Lean Six Sigma is a process improvement approach that combines Lean Management and Six Sigma to increase productivity and create more value for customers in any industry or job function. It is a synergized managerial concept of Lean and Six Sigma, where Lean traditionally focuses on eliminating the eight kinds of waste ("muda"), and Six Sigma focuses on improving process output quality by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and minimizing process variation.
Lean Six Sigma is based on the Scientific Method and the Toyota Production System. It is a team-focused managerial approach that seeks to improve performance by systematically removing operational waste and reducing process variation. Lean Six Sigma can be applied to any industry or job function because all businesses have processes.
The first concept of Lean Six Sigma was created in Chuck Mills, Barbara Wheat, and Mike Carnells 2001 book, Leaning into Six Sigma: The Path to Integration of Lean Enterprise and Six Sigma. It was developed as a guide for managers of manufacturing plants on how to combine lean manufacturing and Six Sigma to improve quality and cycle time in the plant. In the early 2000s, Six Sigma principles expanded into other sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, finance, and supply chains.
Lean Six Sigma provides a clear path to achieving operational excellence and can help organizations better their processes and solve problems. Lean Six Sigma certification is a set of credentials verifying expertise in the Lean Six Sigma method. There are different certifications available, and a variety of schools and companies offer training in this method to prepare for a certifying exam.
