Lean Six Sigma 2.0: What’s Next Now That Everyone Knows About and Can Use Version 1.0?

      Recently I started to read a McKinsey & Company report titled ‘The Lean Management Enterprise.’  In the Preface the report note it ‘considers how organizations will fare now that more of their competitors may be starting to hear about – and use – the management principles once known as “lean manufacturing.” 

Like all of McKinsey’s work, it is well written and informative, definitely worth a read.  But the quote made me think about what we practitioners of lean six sigma should do now that all our competitors know about and can use existing lean six sigma concepts and practices.        In previous PIPs I noted how some existing tools may have lost their effectiveness.  These include cross training, best practices, benchmarking and Kaizen.

So where do we go for new tools and practices for Lean Six Sigma 2.0?  One area in my mind is the business process management area.  There is now a formal body of knowledge for this area which to me could prove very effective for the control phase of a DMAIC project and the design phase of a DMADV project.

A second area is around the rapidly expanding area of data analytics with the accelerated use of ‘big data.’  Frequently six sigma projects suffer from difficulty obtaining accurate, reliable continuous data.  Big data is putting an informational structure around the vast quantity of data out there.  Tools from this discipline should be adapted for the measure and analyze phases of a DMAIC project.

Lastly is an area which made some inroads to lean six sigma but not enough in my view is formal project management.  We have the process improvement frameworks of DMAIC, DMADV, and on a smaller scale PDCA.  But all too frequently management of a project falls short.  The most successful projects lean six sigma projects I’ve seen had an experienced project manager on the team.

Just like an engine that uses spark plugs needs a tune-up, lean six sigma definitely needs an upgrade.  We’re past that 30,000 mile point in lean six sigma.  In future PIPs, I’ll explore additional ideas and recommendations I have for Lean Six Sigma 2.0.