Page 207 - Lean six sigma demystified

Chapter 5 Redu C ing d efe C t S with Six Sigm a 185

• One group just started creating ideas.
• The second group was given 2 hours of training in brainstorming
methods.
• The third group was given 2 hours of training in the six most successful
templates for ads.

All ads were evaluated by a marketing director and tested on customers.

• Group one’s ads were considered annoying by customers.
• Group two’s ads were considered less annoying but no more creative.
• Group three’s ads were considered 50% more creative and generated a
55% better response from customers.

In other words, brainstorming is useless unless you know what you’re looking
for or have a template for success.

Solution: When I look for problems to solve with Lean Six Sigma, I’m always
looking for something I can solve with the methods and tools.

You can’t fix your supplier’s or customer’s process, which is often the end
result of brainstorming; you can see everyone else’s faults, but not your own.
I can’t tell you how many teams I’ve seen try to fix management or their sup-
pliers or their customers. You can’t fix someone else’s process, because you
don’t own it.
You can’t fix morale with Lean Six Sigma. You can’t fix perceptions. You can,
however, fix the underlying problems that lower morale and perceptions.
When it comes to Lean Six Sigma, I’m always looking for

Delay

Sluggish processes can always benefit from the application of Lean. Most of
the delay is between process steps when the product is waiting for the next
action.

Defects

Error-prone processes devour profits in waste and rework. If detailed numerical
counts of defects and their effects (i.e., costs) exist, then it’s easy to use Six
Sigma’s problem-solving process to find and fix the problem. Where there are
no facts and figures about the problem, Six Sigma fails.