How can you make Lean Six Sigma changes stick in your organization?

Defining the vision provides clarity of purpose and direction for Lean Six Sigma initiatives, then it articulates what you want to achieve, and why it matters, aligning the efforts of team members toward common goals. By clearly defining the vision, you create a shared understanding of the desired outcomes and motivate everyone to work together toward achieving them. It's essential to align Lean Six Sigma goals with your organization's mission, values, and strategy, for by integrating Lean Six Sigma initiatives into the broader organizational context, you ensure that they contribute to overarching objectives and priorities. Aligning the vision with organizational goals helps foster buy-in and support from leadership and stakeholders!

To ensure Lean Six Sigma changes are enduring: Leadership Engagement: Essential to have top management's backing for alignment and commitment. Cultural Integration: Embed a continuous improvement mindset Communication: Consistently articulate change benefits and importance to all Build competencies Standardization of processes Performance & Progress Tracking: Utilize KPIs for monitoring progress and pinpointing improvement areas. Open Feedback: Encourage honest feedback for insights at every level. Recognition: Celebrate contributions to Lean Six Sigma initiatives. Regular Reviews: Periodically check compliance with new procedures. These steps help maintain the gains from Lean Six Sigma, fostering lasting organizational efficiency.

"The first step to making Lean Six Sigma changes stick is to define and communicate the vision of what you want to achieve and why." I am intrigued by exactly who the "who" is that this is aimed at. Front-line supervision? Middle management? or the CEO and his leadership team? If the leadership team is engaged, then the question is redundant. However, I suspect by the number of Lean groups on LinkedIn, that the big boys are not and haven't a clue, and posts here have a one-in-a-million chance of engaging them.

- Leadership Support: Ensure top management buy-in and active support. - Employee Involvement: Engage and train employees in Lean Six Sigma. - Clear Goals: Set specific, measurable, and achievable objectives. - Continuous Monitoring: Regularly assess progress and adapt as needed. - Communication: Foster open communication channels throughout. - Recognition & Rewards: Recognize and reward successful improvements. - Sustainment Plan: Develop a long-term plan for sustaining changes.

Lean Six Sigma is a process improvement approach that uses a collaborative team effort to improve performance by systematically removing operational waste and reducing process variation. It combines Lean Management and Six Sigma to increase the velocity of value creation in business processes. Lean comes from Voice of customer (voc) that means customer could not be outsider of the organization but can be the next process. In any organization if have to implement six sigma then need focus and mindset for improvement. Leaning culture, positive approach for improvement, proper resources and utilization of resources.

Empowering the team always helps. But it comes with some caution. Empowering someone who has not demonstrated competence is very risky. That's like superstition or blind faith. Not useful when the stakes are high. First assess competence and trustworthiness then empower.

It's crucial to train and empower your team effectively. Provide comprehensive training programs that cover Lean Six Sigma methodologies, tools, and techniques. Offer opportunities for hands-on learning and practical application to reinforce concepts. Empower team members by delegating responsibility, granting autonomy and encouraging innovation. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions. Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members to leverage collective expertise. By investing in the development and empowerment of your team, you create a workforce that is equipped and motivated to drive sustained Lean Six Sigma improvements throughout the organization.

Training your team is imperative because people need to not only understand the process, but also believe that it will work if applied properly. I have found that a just in time training (JIT) can be very impactful. Train the team on a tool or step of Lean Six Sigma just before applying it. It helps to remain top of mind for the team and the they get to experience it's potency first-hand. It becomes easier to get everyone on board with the power of Lean Six Sigma.

Allocate resources, including time, budget, and tools, to support Lean Six Sigma training and implementation efforts, then ensure that team members have access to the necessary resources to effectively apply Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques in their daily work. Offer comprehensive training programs in Lean Six Sigma methodologies, tools, and techniques, if this may include formal classroom training, workshops, online courses, and certification programs tailored to the specific needs and skill levels of your team members. Provide opportunities for hands-on experience and practical application of Lean Six Sigma concepts through real-world projects and case studies!

