Articles

Do we know how our processes work? Do we know how well we know it?

All major process improvement methodologies (like Lean or Six Sigma) offer specific tools and methods to improve any given process: “remove non-value-added activities”, “reduce variation”, “find the optimum setting of the key input, to get desired output”, etc. Those methods and tools work very well, however only with the assumption that people using them know the process they are trying…
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Measuring process capability by …simple average?!

I dare to say that in some situations, simple average works as an effective capability index! Process The concept is applicable to specific group of processes, most often transactional, where time is the most important: “the sooner the better”. These processes should be part of business-to-business model rather than a business-to-consumer model: what matters is…
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Six tips for effective presentations

Some people may say that Process Excellence is about improving processes, not presenting anything. That is true, but can you improve the process without explaining clearly what is the change you are proposing? Without communicating to those impacted by the change that their work will change? And here is a place for the presentation –…
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There is no sustainable process improvement without learning new behaviours

Every process improvement to be sustainable needs to be supported by the proper training. This training can be as simple as 15 minutes instructions “on the job” or as complex as several weeks course, but in all cases needs to be carefully prepared to be effective. Let’s take a look on high-level steps worth to…
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Seven steps to effective workshops

Making a group of people work together efficiently and effectively is not an easy task. Especially if it is a group created ad hoc (so not a team working together for a long time) and the time to accomplish the result is short (a matter of a few hours or days). At the same time,…
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Causal Diagrams

I have recently read The Book of Why (Pearl, Judea, 2018) and found it really insightful in terms of connection to improvement methodologies (like Lean or Six Sigma). Basic message from the author is: any type of passive data analysis (passive meaning without actively changing some conditions, for example during experiments) is questionable without building…
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