A description of how the Lean tools and concepts can be adapted to the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology.

1. Section & Lesson #:
Pre-Requisite Lessons:
Complex Tools + Clear Teaching = Powerful Results
Adapting Lean to Six Sigma DMAIC Flow
Lean – Lesson 13
A description of how the Lean tools and concepts can be adapted to the
Six Sigma DMAIC methodology.
Six Sigma Overview #01 – Problem Resolution using DMAIC
Six Sigma Overview #05 – The DMAIC Roadmap
Copyright © 2011-2019 by Matthew J. Hansen. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photographic, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior permission in writing by the author and/or publisher.

2. Adapting Lean to the DMAIC Methodology
o Despite the differences in Lean & Six Sigma, Lean can be easily adapted to Six Sigma.
• Remember, the DMAIC steps in Six Sigma follows the basic 5 steps for problem resolution.
• Lean also resolves problems and can therefore follow the same 5 steps similar to DMAIC:
Copyright © 2011-2019 by Matthew J. Hansen. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means (electronic, mechanical, photographic,
photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior permission in writing by the author and/or publisher.
2
Problem Resolution: Six Sigma DMAIC: Lean Adaptation:
Understand
the problem
Gather
reliable info
Identify
root cause
Fix
root cause
Sustain
Improvement
Define
Measure
Analyze
Improve
Control
Define the severity & scope of
the problem in the process
Measure the flow & capability of
the current process
Analyze the non-value-added or
wasteful steps in the process
Improve the process with a new
streamlined (waste-free) process
Control the new process to
sustain the improvements

3. Lean Tools in the DMAIC Method (1 of 2)
o Following are the tools/concepts that may be used at each problem resolution stage:
• Note: the Define phase is virtually identical to what would be used for a Six Sigma project.
Copyright © 2011-2019 by Matthew J. Hansen. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means (electronic, mechanical, photographic,
photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior permission in writing by the author and/or publisher.
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Tool/Resource
CTQ Drilldown, Problem Statement, Project
Scope, Project Financial Savings, Pre-
Assessment (Min/Max Analysis)
Stakeholder Analysis (ARMI), Buy-
In/Sponsorship (CAP model)
High-level Process Map, SIPOC
Project Charter, Project Storyboard
OUTPUTS:
Question Levels 1 to 2
Define
Do you fully understand the severity and scope of the problem?
Can you clearly define the problem and its potential impact to the organization?
Do you have a team that agrees with the project focus?
Do you understand the high-level process related to the problem?
Do you have a method for communicating the project information?
Project Storyboard, Charter, CTQ Drilldown, ARMI, SIPOC, High-Level Process Map, and Benefits Pre-Assessment.
Takt Time, First Time Yield (FTY), Rolled
Throughput Yield (RTY)
IPO-FAT Model
Detailed Process Map, Value Stream Map
(VSM)
Measurement System Analysis (MSA)
OUTPUTS:
Measure
Do you understand the flow and capability for the current process?
Do you know what time/cost metric reflects the output described by the problem
statement?
Have you identified all potential input>process>output opportunities according to
the flow, accuracy and timeliness perspectives?
Have you mapped out the flow of the As-Is process including sub-processes leading
to (inputs) and coming from (outputs) the target process?
Do you know if your process maps and collected data are accurate, repeatable and
reproducible?
Updated Project Storyboard, As-Is Process Map, As-Is Value Stream Map (VSM).

4. Lean Tools in the DMAIC Method (2 of 2)
Copyright © 2011-2019 by Matthew J. Hansen. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means (electronic, mechanical, photographic,
photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior permission in writing by the author and/or publisher.
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7 Deadly Wastes, VA & NVA steps, Work-in-
Process (WIP), Spaghetti Diagram
5S Program
Push vs. Pull, Batch Processing vs. One-
Piece Flow
Six Sigma Hypothesis Testing
OUTPUTS:
Analyze
Do you know what are the non-value-added or wasteful steps in the process?
Have you reviewed the process map(s) to identify all Non-Value-Added (NVA) &
Value-Added (VA) steps?
Have you identified any steps in the process where 5S is not used?
If enough data is available, have you applied statistical tools to measure the input,
flow and output of sub-processes that could reveal additional areas of waste?
Updated Project Storyboard, identification of all VA and NVA process steps.
Have you identified any push flows or batch processing in the process?
Detailed Process Map, Value Stream Map
(VSM)
Impact Matrix (PICK chart), FMEA
Pilot/Implementation Plan, Pilot Duration,
Scorecard, MSA
OUTPUTS:
Improve
Do you have a new streamlined process design that will resolve the process problem?
Have you mapped out the flow of a new To-Be process including sub-processes
leading to (inputs) and coming from (outputs) the target process?
Do you know the level of rewards (value) and risk expected from the new To-Be
process?
Did you pilot the new To-Be process and get successful results?
Updated Project Storyboard, To-Be Process Map or VSM, data/charts (e.g., scorecard) validating success of the pilot.
FMEA, Pilot/Implementation Plan,
Scorecard, MSA
5S Program, Kanban System, Poke-Yoke
Control Charts
SOPs, Control Plan
Project Closure, Sponsorship
OUTPUTS:
Control
Does the new process resolve the original problem and will it be sustained?
Did you implement the new To-Be process?
Are the improvements successfully meeting expected results (sustained and in
control)?
Did you fully transfer control and responsibility of the improvements to the
process owner?
Does the team (including the Sponsor & Champion) agree the project is complete?
Updated final project storyboard, control plan, SOP, agreement from entire team that the project is complete.
Did you optimize the new To-Be process with controls and visual queues?

5. Practical Application
o For the processes you interact with regularly, which ones may be ideal for
improvement?
• Try exploring the potential opportunities for each process by reviewing them with the tools and
concepts as described in the adaptive DMAIC methodology.
Copyright © 2011-2019 by Matthew J. Hansen. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means (electronic, mechanical, photographic,
photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior permission in writing by the author and/or publisher.
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