Wednesday, June 3, 2020

The Difference Between Six Sigma and Lean Management



A Louisiana business executive, Kirk Fisher has served as senior vice president/chief operating officer of the Plexos Group since 2013. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Louisiana State University of the Flores MBA Program. Kirk Fisher is skilled in Six Sigma methodology.

A great deal of confusion exists around the fundamentals of Six Sigma and lean management. Over the years, the distinction between these two business terms has blurred to the point that they are often used interchangeably.

Six Sigma concentrates specifically on limiting variation in operational processes and driving improvements in process control. Lean management, by contrast, strives to boost operational efficiency through the elimination of waste and activities that add no value to the final product.

Although they are distinct philosophies that employ different sets of tools and performance metrics, the principals and practices of lean and Six Sigma readily combine in the field of lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma strives to enhance customer satisfaction and optimize the financial bottom line by decreasing variation, waste, and cycle time.

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 Kirk Fisher is an executive-in-residence and MBA instructor at Louisiana State University. A resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kirk Fishe...