When things aren't getting done the right way, then we need to focus on improving the quality of the process

Improving Process Quality

There are actually many kinds of quality.  Performance quality, for example, is what differentiates a Ferrari from a Toyota Corolla.  Here we are focused on one specific kind: Conformance quality.  That same Toyota has incredibly high conformance quality.  Minimal defects and great reliability come from processes that consistently do the same exact thing every time- which is to say that have minimal process variability. 

 On the other hand, process capability relates to the ability to meet the required specifications.  Say your job is to generate a 10 page report that is error free every day.  If you've been doing the job for a year and you average 7 pages and 50 errors a day, your process for generating this report needs some capability help or you're never going to make it- and "trying harder" is almost never the answer.

  With some help, you might be able to get there, or you might need additional process improvement help...like maybe a report template where charts are automatically updated and some algorithms that generate report text based on changes in the data.  That's the exact type of stuff we do in a process improvement effort.

"Understanding variation is the key to success in quality and business." - W. Edwards Deming

We really open up the Six Sigma toolkit in an educational workshop focused on nailing down the root causes of why you get inconsistent results.  We then facilitate team solutioning and implementation of Quick Wins and identify remaining process improvements for potential future action.

Note: Depending on the data available, we may need to develop and institite a data collection plan and collect data for a few weeks before being able to proceed with the second half of the sprint


Sprint Deliverables:

  • Data Collection Plan (as needed)*
  • Quick win Implementation and Documentation
  • Rough Root Cause Roadmap

Discovery Sprint

Unlike manufacturing processes that are designed, business processes generally evolve over time and do not benefit from a holistic, or systematic design process that asks the question: "Do all the pieces of the process make sense when viewed together?"

We analyze existing data if available, create and institute data capture plans if necessary, and team with client subject matter experts in creative sessions to surface the hidden gaps in the process that are degrading the reliability of the process


Sprint Deliverables:

  • Process Gap Analysis
  • "Quick Win" Implementation and Documentation
  • Prioritized list of improvements

Targeted Sprint

In the end, usually there is a tool, an enhancement, that will enable the people involved to improve how they work

We use whatever software you have to develop tools that make your work better.  We pride ourselves on making big improvements to people's daily work without the need for major investment.


Sprint Deliverable:

  • Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Solution

Development Sprint