LEAN SIX SIGMA WORLD CONFERENCE

Short Cutting CI = Failure

Presenter: Mike Kelemen, CI System Manager, BAE Systems, York, PA, USA

Keywords: Continuous Improvement, DMAIC, Lean Six Sigma

Industry: Defense/Military

Level: Intermediate

ABSTRACT

Many companies today that claim to have established Continuous Improvement (CI) programs short-cut the steps to achieving effective process improvements, and subsequently and continually “Band-Aid” the same problems again and again. This session will examine some common short-cuts that organizations employ and the excuses presented for short cutting effective CI methodologies. Participants will also explore: 1) How to recognize those short cuts, 2) How to make the case that improvement short cuts (e.g. identification of unconfirmed and invalid causes) can be detrimental business objectives, and 3) How to counteract short cuts with valid CI practices. Successful CI is often a balance between timely implementation of effective solutions, and proper identification and validation of legitimate causes. The tendency to short-cut CI methodologies and pressure from corporate leadership to develop quick solutions has caused many CI professionals to doubt the validity of their practical CI experience. Participants in this session will walk away with assurances that adherence to historically proven CI methodologies is still critical for successful advancement of increased organizational process efficiency and in turn greater business profitability.