This is an excerpt from the audiobook version of “Lean Six Sigma for Good: Lessons from the Gemba (Volume 2)“ Elisabeth Swan shares the story of volunteering with the Cape Cod Childcare Development nonprofit organization. She discusses getting a call from the CEO to help the organization utilize more Lean Six Sigma Green Belt skills and […]
Does your Lean Six Sigma training structure help the organization sustain improvement gains? Do you struggle with the “one-and-done” trend where Green Belts complete a project, get a certificate, and then fade from the problem-solving culture? The State of Vermont has experimented with a different path for their Lean and Six Sigma training program. They […]
Written by Brion
Krista Schulte is the Assistant Director of Operational Excellence for the University of Michigan. She discusses her background, and how she is helping implement Lean in higher education. They also discuss an upcoming Lean in Higher Education conference in San Diego. She also describes what it was like having Jeffrey Liker as a professor when he was […]
Written by Brion
I was interviewed by Sean Genovese on his “Distracted Driving” podcast. He is an Industrial Engineer and Lean leader with many years of experience in Aerospace manufacturing. We discuss my work applying Lean Six Sigma to “real” problems like pollution, healthcare, social issues and more in order to have a positive impact on society. We also […]
Written by Brion
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) handles major transportation hubs and infrastructure within the state, including Logan Airport in Boston, waterfront property, cruise ship terminals and shipping ports. They have undergone a period of extensive reviews of its internal processes and project delivery workflow, and had identified two primary areas where improvements were desired: Internal Operational Efficiency Capital […]
Written by Brion
The Borough of Vestre Toten in Norway, initiated a lean transformation back in 2011 to tackle the out-of-control costs and deficit. The transformation began in the elderly care centers, which were offering an increasing number of services with little extra funding. Some examples of how Lean Thinking is applied at the borough’s home care service: […]
Written by Brion
The Algonquin College Lean effort, which began in 2005, continues to make inroads. An improvement team collected and analyzed data to gain a better understanding of demand patterns. This has allowed the department to maximize their outreach activities without increasing wait times for face-to-face sessions. Each year the College aims to start 12 -15 new […]
Written by Brion
The City of Coral Gables (FL) IT department worked together on response times and efficiencies with a Lean Six Sigma improvement project. The process empowered their team to look inward and outward, identifying opportunities that could make a difference over a short period of time. One initiative was to dedicate assigned IT liaisons to each […]
Written by Brion
Heather Barto, with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is currently supporting the department in a senior process improvement leadership role. Her advice for anyone who is starting to apply Lean Six Sigma in government are these 3 things: Find a mentor Prepare to be resilient Meet people where they are. A […]
Written by Brion
Governor Pete Ricketts and the State of Nebraska’s Center of Operational Excellence (COE) highlighted recent examples of how the COE is improving the operations of state agencies. The COE serves as the hub that is working with state agencies to train state teammates on how to improve the operations of government, identify waste, and deliver better […]
Written by Brion