the perspective of relevant stakeholders. Identify what each stakeholder’s goals are with respect to said opportunity or problem.
Measure
Then, you’ll want to understand the current landscape of the opportunity or problem. What is involved in it and how do they contribute to it. Can any processes involved meet the expectations of stakeholders? Essentially, objectively frame the aspects involved in your opportunity or problem.
Analyze
Evaluate all of the data you’ve been able to collect to determine the exact nature of the opportunity or problem, its scope, cause, and impact.
Improve
Pursue the opportunity or solve the problem, then validate whether or not you were successful. Work with your team to define a strategy that meets the opportunity or eliminates the problem and use data to ensure your approach aligns with the need.
Control
Monitor improvement and continuously improve wherever possible. Plan for potential variations, maintain your improvements and optimizations, and seek the next opportunity, or prevent reoccurrence, if you were addressing a problem.
Conclusion
Lean Six Sigma, at its simplest form, is a development/management approach that focuses on the reduction of waste and variation. This in turn results in streamlined, efficient operations (and financial outcomes) for the products and the companies that own them. It is a perfect example how different Agile frameworks can be combined with business concepts to create a culture and environment that fosters greater results than any one framework on its own. Of course, at the end of the day, you should always mind to use the framework that works best for your team, not the framework that works best on paper.