This document discusses how law libraries can use Lean Six Sigma concepts to improve operations in a way that achieves better, faster, cheaper (BFC) results while maintaining high quality client services. Lean Six Sigma aims to eliminate waste and defects through a data-driven, five-phase process of define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. The document provides examples of how each phase can be applied, such as using cause-and-effect diagrams or 5 whys to analyze root causes of issues in processes. Law librarians who learn Lean Six Sigma will be able to optimize library processes and demonstrate the library's value to its organization.

1. Shaunna Mireau
The Lean Law Library

2. Law libraries are under pressure to be better,
faster, and cheaper. How can we achieve BFC
while maintaining high quality services to our
appreciative clients? This session will reveal how
using the lens of Lean Six Sigma to review law
library operations can build BFC opportunities
that will also delight law library customers and
stakeholders.

3. Lean Six Sigma is trending to become the ‘new’
solution to pressures on the legal market place.
Law librarians who can use Lean Six Sigma
concepts will be able to cross pollinate library
with management, increasing the relevance of
the library as integral to the organization as a
whole, not simply as a room or a team who are
important to legal researchers.

4. Why Better Faster and Cheaper?
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 Value
• Something tangible is created
• Correct the first time
• Client will pay for it

5. Lean Six Sigma
5
 Lean
• Eliminating waste
 Six Sigma
• Disciplined, data driven approach for
eliminating defects
 Process Improvement (PI)

6. Everything is a process
 Process is “a series of actions or
steps taken in order to achieve a
particular end”*
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*As a noun defined with a Google OneBox

7. Asking the Question
 PI is about understanding what we
do and why we do it
 “Can we do this better”
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8. Lean - Identify Wastes
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Waiting
Over-
processing
Motion
Defects
Over-
production
Transportation
Talent
Inventory

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10. Six Sigma - DMAIC
Define
Measure
AnalyzeImprove
Control
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11. Define
 Project Charter
 Identify and validate customer’s
needs and requirements
 Create a high-level picture of the
process targeted to improve
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12. Project Charter
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13. Project Charters
 What are we trying to achieve
 How do you build it?
• Cross functional team discussion
• Assignment by a Practice Group
• Dialog
• Ask lots of questions
 Think about who the customer of
the process is
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14. Define
 Plan
• Know what you are trying to
accomplish, why, and who will be
affected
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15. Measure
 Create a data collection plan
 Implement the plan, understand
the process in Sigma language
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16. Measure
 Measurement methods
• Surveys (be careful how you ask)
• Data collection in accounting software
• Counting things
• Check sheets
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17. Check Sheet
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18. Analyze
 Examine the data
 Watch the process
 Determine the root causes
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19. Why is this happening?
 Litigation Legal Assistants are too
busy.
• With what?
 Raw data can give the incorrect
root cause
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20. Make the data make sense
 The 80/20 rule
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21. Root Causes
 Open – Narrow – Close
• Brainstorm about ideas
• Create a safe environment for the
discussion
• Use both data analysis and process
analysis
• Cause and Effect Diagrams
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22. 6 Ms that problems relate to
 Machine
 Material
 Measurement
 Mother Nature
 Man
 Method
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23. 5 Whys
23
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why

24. Improve
 Generate solutions
 Select solutions
 Implement solutions
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25. What If??
 Improve asks what if we did things
differently
• Tests and pilot groups with small teams
• Practice Groups trying different
methods
• Same output different process and
Measure
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26. Example - Ordering Process
 Separate table in Access Database
for orders
 Titles on order not in the catalogue
for users
 What if we don’t keep an order
table?
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27. Paperless time off requests – Group 1
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28. Paperless time off requests – Group 2
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29. Improve
 Let the people doing the work tell
you where the problems are
 Let the people doing the work tell
you what the solutions are
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30. Control
 Pick the right control method (how
are you going to test success)
 Document the response plan
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31. Sustained Improvements with
Documentation
 Collect the story
 Share the story
 Understand the inputs were there
that impacted the decision (output)
 Embed the improvement (training)
 COMMUNICATION PLAN
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32. Tools – Over share
 Action lists
 Progress reports
 Regular communication
 PLAN
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33. Law librarians improving in the library
 Why are we doing things this way?
 Sacred cows
 Reporting requirements
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34. Thanks!
smireau@fieldlaw.com P 780-423-7682 M 780-991-7682
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