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Many people believe that the Lean Six Sigma History can be easily understood and absorbed or that it is not relevant for them to learn and understand the methodology. First, you should know that knowing every aspect when it comes to its history can be difficult because it includes more than one methodology, more times in history, and more analyses and studies to follow. On the other hand, you have to know how something originated or why it was created so you can learn and implement it properly. We want every student to understand LSS from the very beginning, which is why our LSS education at Lean Six Sigma Curriculum for Birmingham High School Students of Alabama starts here.
LSS is a process that reduces waste, improves processes, achieves continuous improvement, and works towards increasing revenue and reducing costs. All of this is based on how companies must work around their processes and need focus on getting better results with less.
How they need to identify and manage problems and issues and then implementing solutions to prevent them from happening again will be crucial when focusing on this methodology.
Where did the idea of LSS originate? History time!
LSS was created to address the problem American companies were facing: Japanese companies dominated production and markets in the 1980s thanks to their great products that focused on customer satisfaction and ensured that costs along with waste were reduced.
Japan implemented many different methodologies. The main one, however, is the Kaizen system. This focuses on customer satisfaction as well as waste reduction.
Thanks to them adopting this method, they were able to achieve outstanding results during manufacturing, and thus, the need for LSS, or a methodology that would help USA companies compete, rose.
How Do Japanese Methodologies Influence LSS?
It is crucial to understand how other methodologies have influenced the idea of Sigma and how people decided that LSS, overall, was a good idea since there is always more than one principle and idea that influences the creation of a whole methodology.
Some methodologies you need to keep in mind when understanding LSS include:
- Kanban method of workflow management
- Value stream mapping for optimizing process delivery.
- A five-step method will optimize your work and ensure efficiency.
However, two main methodologies are the core elements for LSS to take place and be created: Lean and Six Sigma, both individual methodologies that have a focus on improvement but achieve it in different ways.
Six Sigma and Lean: How They Helped with LSS
Toyota invented Lean in the late 1940s to decrease non-value-adding activities and improve performance with the right processes and taking care of all types of waste, not only the physical ones.
The core values of Lean management include:
- Customer service and satisfaction are your top priorities.
- All work-related waste must be reduced.
- Continuous improvement while keeping your clients in mind.
Toyota Production Systems (TPS) is the place where Lean was established. It is also where we first see its use, and it is all thanks to Japanese Taiichi Ohno.
Lean is also based on Henry Ford’s innovations, Business Process Redesign, and other business processes, according to some data.
The methodology follows a specific structure that, although it helps to determine how processes and steps take place, you can modify according to your needs and goals:
- Lean starts with determining the customer’s added value.
- Processes and cycles that support value should be mapped (value stream).
- Recognize and improve waste flow. Data is collected and shared to expose waste.
- Discuss how to eliminate all the waste and focus on the customer when working on products, projects, and any ideas.
- Employees should identify areas they need to improve and then work together to fix them.
Now, what is 6 Sigma?
Motorola developed the method, and General Electric successfully used it at the time, and it was meant—and it is still—to reduce manufacturing process variability years later.
It is based on the DMAIC framework, which allows for processes and waste to be identified, measured, and analyzed. They are then improved and monitored to ensure there is constant improvement.
Six Sigma gives managers the tools and targets they need to create a structured improvement program and guarantee they are identifying root causes and problems overall and finding solutions for each,
Where Is LSS Left in This?
Lean Six Sigma was founded in the USA. Its history stems from the fact that Six Sigma and Lean were combined, yet, it adds more values and principles in order to fill the gaps they both have so; in the late 80s, American companies could compete with Japanese products, and the desired result was indeed achieved.
Since then, it has been widely used in many industries. It is now a valuable addition to any curriculum as trainees also get the benefits of being sought by organizations that require its implementation.
Contact Lean Six Sigma Curriculum Pros of Birmingham if you’re interested in adding certification and training to your curriculum to increase its value and learn a great methodology.