In the coming weeks, we will dive into the world of Lean Six Sigma together, from breaking down basic terminologies to discovering how it promotes a UBC-wide mindset of collaboration, continuous improvement, and growth. These resources will serve as a refresher for those who have completed their Lean Six Sigma White Belt training and a preview for others.
In the first part of this series, we’ll look at the fundamentals of the Lean Six Sigma methodology.
What is Lean Six Sigma?
Lean: A proven customer-focused methodology based on continuous improvement and respect for people. It aims to optimize an organization’s people, resources, and processes towards creating value for customers.
Six Sigma: A data-driven methodology for reducing variability and eliminating defect in any process. It aims to produce a company-wide system of operational excellence.
Lean Six Sigma: A combination of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. It is an empirical, customer-focused method for simplifying existing processes by:
- Eliminating waste
- Reducing costs
- Increasing delivery speeds
- Improving the quality of products and services
Why focus on process?
A process is a series of actions taken to achieve a desired objective. From going through our morning routine at the start of our day to working as a team to deliver a project, everything we do involves a process.
Businesses are no different — they are simply systems of processes with the goal of delivering a great customer experience.
Why is it important?
In a large and complex organization like UBC, sometimes we lack clear, repeatable ways of doing things. We often rely on our excellent people to get the job done. Lean Six Sigma is the tool we’ll use to ensure we’re focusing our work on the things that matter, to make your jobs more rewarding.
Our Lean Six Sigma methodologies serve as our foundation to establishing efficient and effective operational practices — ultimately supporting UBC’s academic mission and strategic priorities.
If you haven’t already, we highly encourage you to complete the 90-minute White Belt training, available for access through the link and course ID provided by your supervisor. For further questions, please reach out to the Operational Excellence group at VPFO Project Management Office.