What is the process for selecting the most valuable Lean Six Sigma solutions?

Absolutely crucial to get this right. In my experience, I have witnessed a rushed approach when issues come up of "I know what's wrong, I'll fix it like this" only to see the issue come back up later. This is treating the symptom, but not the actual root cause. It seems mainly due to perceived pressure that as employees we adopt the dogma that speed to resolution is king, but in reality getting things right is what matters most, and that takes a little more time. Between the two declarative statements above, there are a handful of questions to ask to begin shaping the beast. Simple questions like who, what, when, and where will give you an incredible start. Ignore the fancy terms and employ a simpler mindset of "what do I need to know?"

The solution comes last, first we need to describe the problem, walk the process to understand more about the problem. Tools like 6W2H are excellent to properly describe the problem. Then, we must understand what the ideal state is, where the process should run smoothly. Now we can use different thinking modes to dig deeper into the root cause and the potential solution.

Defining the goal and the problem is absolutely essential for its success. It serves as the North Star, guiding the project team towards a specific outcome that aligns with the organization's strategic objectives. By clearly defining the goal, you establish a precise target that helps measure progress and success. This goal-setting process not only provides focus but also ensures that resources are allocated efficiently, reducing the risk of scope creep or wasted effort. Moreover, a well-defined goal empowers team members with a shared vision, motivating them to work collaboratively and stay committed to achieving meaningful improvements in processes and outcomes.

Some ways to get started: - We tend to be fast at finding solutions without a proper root cause analysis. We should first understand the problem and the root causes. - Once we have the problem identified then we can set the goals we want to achieve. - Identifying the baseline is also very important. When setting the future state keep ambitious but don’t set the impossible. - Elaborating a SIPOC Diagram can be very useful to present clearly and visually the information.

It's important to keep in mind that just because a problem statement has been agreed upon with the customer doesn't mean that the delivered solution will actually add value. Quite often customers think they know what they need and leaving those notions unchallenged can paint LSS practitioners into an unnecessary corner. It can take several discovery sessions to tease out the core of the problem, which can look quite different from the customer's original remit. It's also worth keeping in mind that establishing current baselines and targets for performance only paint a part of the picture since they account for what can be measured; there are often intangible benefits associated with undertaking process improvement initiatives.

I've found that employing tools such as the affinity diagram, fishbone diagram, 5 whys, and brainstorming technique offers a structured framework for unleashing creativity and problem-solving prowess. Creating an environment where all ideas are valued without judgment has been instrumental in fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration in my experience. By involving individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, I've witnessed firsthand how the collective wisdom of the team fuels the generation of fresh and inventive solutions.

After establishing a clear problem definition and goal, the next step involves brainstorming potential solutions. Utilize tools like the affinity diagram, fishbone diagram, 5 whys, and brainstorming technique to generate a multitude of ideas without premature judgment or filtering. The objective here is to amass a wide range of solutions, emphasizing quantity and diversity. It's essential to involve individuals from various perspectives and backgrounds, fostering creativity and increasing the likelihood of identifying effective solutions that address the root causes of the problem and contribute to achieving the defined goal.

Here, you're in a ring with a raging bull that's got you in its crosshairs (a manager that you just told they have a problem). It's one of many cornerstone moments you will have where things can go off track quickly if they do not trust you or if you haven't cultivated psychological safety with them. Safety allows for inclusion, diversity of thought, and eventually performance. Without this, everything they tell you is going to be off and borderline useless, and then you will "solve" a problem they never truly had, further deteriorating their impression of you. So, with their trust in hand you can move forward and lead them to generate solutions using the tools mentioned here. At best, you are a facilitator, a guide, always encouraging.

Generate potential solutions. Start with the ones with bigger impact and relevance. Sustainability is also important when generating solutions. Process improvement is only truly beneficial if this is sustainable.

In our red-hot industry of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Gen AI - these buzzwords dominate discussions about business process optimization. However, Lean Six Sigma often takes a backseat, even though they are more relevant than ever. Businesses need to move from defining their problems and goals from a tech-first lens ("We want to automate XYZ process because everyone else is" or "We're not using GenAI, how can we use GenAI?") to Lean thinking one, before diving headfirst into the latest technologies. The mindset of automating quickly as-is is rife in the industry. We're called Lean Intelligent Automation for a reason, a double entendre to use Lean thinking to automate in an intelligent way.

I normally use an Ease/Benefit diagram to identify quick wins and highest benefits as a team to have an overall consensus.Its always beneficial to take few quick wins to energise the team and give them confidence going forward .