Training courses are available at all levels, from introduction sessions at white belt through to expert levels at black belt. You need to strategically decide how many people to train and at what level as the projects can be intensive, especially if you are doing it alongside your day job. Change management is key.

Three things are important for monitoring and measuring results 1) Defining either outcome or output or process metrics to establish current state adn desired goals. Sometimes, the focus is only on outcome metrics and in large organizations, outcomes are a function of multiple outputs, and so we should also encourage output and process KPIs 2) Instrument and automate them as much as possible as manual labour in metrics collection is a disincentive to collect / analyse metrics 3) Have regular forums not so much to measure progress to target and making it investigative, instead measure progress and enablers for continous improvement, else people dress up excuses or lower down targets.

Monitoring and measuring results is the linchpin of successful Lean Six Sigma implementation. Establishing clear, relevant metrics is not only essential but a true reflection of your commitment to continuous improvement. Regular, objective data analysis is the bedrock upon which sustainable change is built. Communication with stakeholders is equally vital, as it fosters transparency and trust. Reporting results, celebrating successes, and openly sharing learnings from the journey emphasize the culture of excellence we aim for. It's not just about implementing change; it's about sustaining it, and this third step is where the magic happens. Let's keep driving progress and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

Monitoring and measuring the results of changes involves defining key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with the objectives of the implemented changes. These KPIs should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Regularly track and analyze these metrics against predefined benchmarks to assess the impact of the changes on process efficiency, quality improvement, cost reduction, customer satisfaction, or other relevant areas. Utilize data analysis tools and methodologies to measure the actual performance compared to the expected outcomes. Continuous monitoring allows for timely identification of deviations or inefficiencies, enabling swift corrective actions to ensure that the changes align with the goals

In my experience, the common problem with collecting data for Six Sigma projects is that they are usually done manually and in a complex way. For instance, some production workers are asked to fill in some sheets. Then someone needs to take those sheets and put into statistical analysis tool (e.g. Minitab or Excel). To mitigate such cases, it is important to plan to automate data collection and visualization. For instance, via Power BI. It is easier with business data, but it is harder with manufacturing process data. While digitalization and automation of data collection and Lean Six Sigma are different things, they are tightly connected. If someone is driving Lean Six Sigma, it would be wise to include into team representative(s) of IT.

Monitoring Lean Six Sigma results involves defining clear metrics, collecting relevant data, using KPIs like cost reduction and customer satisfaction, and analyzing process capability. Regular reviews, customer and employee feedback, and comparing pre- and post-implementation data are crucial. Celebrate successes, document lessons learned, establish feedback loops, and ensure continuous improvement in the monitoring process. These strategies enable data-driven decision-making and sustained improvements.

Depending on the size / organization of your company if a change is being implemented in one area, other similar areas should be involved to see if they can benefit from the change. For example, we previously we used excel to track the calibration of our lab equipment (date of service, required due date, etc.). One of our Engineering groups was using a software package for document control which also had capability for calibration as well. We switched to the software package which was an easier tool to use as well all employees in the lab could share calibration data and review it when they needed to.

It is hard to expect good quality reviews from the same team that implemented changes with Six Sigma. That is why it is important to establish a dedicated cross-functional team of change auditors who would do peer review to ensure impartiality and transparency. It is the same way that organizations set up internal audit teams to review compliance with standards and requirements. These same teams then control the effectiveness of implemented corrective actions.

Changes in culture or culture changes? This question encompasses the way in which we face the challenges in organizations from lean six sigma. Define, measure, analyze, improve and control from a zero-waste perspective. And if we add the agile look to add value, it is more complex. Without a doubt, the way to understand the changes and not go back is for the agile leader to lead the team to consolidate the agile-lean culture.

