Lean and Six Sigma are two of the most popular quality management methods today. But what are they, and what are their key differences?
Lean is a manufacturing method developed in the early 1990s by Toyota. It is based on the principle that a company’s most effective way to reduce waste and increase productivity is by eliminating waste from the process from the beginning.
Six Sigma is a quality management method Motorola developed in the early 1980s. It is based on the principle that a company can achieve improvements in quality if it can identify and eliminate defects from the process and product throughout the manufacturing process.
Lean and Six Sigma are similar in that they aim to reduce waste and improve productivity. However, they also have key differences. Lean focuses more on eliminating waste from the entire process, while Six Sigma focuses more on identifying and eliminating defects. Additionally, Lean is more focused on reducing variation throughout the process, while Six Sigma is more focused on reducing variation within a process.
Overall, Lean and Six Sigma are two of the most popular quality management methods in use today. They share some key similarities but also have key differences that make each method optimal for different types of companies.