After generating potential solutions, the crucial step is evaluation, focusing on four key criteria: impact, effort, risk, and alignment. "Impact" measures the solution's potential to enhance performance and customer satisfaction. "Effort" assesses resource and time requirements. "Risk" gauges the likelihood of failure or negative consequences. "Alignment" examines fit with organizational goals and values. Tools like impact-effort matrix, risk-reward matrix, FMEA, and balanced scorecard aid in systematic assessment. This process ensures the chosen solution effectively addresses the problem, considering constraints, risks, and organizational objectives.

Alignment needs to address organizational policies as well. Additionally for consideration, recommended countermeasure should target a SWOT analysis that was developed during the data collection during the problem statement phase.

While I accept most of the problem solving and generation methods highlighted by my colleagues, considering six sigma especially which has its already defined framework for approaching problems is the only way of identifying what the problem actually is by proving hypothesis to be either true or false before implementing solutions and measuring if the change actually has made an impact while also building in controls to ensure that the level of performance of the new process can be maintained. Using the DMAIC framework as spelt out by six sigma already carries all the body of what is needed to define the issue, measure the impact and the hypothesis often using pareto principle, analyze, improve and then control the process

After detailed evaluation, prioritizing and selecting solutions in Lean Six Sigma involves considering factors like impact, feasibility and alignment with organizational goals. Techniques such as Impact-Effort Matrix, Multi Voting and Pareto Chart can help rank solutions based on their potential benefits and implementation complexity. Additionally, stakeholder input and consensus-building are crucial for gaining buy-in and ensuring successful execution. By prioritizing solutions with the highest potential for significant improvement and manageable implementation challenges, teams can focus their resources effectively and achieve sustainable results.

The Pareto Chart will definitely help a lot to understand where you should tackle or improvement to achieve your future state. Keep in mind that on that 20% of the causes you could have the most difficult or challenging items to solve so make sure to understand the complete picture. Always try to find low hanging fruits, and also prepare alternatives for long term solutions. (Don’t forget low effort -high impact / then high effort- high impact). When it comes to evaluate and mitigate risks makes sure to have all the SMEs on the table.

I would add PICK chart to the tools. Environment dependent, trade-off considerations will occur in risk and resource allocation. When discussion interdependence a depiction of connection nodes in a web will assist in visualizing the pull and push on one action with the affects around it.

I think we can use FMEA at this stage. systematic, proactive method for evaluating a process to identify where and how it might fail and to assess the relative impact of different failures, in order to identify the parts of the process that are most in need of change.

Following the evaluation of potential solutions, the next pivotal step is prioritization and selection of those that provide optimal value for your project. Employ tools like the Pareto chart, nominal group technique, multi-voting method, and Pugh matrix to rank solutions based on their impact, effort, risk, and alignment. While making selections, take into account interdependencies, synergies, and trade-offs among solutions, aiming for a balanced mix of short-term and long-term strategies. This approach ensures that the chosen solutions align with project objectives, mitigate risks, and lead to the most effective improvements.

Two additional criteria I have found helpful when evaluating alternative solutions are simplicity and time (duration). Often complex solutions, regardless of effort, add a level of risk that is seldom apparent. For example, solutions that require a high level of cross collaboration across functions in a business can introduce competing priorities, agendas and points of view that incrcease risk of timely completion and results. I have also found that projects that take more than a quarter (90 days) to implement add risk of lost focus, funding and competing priorities for resources. If the expected outcomes are close, the simple one and /or the fastest one to implement get my vote.

1. Data Analysis: Begin by thoroughly analyzing data to identify root causes and areas for improvement. 2. Solution Generation: Brainstorm potential solutions and improvements with your team, considering various options. 3. Criteria Development: Establish clear criteria for evaluating solutions. 4. Scoring and Ranking: Evaluate each solution against the established criteria, assigning scores. 5. Pilot Testing: Implement pilot tests for top-ranked solutions to assess their effectiveness in real-world scenarios. 6. Feedback and Refinement: Gather feedback from pilot tests and refine solutions as needed. 7. Implementation: Roll out the selected solutions across the organization, monitor progress, and make adjustments as required.

Always try to find first the low hanging fruits, so the low effort high impact solution if there are any. Then you can focus on the other solutions that will represent more effort but still a high impact.

In my own experience with process improvement, I can't stress enough the value of post-implementation reviews. It's not just about launching a solution, but circling back to evaluate progress and efficiency. And let's not forget the goldmine of feedback from our teams! They're on the ground, and their insights can be game-changers. Keep those channels of communication open and embrace continuous improvement—it's truly the heart of LSS.

To select valuable Lean Six Sigma solutions: 1. Identify improvement areas. 2. Define the problem. 3. Measure current performance. 4. Analyze data. 5. Generate solutions. 6. Evaluate solutions. 7. Implement the best solution. 8. Control and standardize. 9. Review and improve.