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Lean Six Sigma is a methodology that combines the principles of Lean Manufacturing with those of Six Sigma. The aim is to improve process efficiency, eliminate waste and guarantee maximum quality in production and services, always focussing on maximum customer satisfaction and the company's operational efficiency.
The history of Lean Six Sigma is rich and comes from the fusion of two powerful methodologies. Lean Manufacturing originated in Japan as an innovation of the Toyota Production System, focusing on maximising efficiency by eliminating what did not add value. Six Sigma, meanwhile, was born at the hands of Motorola in the 1980s, with the mission of raising the quality of processes by minimising errors and defects.
The alchemy of these two approaches gave rise to Lean Six Sigma, a strategy that not only aims for operational excellence through process optimisation, but also permeates the organisational culture, instigating continuous and lasting improvement.
Defining Value: The foundation of everything is understanding what value is for the customer, guiding all subsequent actions.
Mapping the Value Stream: Each stage of the process is analysed in detail in order to identify and discard stages that do not contribute to the value perceived by the customer.
Establish Flow: By eliminating redundant steps, the process becomes more agile and effective.
Implement Pull: Production is guided by customer demand, ensuring that only what is needed is produced.
Seek Perfection: Improvement is a continuous process. The quest for perfection drives all actions and decisions.
DMAIC is the backbone of Six Sigma, an acronym that details the structured approach to process improvement:
Define: The initial phase involves clearly establishing the project's objectives and the client's requirements. Here, the team aligns on the expectations and goals to be achieved.
Measure: The current performance of the process is thoroughly evaluated. This phase is crucial for establishing a baseline, which will serve as a comparison for the improvements implemented.
Analyze: Once current performance is known, the team digs into the data to identify the root causes of problems.
Improve: With the causes of defects in hand, solutions are proposed and implemented to eliminate them.
Control: Even after improvements have been made, the process is closely monitored to ensure that problems don't reappear.
Adopting Lean Six Sigma brings a number of advantages:
Lean Six Sigma is a philosophy that transforms companies and professionals. Its tools and methodologies have the power to raise operational performance and deliver surprising results.
Recognised for its excellence, OPorto Forte offers unparalleled Lean Six Sigma training. With an experienced teaching staff and a practical methodology, OPorto Forte prepares professionals to face the challenges of the market, equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to lead continuous improvement projects with mastery.
The training covers everything from the fundamentals to the most advanced concepts, making it a benchmark for those wishing to excel in the world of Lean Six Sigma.