A solar power company location in Shanghai, China discovered that their manufacturing process was producing unacceptable levels of variability in the thickness of their silicon nitride films. They needed to control the thickness of the film to improve the solar cells’ surface energy efficiency levels. Using statistical analysis, they were able to pinpoint and rectify […]
Lean for Hope is an initiative associated with Honsha (founded by Sammy Obara), which focuses on applying Lean principles to create positive social impact. Lean methodologies, originally developed for improving efficiency in manufacturing, are adapted to help organizations in the social sector enhance their operations, reduce waste, and better serve their communities, such as education, […]
Written by Brion
The climate emergency is not just an environmental issue, it’s the single greatest public health challenge of the 21st century, projected to cause hundreds of thousands of additional deaths globally each year. The healthcare sector itself is a significant contributor to this crisis, accounting for approximately 10% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the […]
Written by Brion
Food for the Poor, a nonprofit organization, transformed its manual container shipping process into an efficient digital workflow. Previously, the Gift-in-Kind (GIK) team relied on printed documents and informal communications, leading to frequent delays and errors. On average, 13 to 15 containers missed their shipping deadlines weekly, incurring over $180,000 annually in penalty fees. The […]
Written by Brion
As process improvement consultants, we are used to dealing with profit margins, customer satisfaction, efficiency, yields and cycle times. But what happens when you step into the public sector, where success is measured in policy outcomes, equity, long term impact (years or decades into the future), transparency and compliance? Terra Vanzant Stern’s Government in Motion: […]
Written by Brion
Brevard County implemented Lean Six Sigma projects to improve its building permit inspection process, which consists of over 40 different inspection types and an average 200-300 inspections conducted daily. Two key projects were identified, and selected county employees were organized into teams to dissect and examine every part of the process. focused on online inspection requests […]
Written by Brion
The ultimate goal of government is to invest taxes collected into long term societal value to citizens and deliver better services to citizens through continuous improvement and operational excellence. The 1st of a 2 part series details five key applications of using Minitab statistical software and Six Sigma methods: They also include specific examples from […]
Written by Brion
Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine committed to developing a Lean culture through training, project-based improvements, and a robust coaching system. Shenzhen Hospital adopted the principle of “Quality is life, technology is bones, service is blood, culture is soul” to drive their pursuit of high-quality healthcare. They trained 56 Lean Green Belts – individuals […]
Written by Brion
One group of people that can greatly benefit from Lean Six Sigma training is military veterans who struggle in their transition to civilian life even though they have valuable skills. Employers and former service members aren’t “connecting the dots” on how the military mindset of continuous improvement translates to the Lean Six Sigma concepts that […]
Written by Brion
The Six Sigma Racial Equity Institute was founded by Joy E. Mason in spring 2021 as an offshoot of her Optimist Business Solutions company in response to the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department. Since then, the institute has grown into a space for Black women and Black Latinas to increase their […]
Written by Brion