Lean and Six Sigma in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Lean Six Sigma came into existence which is the combination of Lean and Six Sigma (Shanmuganathan, 2014). The fusion of Lean and Six Sigma is required because: 

· Lean cannot bring the process under statistical control, and 

· Six Sigma alone cannot dramatically improve process speed or reduce invested capital. Lean Six Sigma is a disciplined methodology which is rigorous, data-driven, result-oriented approach to process improvement (Shanmuganathan, 2014). It combines two industry-recognized methodologies evolved at Motorola, GE, Toyata, and Xerox to name a few. By integrating tools and processes of Lean and Six Sigma, we’re creating a powerful engine for improving quality, efficiency, and speed in every aspect of the business. Furthermore, Lean and Six Sigma are initiatives that were born from the pursuit of operational excellence within manufacturing companies (Shanmuganathan, 2014). While Lean serves to eliminate waste, Six Sigma reduces process variability in striving for perfection. When combined, the result is a methodology that serves to improve processes, eliminate product or process defects and to reduce cycle times and accelerate processes”. Embedding a rigorous methodology like lean six sigma into organizational culture is not a short journey, but it is a deep commitment not only to near-term results but also a long-term, continuous, even break-through results (Shanmuganathan, 2014).

In this connection, Motorola developed a five-phase approach called ‘DMAIC Model’ to achieve the highest level in the Six Sigma, i.e., 3.4 defects per million (Shanmuganathan, 2014). The five phases are: 

· Define process goals in terms of key critical parameters (i.e. critical to the quality or critical to the production) on the basis of customer requirements or Voice of Customer (VOC) 

· Measure the current process performance in the context of goals 

· Analyze the current scenario in terms of causes of variations and defects 

· Improve the process by systematically reducing variation and eliminating defects 

· Control future performance of the process (Shanmuganathan, 2014)..

 References

Shanmuganathan, S. (2014). Lean Six Sigma. KCG College of Technology, Information technology department. Chennai : ResearcGate.

Shanmuganathan, S. (2014). Lean Six Sigma. KCG College of Technology, Information technology department. Chennai : ResearcGate.