Valuable Information

as you begin the Lean transformation

Our Blog

Six Sigma – The Control Phase Part 6

By Drive, Inc. on Tuesday 15 January 2019.

In our last issue, we focused on the “I” in the DMAIC cycle for Six Sigma. We discussed the processes and tools used to IMPROVE the output performance of the process. In this issue, we will focus on the “C” in the DMAIC cycle, which is the CONTROL phase. In this phase, our goal is to ensure that the problem remains solved and make certain that the new methods can continue to be improved over time. Have you ever ‘fixed’ a problem only to see it resurface a short time later?

Year‐End Reflection – Why don’t we deal with our problems?

By Drive, Inc. on Monday 17 December 2018.

Every year, we reflect on our organization’s capacity and capability to facilitate organizational change. Last year, we reflected on an organization’s ability to navigate the early majority through “The Change House.” (click here for last year’s reflection). This year, I’d like to reflect on what keeps companies from attacking their real issues.

Six Sigma Basics ‐ The Improve Phase Part 5

By Drive, Inc. on Friday 16 November 2018.

In our previous issue, we focused on the “A” in the DMAIC cycle for Six Sigma. We laid out the processes and tools used to ANALYZE the output performance of the process. In this issue, we will focus on the “I” in the DMAIC cycle, which is the IMPROVE phase. In this phase, we should now be ready to develop, implement, and evaluate solutions targeted at our VERIFIED cause. The goal is to demonstrate with data that our solutions solve the problem and lead to an improvement. We must VERIFY the effectiveness of the solution. Failing to VERIFY the effectiveness of the solution will lead to false hope and busy-work trying to maintain the improvement. The first step in the IMPROVE phase is to test our solutions in the real world. This must be done on a small level to ensure the solution is correct. We are often pushed to implement the solution across the entire process or product line. This is not the best method of implementation. Be sure to follow the Plan, Try, Reflect and Standardize (PTRS) cycle during implementation.

Six Sigma Basics ‐ ANALYZE Part 4

By Drive, Inc. on Wednesday 17 October 2018.

In the previous issue in this series, we focused on the “M” in the DMAIC cycle for Six Sigma. We conveyed the processes and tools used to MEASURE the output performance of the process. This month, we will focus on the “A” in the DMAIC cycle, which is the ANALYZE phase. In this phase, we will develop theories of root causes, confirm those theories with data, and finally, determine the true root cause(s) of the problem. The true root cause(s) will form the basis for solutions in the next phase of the DMAIC cycle covered in our following issue, which is the IMPROVE phase. Many tools are used in the ANALYZE phase, so it would not be practical to cover all of them in a blog format. We will instead focus on three of the most important and effective tools used. These tools are Design of Experiments (DOE), Hypothesis Testing, and Regression Analysis.

Six Sigma Basics MEASURE - Part 3

By Drive, Inc. on Tuesday 18 September 2018.

In our latest issue, we focused on the “D” in the DMAIC cycle for Six Sigma. We discussed the processes and tools used to DEFINE the project. Now we will focus on the “M” in the DMAIC cycle, which is the MEASURE phase. In this phase, we discuss the processes and tools used to pinpoint the location or source of deviation.

Six Sigma Basics ‐ The Define Phase Part 2

By Drive, Inc. on Friday 17 August 2018.

STEPS TO DEFINE: In the last issue we discussed the phases of Six Sigma. There are 5 phases in the Six Sigma problem solving process. Each phase is crucial to the overall success of the project. This month, we will dive into the first phase of the Six Sigma process, the DEFINE phase.

Six Sigma Basics - Part 1

By Drive, Inc. on Friday 20 July 2018.

Six-Sigma is a problem solving technique that works well with any Lean enterprise initiative. In some companies, the term “Lean Six Sigma” is used instead of separating the two approaches, since they complement each other in their goals. Lean is a system used to eliminate waste, imbalance and overburden by identifying and solving problems through the use of people.

Front Line Leaders

By Drive, Inc. on Wednesday 20 June 2018.

Having the right front line leadership prevents entropy from occurring in a work area, which leads to long-term sustainment. Executive leaders can unknowingly set up front line leaders for failure, and often find themselves surprised at the results. Five things Executive Leaders do to set up front line leaders for failure are:

Leadership Competencies

By Drive, Inc. on Thursday 17 May 2018.

What is Leadership? We are often asked this question, and it surprises us that many companies have promoted non-leaders into leadership positions. This is a shame and, if not remedied, is a huge form of disrespect to the leader and his/her team. So, what is Leadership? We will first answer the question, “What is NOT Leadership?” based on John Maxwell’s book, “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.”

Scenarios Planning

By Drive, Inc. on Tuesday 17 April 2018.

The 14th of March in 2008 was a very bad day for Jim Cramer. Jim Cramer had a spectacular career in finance and is now the host of Mad Money, a popular TV program. Just three days prior, Jim had instructed his listeners to hold on to stock in Bear Stearns; however, on this day the shares dropped by 92%. Jim is a smart guy, so how did this happen? Despite his intelligence, Jim attempted to predict the future, which is impossible. While this prediction proved disastrous for Jim, the problem with predicting the future is much more widespread. Many businesses attempt to do this very thing in their strategic planning processes by trying to set up a strategy while assuming there is only one potential future and ignoring the probability of many alternate futures. The only thing we know for sure is that the future will be different from the present in some capacity. In light of the impossibility to predict the actual future, we must, nevertheless, plan for multiple future scenarios. How can a business improve their ability to better predict the future? We propose using Scenarios Planning as this method.

Showing 41 - 50 of 154 Articles

Looking for More?

Archives: