What’sWhat’s the difference between Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma
With changing times, today’s growing businesses have adapted new technologies for smooth functioning. Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma are such technologies. Six Sigma a set of techniques used for process improvement. It was invented by a worker of the Motorola Company named Bill Smith in 1986. He named it in such a way because 6σ is a term used in chemistry to refer to something which is under control and mediocre. Lean Six Sigma is working on the methodology of Six Sigma to combine management methods. Both Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma has the same objective. The objective is to achieve more effective processes that yield better results. The only difference is the way it achieves the desired goal. Although both are taught as separate topics, the topics are somewhat similar. Understanding lean Six Sigma and Six Sigma is important when solving problems so you can use the tactics suitable for that situation.
Six Sigma reduces variation as well as the defect rates in the process of production using statistical analysis. To improve processes, Six Sigma follows two methodologies; They are DMADV, which means Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify, and it improves existing processes by letting the team look at problems objectively and use statistical data to improve the problems. The other one is DMAIC, which means to Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, and it forces project teams to identify customer needs and try to make them satisfied. So Six Sigma looks over the whole production and supply chain for any mistakes and problems. It helps in effectively solving the problems to ensure these mistakes don’t happen further.
Lean Six Sigma focuses on removing waste and delivering maximum value to customers with good quality and at least possible price to be spent. Toyota first coined lean in the 1940s. Lean uses Plan, do check, and Act (PDCA). There are many advantages to using lean Six Sigma. It streamlines the processes which give improved customer satisfaction in gives you their experience and loyalty. It helps in defect detection as well as defect reduction to remove waste and reduce cost. It increases both capacity and profitability. It gives us a set of combined techniques to help the workers solve problems with a systematic approach. In Lean, the PDCA and DMAIC method works in a collective way to decrease the hurdles faced. It eliminates the products that don’t meet the standard quality. It gets rid of manufacture of more products than required in the market. It helps in finishing a work in the scheduled time provided. It helps hardworking people to achieve success. It eliminates inefficient shipping ways, unnecessary moving of resources, and, most importantly, the unnecessary extra work.
Difference between Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma:
Lean Six Sigma is very useful for companies who want the smooth running of processes and to deliver good products and services to the users. DMAIC provides a phased thinking and clear roadmap, which is useful in companies, unlike Six Sigma, which is mainly used to prevent defects. New methods, techniques, ideas, and innovations come up every day. But the line of difference in Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma is still blurry. We still don’t have much idea whether both of them are mutually exclusive or not. A Six Sigma project has a period of 2 to 6 months. On the other hand, a lean Six Sigma project is one week to 3 months project. Demand is the main driver of lean Six Sigma, whereas data is the main driver of Six Sigma.
Both Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma support organizations that want to look towards problem-solving software. So it should surely co-exist. This will simplify processes, improve flow, increase speed, improve quality, and, most importantly, make the customers satisfies. The use of Six Sigma and lean Six Sigma has already been started in various businesses as well as in organizations such as hospitals, military, manufacturing, municipalities, insurance, etc. So, if we combine the knowledge of both of them, we may get something very new, different, and innovative that may help us in a better way.