Lean Six Sigma is an altered form of Six Sigma Training, but also a process all its own in many capacities. Knowing the vital differences that come with Lean can prove to add more to your quality improvement projects than you might have thought possible. There are basic fundamentals of Six Sigma that will not be absent in the Lean process, but there are also a few additions to the process that make it what it is.

Lean Six Sigma focuses on eight elements of waste, or work that doesn’t add value to an organization or company. It has been found that many places that eliminate these wasteful areas can actually improve quality with just that elimination alone. The following is a list of the wastes according to the Lean process, along with examples of what each one alludes to:

-Wasted Human Talent: This category includes any employee that is not pulling their weight, thus slowing the process down. It also includes anyone without a specific job function within the process.

-Defects: This refers to any product or process within your company that is not properly functioning. Prior to eliminating these defects, however, a solution to fix them needs to be put forth.

-Inventory: This refers to an over sized “To Do” list of work. You never want to have to much product waiting to be worked on. A doctors office, for example, does not want to have to many patients in the waiting room at one time.

-Overproduction: You never want to have to much of something before it is needed. This can get in the way of a well-organized operation.

-Wasted time: Waiting on product to arrive, idle time that could be better spent on various processes or activities. Having five employees standing around waiting to unload a truck that hasn’t arrived is a good example.

-Motion: When talking about motion, it is pretty self explanatory. It refers to the moving around of people when there is absolutely no need for it. An great example of this is when you make an appointment for a clinic and you are sent to triage, then back to the waiting room and then to the exam room. Everything should just be down right in the exam room.

-Transportation: If the company is using a means of transportation for a person or product that is not needed, then that would fall under the wasteful category.

-Process Waste: Process Waste refers to any that a company requires to be complete, however it has no impact on the process, product or service that the company offers.

By utilizing Lean Six Sigma and understanding the areas of waste, you are sure to improve the quailty of the product that is produced by you company.

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