Integration & Association

I have been a lot about the close association between Lean, Six Sigma and Risk Management for a number of months. It is interesting that all three approaches to improvement are fundamentally routed in the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle defined by Deming.

All of them start by understanding the process or organisation (Lean to look at waste, Six Sigma to look at variation and Risk Management to look at Risk), followed by planning and then implementing some improvements, reviewing what has been done and then planning further improvements. This can be seen in the 5 Step Approach to Lean defined by Womack and Jones, in the DMAIC approach used by Six Sigma and the standard approach to risk used by Risk Management specialists.

There is even a lot of overlap in the resulting tools that each approach used - from Process Mapping to Brainstorming and from Risk Assessments to FMEA. The fact that each approach is so closely aligned has enabled the creation of an integrated approach to improvement that combines Lean with Six Sigma and Risk Management (which we have called PROPA).

All of this is available in a new guide that has been written by myself and Malcolm Tullett called 'Introduction to Lean, Six Sigma and Risk Management) which is available by dropping me a line - which can be done via the Amnis Website (www.amnis-uk.com).

I look forward to hearing from you and wish you all a Happy New Year.