To ensure Lean Six Sigma changes remain effective, it's essential to continually review and improve them. This involves analyzing data and feedback to identify any gaps, issues, or risks that could impact the changes' sustainability. Implementing corrective actions where necessary helps maintain their effectiveness. I suggest looking for further improvement opportunities and considering how these changes might be applied to other areas or processes. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you encourage everyone to contribute ideas, ensuring that Lean Six Sigma changes are not only sustained but also continually refined.

Documenting changes is a bad way to make them stick. Why? Because there are tons of documents already and none wants to read another one. Instead, it should be simple to remember and everyone can do it. If changes have no positive impact and benefit for people, none will follow them no matter how much you document them in your policies, values and etc.

Documentation can help in showing the benefit of the changes made but more importantly it should be in the company’s policies to be used for training new employees to ensure the new method is being followed. This would also be of value during audits to show that a new and improved method is being conducted correctly by all applicable employees.

To make Lean changes stick, avoid excessive documentation. Instead, ensure changes are simple, memorable, and provide tangible benefits to individuals. Integration into policies and procedures should focus on simplicity and ease of implementation, accompanied by strong leadership support. Foster a Lean culture through daily practices, emphasizing continuous improvement. Recognize and reward employee contributions to Lean successes for ongoing engagement. Celebrate achievements, big or small, to sustain enthusiasm and motivation, fostering a positive environment for continuous improvement.

What i have experienced is that one of the key lever to make change stick is to have a constant review of change through process confirmation by Senior Management using Gemba, audits etc. Asking the question from the ones impacted by change are we still really getting the realistic benefits out of it or we need to revist this change otherwise people gets complacent and stop their belief. Reinforce mechanism is good like documenting change, make part of annual goals, regular performance reviews etc. But we should think of way that really matters most to make that change stick

Making Lean Six Sigma changes stick to an organization requires a systematic and structured approach. Here are some methods and steps that can be taken to ensure the sustainability of Lean Six Sigma improvements: 1. Obtain Leadership Support 2. Create a Vision and Communicate 3. Establish a Governance Structure 4. Train and Develop Employees 5. Select and Prioritize Projects 6. Continuous Improvement Culture 7. Metrics for Monitoring 8. Standardize Processes 9. Share Success Stories 10. Embed in Daily Operations 11. Continuous Training and Support 12. Review and Learn from Failures

How can you make Lean Six Sigma changes stick in your organization? By Auditing Lean Six Sigma Implementation using the following standards :- 1.Internal Audit as ISO 9001:2015 , clauses 9.2 (Internal Audit) & 10.3 Continual improvement plus ISO 19011:2018 , Guidelines for auditing management systems. 2.Internal Audit based on ISO standard 18404:2015 Quantitative methods in process improvement Six Sigma Competencies for key personnel and their organizations in relation to Six Sigma and Lean implementation (Underdevelopmentnow). 3. Internal Audit based on ISO 13053-1:2011 Quantitative methods in process improvement Six Sigma Part 1: DMAIC methodology. 4.Internal Audit based on ISO standard: ISO 13053- Part 2: Tools and techniques.

Define and communicate the vision. The first step is to define a clear and concise vision for the change, and to communicate this vision to all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers. The vision should explain what the change is, why it is important, and what the benefits will be. 2. Engage and empower the people. Six Sigma is most successful when people at all levels of the organization are involved and empowered to make changes. This means providing employees with the training and resources they need to be successful, and giving them the authority to make decisions and implement changes. 3)Recognize and reward employees for their contributions to Lean Six Sigma. This will help to keep people motivated and engaged.

Lean Six Sigma Changes how to stick in your organization: 1. By Auditing the processes that have changed/ improved using ISO 19011:2018 Guidelines for Auditing & using customized audit Checklist .Either planned audits or unannounced audits. 2. Using : Gemba walks: 5 golden rules of gemba management When a problem arises, the first step to take is to go to Gemba. Check the Gembutsu ("relevant objectives" such as scrap, broken machines, returned goods, etc.) Perform temporary actions. Find the root cause. Standardize to avoid recurrences.