Page 214 - Lean six sigma demystified

192 Lean Six Sigma DemystifieD

misapply misdoing Mismanage
misapprehend misestimation Mismatch
miscalculation misguided Misplace
misconceive mishap Misreading
misconception misidentification Misreckon
misconstruction misinterpretation Misspend
misconstrue misjudgment Misstep
miscount mislay Mistaken
misdirected mislead Misunderstanding
Misuse

Until you’re willing to stop congratulating yourself for what’s working and start
looking at the misses, mistakes, errors, omissions, defects, and delay that are irritating
customers, demotivating employees, and devouring your profit margins, all of
the Lean Six Sigma methods and tools will not help you. Once you view every
mistake as an opportunity to mistake-proof and improve the delivery of your
product or service, you’ll get hooked on Lean Six Sigma. Until then, the meth-
ods and tools will just be another burden in an already crisis-managed world.

Measurement Simplicity

Jack Welch said “Simplicity applies to measurements also. Too often we measure
everything and understand nothing.” All too often we hear from customers that
they are so overwhelmed drawing charts and graphs that they don’t have time
to analyze and improve anything.

I used to work in the telephone company, and it collected thousands of
measurements, most of which were never used. One hospital using the QI
Macros was tracking 300 different measures. 300? What’s wrong with this
picture? I’ll tell you what: they can’t possibly be using all of these measures.
Ten or 12 provide most of the information required to run that hospital. Mea-
surements should help you, not hinder you.
The purpose of measurement is to guide, forewarn, and inform.
1. Guidance provides course corrections “in flight” while you’re running the
business.
2. Measurement can also forewarn you of potential problems (e.g., trends or
instabilities on control charts).