​This multi-part blogpost series presents practical answers to frequently asked questions on improving business entities. 

Its objective is to assist business leaders in these trying times, whether they are learning the basics of business process improvement, planning their first business improvement project, or evangelizing process-oriented thinking throughout their organization.
 
So, let’s get started …
 
At the outset, there is no ultimate business improvement or continuous improvement methodology. Please do not waste your time to search for one.
 
Over the years, several business process improvement methodologies have been suggested and successfully applied to various industry sectors.

Eighteen such continuous improvement methodologies applicable to manufacturing and service sectors are explained in my book entitled ‘Business Process Improvement for Manufacturing and Service Industry’. Check it out here-https://www.amazon.com/Business-Process-Improvement-Manufacturing-Industry/dp/1988663075/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503707949&sr=8-1&keywords=shruti+bhat
 
Built upon each other, these methodologies often employ common tools for problem solving. They represent the experiences and thoughts about process improvement by workers, managers, consultants, and scholars throughout the entire industrial age. They are still evolving today, as more and more organizations have started to implement them.
 
The Six Sigma process improvement methodology was developed in Motorola company around 1986. Their aim was to improve processes, minimize variations and eliminate defects from their operations and products.
 
As much as 3.6 million defects are reduced per million opportunities in a Six Sigma process. The number of defects decrease further as the ‘sigma’ level of the process increases. But so will the cost of running operations.
 
Usually a mix of 3-sigma and 6-sigma processes give optimal rewards.
 
Also, combining Six Sigma with other process improvement techniques such as Lean, Kaizen, Agile or Hoshin further improves process efficiency and reduces operational cost.
 
But no matter what the process improvement methodology or what benefits it claims to generate, it can never be the only solution to improve organizational performance. In fact, over-commitment to it can actually weaken an organization’s competitive advantage. And it is advisable to combine two to three process improvement methodologies to achieve best rewards.
 
To grow, an organization must balance process improvement with other initiatives such as innovation, improved product/ service features, employee development.
 
Although process improvement can improve lead-time, productivity, inventories, cost, and quality, it can never replace an innovative product.
 
In other words, a new product needed and wanted by customers will generate a dramatic demand in the marketplace that the organization can succeed even without process improvement. Having said that, if such a customer-centric innovative company were to follow process improvement techniques, it would augment its profits exponentially.
 
Similarly, process improvement methodologies can never replace commitment of competent employees. When innovative and job-trained employees of an organization are committed, they will improve the processes even without any formal process improvement initiatives.
 
Hence, I iterate that none of the process improvement methods, including Six Sigma is ultimate. You must select the methodology best suited for your workplace. Check out more about how to choose a business process improvement methodology for your organization here.
  
I shall discuss more FAQs concerning effective & efficient business process improvement in upcoming parts of this blog post series...
 
By the way, if you run a company that is facing a challenge to thrive in these difficult times, I would suggest that you please revisit your business processes in order to accelerate growth and bring a quick turnaround.

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#businessprocessimprovement #sixsigmaexplained #whatissixsigma #whatissixsigmamethodology #sixsigma #sixsigmacontinuousimprovement #sixsigmamemoryjogger #processimprovement #continuousimprovement   #howtousesixsigmamethodology #businessprocessmodification #businessprocessreengineering     #strategicplanning   #strategymanagement  

This multi-part blog post series presents practical answers to frequently asked questions on improving business entities. 

Its objective is to assist business leaders in these trying times, whether they are learning the basics of business process improvement, planning their first business improvement project, or evangelizing process-oriented thinking throughout their organization.
 
So, let’s get started…

Often, CMMI is compared to ISO 9001, and rightly so since they are similar in terms of improving quality systems. However, CMMI aims to create a system that allows business process improvement through measuring and defining the various stages that are ‘to be used’, whereas ISO 9001 quality levels are less specific and easier to obtain.
 
As regards ISO Vs Six Sigma, a comparison is impossible since they perform quite different functions. ISO 9000 family indicates ‘what and how’ an organization will manage the quality of its products and services; while Six Sigma focuses on reducing or eliminating errors, variations, and increasing customer satisfaction’.
 
I shall discuss more FAQs concerning effective & efficient business process improvement in upcoming parts of this blog post series...
 
By the way, if you run a company that is facing a challenge to thrive in these difficult times, I would suggest that you please revisit your business processes in order to accelerate growth and bring a quick turnaround.

Keywords and Tags:

#businessprocessimprovement #ISO #SixSigma #CMMI #qualitymanagement #businessprocessmodification #businessprocessreengineering #processimprovement #continuousimprovement 

To learn more about how Shruti can help your organization achieve new heights or to book a Workshop, Contact Dr. Shruti Bhat via Form or WhatsApp

Follow Shruti on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn
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#ContinuousImprovement #Innovation  #SixSigma  #DesignThinking  #DOE  #Biotech

In this blog post I shall touch upon business transformation via three most popular Continuous Improvement methodologies, namely-  Lean, Six Sigma and Kaizen.

