Six Sigma has established itself globally over the last 20 years as a best practice concept for optimizing processes. Many renowned companies from a diverse array of business branches successfully deploy Six Sigma and profit from the benefits of Six Sigma-inspired projects, significantly improving their net income. Focusing on customer needs and measu- ability is at the forefront of this approach. In the course of its long history the Six Sigma approach has undergone many developments and upgrades and these have been incorporated into the original concept. One very important step is the integration of Lean Management tools into the classical Six Sigma concept. Along with reducing process variation – which is achieved through classical quality tools and statist- cal analysis, these tools contribute decisively to achieving a significant acceleration in process speed and a reduction of inventories and lead times. +Lean As practiced by UMS GmbH, in its applications, the Six Sigma approach thus combines the tried-and-tested tools of both worlds, which are linked together systematically in the proven DMAIC process model. Effective tools exist for every problem, ensuring that excellent and sustainable project results are achieved. We took the chance to update the book with respect to the latest developments of the method and incorporated the customer feedback of the last years. Here we focused especially on an improved Define phase, the incorporation of the OEE measurement in the Measure phase and a revised Lean Toolset.
The Six Sigma concept has enjoyed triumphant success throughout the business world over the last 20 years, contributing significantly to renowned corporations improving their net income. For a number of years now this successful concept has been supplemented by the tools of Lean Management, an approach that has accelerated process speed, reduced inventories, and decreased lead times. As practiced by the authors of this book the Six Sigma+Lean approach combines the tried-and-tested tools of both worlds, which are linked together systematically in the proven DMAIC process model.
The toolset is a comprehensive collection of the relevant Six Sigma+Lean tools necessary for successful project work. All of the tools are presented clearly and concisely in examples. The chronology matches that of the approach taken in a Six Sigma+Lean improvement project, following the steps Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. This unique layout and structure has created a book ideal for practical use, enabling the reader to quickly find the right tools for a problem and concrete guidelines on how to apply them.
