What are some common pitfalls or misconceptions about Lean and DMAIC methodologies?

Lean also creates a culture where the person closest to the process makes the decision. Typically this means that through andon cables the operator is empowered to stop the production line if they identify a defect. The top-down approach of management at North American auto plants bristled at giving the operator such responsibility and this resistance is what hobbled lean implementations and propelled Japanese automotive plants to surpass the efficiency and quality of North American plants.

Uno de los errores más comunes es utilizar estas metodologías solamente de manera técnica, sin profundizar en la creación de cultura, realizar talleres y programas temporales sin involucrar a la alta dirección. Sin duda, considero totalmente acertadas las palabras de Masaaki Imai, cuando recalcaba que el compromiso de la dirección es la base fundamental del éxito del Kaizen, lo que es aplicable a cualquier estrategia del negocio.

A huge and common mistake about Lean Six Sigma is that it will not be efficient if you only adopt the methodology. Toyota is deeper that a Production System, it is a way of think and culture. So in my understanding it is better defined as Toyota Thinking System. If you don't underdand which tool should be used for each problem you are facing, you will not see the entire potential results that Lean Six Sigma can provide.

In my experience, DMAIC is not only a methodology but also an overall mindset that is used by the engineers in our organization. It is not just a tool that should be pulled out, dusted off, and used periodically. Rather, it's a great model to train engineers on a very effective thought process to apply in the normal course of a workday on any problem-solving opportunity. Without this structured DMAIC model, too often problems are "solved" without fully understanding the root cause and more importantly, not putting in controls to prevent the reoccurrence of the issue. Once the DMAIC process has been applied regularly, it truly becomes a key pillar in the culture of the organization.

A maior armadilha na minha opinião de iniciar um processo DMAIC, é a falsa sensação que já conhecemos a causa raiz do problema. As etapas devem ser realizadas ao seu tempo, respeitando as regras e com o envolvimento de todos da equipe. Assim as buscas, descobertas e aprendizados ficam fortalecidos. A consequência de um processo bem sucedido é chegar na causa raiz do problema. Caso não encontre a causa raiz, torna-se necessário revisitar as etapas anteriores. Com o uso do DMAIC e a prática como rotina, essa armadilha desaparece.

O maior equívoco que encontramos é quando time acha que não é necessário uma análise de dados profunda para a aplicação do DMAIC, levando a resultados rasos devido à falta de aprofundamento.

DMAIC, like many Six Sigma approaches, is very data-driven to the point where analytical skill can be a barrier. Often the qualification of skill levels in DMAIC (often indicated by a coloured belt not dissimilar to a martial arts program) is a measure of skills that are associated with quantitative analysis. Those who struggle with quantitative methods often get left behind.

One of the advantages of the DMAIC model, that is seldom talked about, is its ability to get a large pool of people involved in solving a given problem. Traditionally, the DMAIC model includes the following responsibilities: D or Define, Upper Management M or Measure, Green Belts / supervisors A or Analyze, Green Belts / Yellow Belts I or Improve, Black Belts (often times engineers) C or Control, Green Belts / Yellow Belts The project manager of the DMAIC project should act as a facilitator. The job of the facilitator is to make sure that all applicable members are involved and that this involvement evolves into a sense of ownership. Ownership will create a much better probability of successful implementation.

Lean and DMAIC are just tools that were built from the roots of scientific method. They give structure to solve problems. They can be flexed to fit the organizational needs. The trick is being disciplined enough to let teams have the authority to use them. Too many times leaders don’t accept the solutions that teams come up with and results are not achieved.

DMAIC is the structured problem-solving methodology originaly used in Six Sigma projects to identify and eliminate the root causes of defects or inefficiencies in a process. Lean, on the other hand, aims to eliminate waste and improve efficiency throughout the entire manufacturing process. While Six Sigma focuses on reducing variation and defects, lean manufacturing focuses on creating more value for the customer with fewer resources. Lean tools can be integrated into the DMAIC process to streamline operations, reduce waste, and enhance overall efficiency. By combining the two methodologies, organizations can achieve sustainable process improvements that result in higher quality products, increased customer satisfaction, and lower costs.

O Lean é ideal para otimização de processos contínuos e eliminação de desperdícios, enquanto o DMAIC é mais adequado para a resolução de problemas específicos e melhoria da qualidade. É importante avaliar a situação e as necessidades da organização para decidir qual metodologia é mais apropriada.

Both Lean and DMAIC attempt to reduce waste. However, Lean defines waste from the standpoint of management decisions and DMAIC defines waste as deviation from some standard. DMAIC tends to work best when you have a specific target and the potential for a lot of measurable related data. Lean does not necessarily have the rigor of DMAIC quantitative methods but makes up for it in its iterative Plan-Do-Check-Act approach. It is common for Lean projects to drift as projects go on and get closer to the root-cause. DMAIC project conversely often get stalled when there is a realization that the metric if found to be unstable with respect to the project needs or disassociated with the related input data captured.

In my experience the use of the tools sometimes makes to complex the resolution of “just do” solutions that drive immediate results. Low hanging fruit discoveries should be implemented immediately without waiting for the full analysis and toolset usage. Lean and DMAIC are ideal to optimize but most locations have ways to go before the need of the tools to optimize the process as a whole. Optimization that does not improve customer satisfaction and / or margins is a meaningless optimization.

Take care with Lean and DMAIC. Viewing it as a one-time project: Lean and DMAIC are meant to be continuous improvement methodologies. Treating them as one-time projects rather than ongoing efforts to drive efficiency and quality can limit their impact.

When using the DMAIC model, or whichever systematic problem solving model you chose, you must always keep the objective in mind. The objective is to effectively solve the problem. The objective is not to create the "perfect" DMAIC model. So if you need to "tweak" the model in order to more effectively reach the objective then you should do that.