Lean concept though has been cited in ancient Japanese folklore, it was introduced as a Management methodology by Toyota around 1940s to improve their auto business. Since then there has been no looking back for Lean. Several organizations both from Manufacturing and Service sectors have embraced Lean and reaped huge dividends.

Six Sigma developed at Motorola around 1970s specially to sort out quality problems. Six Sigma takes the idea of quality to a whole new level. A process that operates at Six Sigma has 3.4 or lower defects per million opportunities.

Six Sigma is far and away the most mathematically driven method for reducing waste and errors in an organization. Measuring your business from a Six Sigma perspective requires time, dedication and company-wide participation; hence, it is definitely not for everyone. Though there is a certain magic to seeing a company from a purely mathematical perspective. For one it can transfer a desperate business situation into one that can be optimistically turnaround. All one must do is reduce € in the equation y = F(x) + €

Tip: Use a Pivot Table to perform fast, detailed analysis on large data sets. Once you set up a Pivot Table the way you want it, it will continue to operate and update as you add to or modify the data behind it.

Tip: Pareto principle is that 80% of negative results are due to 20% of inefficiencies. Identifying the inefficiencies that make the biggest impact can lead to fast and tremendous improvements in efficiency across an organization via Six Sigma.

Kaizen as a concept is even older than Lean. Kaizen in Japanese means ‘Make Better’. Kaizen is the art and science of consistently and continually improving a process in small steps. Accrued over time, such incremental improvements result in huge benefits. Kaizen is best for Lean organizations, small teams and organizations that give employees some degree of autonomy and responsibilities.

Kaizen is not a one-time planned process but rather an approach to work that places the focus on greater business efficiency e.g. Kaizen in a series of constant small improvement. Kaizen improvement would never add difficulty or unpleasantness to an employee’s workflow. Employees are highly involved in the Kaizen-based business improvement process via all types of Kaizen be it Gemba Kaizen, Modular Kaizen etc.

Tip: Get people that don’t know the process involved in the Gemba Walk, as they come in with open mind and are more likely to ask critical questions.

Working Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen or any other continuous improvement methodology requires good amount of research into existing processes, identification of problems & their causes and potential solutions.

What tools are available for researching the far-reaching implications of a potential solution before you implement it?

There are over 100 Continuous Improvement tools to choose from. The  choice of tool depends on the size of the organization and the size of its problem. However, Value Stream Mapping is a favorite tool to begin with, to take a bird’s eye view of the process, problems and decide whether improvement is required and what would be its impact on company’s over all financials.

It’s said a leaky pot never gets filled-up. Same is true for a problematic business process. The process will never truly gets sorted out unless root cause(s) for the inefficiencies are identified and solved. Brainstorming, 5 Whys, Control Charts, Ishikawa diagram may be used to identify root causes of problem.

To learn more about how Shruti can help your organization achieve new heights or to book a Workshop, Contact Dr. Shruti Bhat via Form or WhatsApp

Follow Shruti on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn
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#ContinuousImprovement #Kaizen #sixsigma #lean #leansixsigma #QualityImprovement  #BPM #ServiceIndustry  #ManufacturingManagement #BusinessTransformation  #ProcessExcellence   

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About Shruti Bhat PhD, MBA, Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
 
Dr. Shruti Bhat is an award-winning Business Excellence Leader, Global Continuous Improvement Mastermind, Best-selling Author and Speaker. She is Continuous Improvement Advisor to several start-ups, mid-size and growing firms in Canada, USA, India, Africa and Emerging markets. She has authored eight business books and is an invited speaker at several national and international conferences, symposia and workshops.


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Six Sigma uses a method known as DMAIC, which stands for Determine, Measure, Analyze, Implement and Control. Lean Six Sigma is more focused on observation in order to make decisions that can benefit the company’s productivity. It is more focused on shorter cycles that show where the benefits and errors lie through experimentation and observation. 
  
This allows for small changes to be made as they recognized, whereas Six Sigma is more of an overall assessment. Six Sigma is typically used for a serious problem that requires much attention to detail in order to come with a quick solution, however Lean Six Sigma is implemented as a long-lasting solution to improve the organization of a company. 
 
Lean Six Sigma requires the whole company to learn and implement the changes, whereas Six Sigma tends to just use teams instead. This is often more desirable for a large company that does not want to train all its employees but it can cause miscommunication, misunderstandings and feelings of separation. Lean Six Sigma requires each individual in a company to learn and develop skills that help the company lower waste and improve  productivity. 

Smaller companies will have a harder time using Six Sigma than Lean Six Sigma, since it requires much planning, analyzing and training in order to get the desired results. Small companies do not have the manpower to function without key members of the time, whereas larger companies can spare individuals from each department. Though some smaller companies choose to train and develop in increments at a time and put them together in the end, instead of fully engaging in a Six Sigma at one time. 
 
It is necessary to have at least a single employee to undergo Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma at any time in order to provide training to the other employees. Many companies find it beneficial to hire outside help in order to train staff without disrupting day to day operations. 
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