Competition in the market is here to stay. With technology, which innovates every second, running most of the show, competition is bound to become fiercer by the day. So, how do companies achieve and sustain profitable growth?
People in the know realize that for companies to grow and consistently exceed bottom line expectations, they need to get lean. Not only that, they need to combine lean with a methodology that works well in a lean environment.
Lean Six Sigma has been touted to be the strategy that drives most successful manufacturing companies today. William H. Gaw shares with iSixSigma, the importance of mastering the eight basics of Lean Six Sigma.
- Information Integrity: Let your systems be driven with accurate and relevant data.
- Performance Management: Have a balanced scorecard that emphasizes motivation and winning behavior.
- Sequential Production: Launch a sequential production system: continuous production lines that are supported by real-time, visual material supply chains.
- Point of Use Logistics: Reduce cost by ensuring that a quick movement of production parts and components from the stockroom to their production point of use.
- Cycle Time Management: Focus on the continuous reduction of all cycle times. This requires a focus on root cause and proactive problem solving.
- Production Linearity: Form teams of employees to pursue and achieve linear production to achieve speed, quality, and costs.
- Resource Planning: Have a reliable information that tells you when to downsize or upsize direct labor force in a timely manner.
- Customer Satisfaction: Plan and implement proactive projects that breakdown the communication barriers with customers.
Source:
iSixSigma, “Eight Basics of Lean Six Sigma for Manufacturing Firms” link provided by PROMAX Consulting.
