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SSD Global Solutions is all about problem-solving.  There are many ways to solve a problem including, but not limited to the ones I will be presenting here.  These I think are the most creative.  But do not take my word for it as a lot of scholars agree!  Many of these suggestions do not need special tools or software and can be implemented immediately.  I will present you with 10 strategies over the next few weeks.  Here is strategy number one: 

Strategy #1:  Change Your Language About the Problem from Negative to Positive

Instead of using the word problem, use the word situation or call it a challenge or an opportunity. The more positive your language is, the more confident and optimistic you will be when approaching any difficulty. The more creative and insightful you will be in identifying creative solutions and breakthrough ideas.

We are doing our Lean Six Sigma Green Belt workshop November 16-18, 2020. Online LIVE. As part of the class requirements, students choose  something at their company they want to make better, faster, or more cost effective and produce a report with definitive ROI.  Make 2020 count for something important!  And do not forget we are doing Agile Scrum Master in December.  Students are claiming that these certifications have helped with job possibilities and promotions.  As far as I know we are the only company that lets you work on two belts at once and count your prior experience and education towards your program.

The most common reasons individuals pursue a certification is to validate their knowledge and increase their confidence at work.  Your age does not matter.  We have just certified an 82 year old gentleman and not too long ago a 12-year old girl.. 

If you are feeling a bit outdated, setting a goal to achieve an industry certification can be just what you need.  It keeps you crisp.  Learning new things psychologically is also good for the brain.  Here are some additional reasons:

• Gain a Competitive Advantage in your specific area of expertise or job requirements.
• Ability to your job functions (Desk Ready), Execute Projects with Increased Efficiency.
• Enhanced opportunity to increase Your Earning Potential through upward mobility within and without your current…

Lean Six Sigma certification is important because helps employers evaluate potential new hires, analyze job performance, evaluate employees, select contractors, market services, and motivate employees to enhance their skills and knowledge.  Lean Six Sigma certification gives recognition of competency, shows commitment to the profession, and helps with job advancement. It lets the employer know you understand problem-solving and critical thinking.  Please share your best Lean Six Sigma experiences.

Lean Six Sigma is a mixture of two popular project management methods–Lean and Six Sigma–that are designed to ensure the operational excellence of the businesses. These time-tested approaches help organizations with clear guidelines for achieving their goals as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Lean Six Sigma is a method of continuous improvement that targets to maximize organizational benefits. 

Here are some success stories that can validate the claim of organizational benefits;

• The General Electric Company has reported saving around $2 billion of cost savings from Lean Six Sigma. 
• Lean Six Sigma Saved Kern County Probation Department $400K at Labor Hours. 
• Teresa Dickey and her staff saved hundreds of work hours and $400,000 in soft savings by using DMAIC to recognize and remove waste in the process. 

Here’s a bit of history…

Lean management originated at Toyota from the 1940s, and Six Sigma originated at Motorola from the 1980s. Although they have been taught as different methods for several decades, the line has blurred nowadays, and it is now common to see Lean & Six Sigma teachings together to be able to reap the very best of both worlds.

Knowing both of the approaches and having all the necessary toolkits are essential when solving problems. It isn’t crucial from where an instrument comes- Lean or Six Sigma- the critical question is if it does the job. By combining these approaches, you will get the best shot at implementing your plan with perfect tools and tactics to solve the issues. 

One of the important characteristics of Lean Six Sigma is that numerous tools are readily available to be used in every phase. Teams can then pick the techniques or tools which best matches their particular situation. Businesses often have a favorite set of techniques depending upon their company culture or historical preferences. These techniques and tools are selected based on the types of problems and situations companies frequently face. A number of these may be utilized in numerous stages of a Lean Six Sigma job, depending on the issue and evaluation being conducted.

Here are the stages of Lean Six Sigma along with some most common tools used by companies in each stage;

1. Process analysis tools and techniques
   1. Process Map
   1. Value Stream Map
   1. Data Boxes
   1. Value Added Time
   1. Kanban
2. Visual analysis tools and techniques
3. Histogram
4. Fishbone (Cause and Effect or Ishikawa) Diagram
5. Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
6. Statistical analysis tools and techniques
7. Descriptive Statistics
8. Inferential Statistics
9. Hypothesis Tests
10. Regression Tests
11. Project and team management tools and techniques
12. Critical to Quality (CTQ)
13. Cross-functional team
14. Team decision-making
15. Culture change management
16. Implementation planning

If you are not an expert in Lean Six Sigma, many of the terms might look daunting to you. Worry not, dear friend. We have got your back.

We, at SSD Global Solutions, are helping enthusiasts and business leaders to learn and apply Lean Six Sigma in the easiest possible way with our copyrighted Leaner Six Sigma (LrSS)™ Methodology. As you already know, Lean Six Sigma is a precise approach of project management, math and statistics are integral parts of the approach. If you are a math person, you’ll find our program very much interesting and engaging. But, if you don’t like math, then here’s a piece of good news for you, once we explain the concept we show the template to get the results you need to show definitive Return on Investment.

Here are the glimpses of what you’ll get from our workshop;

• Comprehensive understanding of Lean Six Sigma
• Understanding DMAIC Methodology
• Analytical Problem Solving Skills (Overview)
• Introduction to Statistical Process Control
• Lean Six Sigma Toolkit Application
• Lean Six Sigma Roles and Responsibilities
• Project Charter Development
• Project Reporting – Creating Lean Six Sigma Documentation

So, are you ready to accelerate your project success rate and improve your management skills in no time? Join us now!!! You’ll be amazed at how much space is there to thrive in the business arena. See you inside.

Success does not happen by accident. It is the result of commitment, passion, and the continuous pursuit of excellence.

If you believe in this truth and are involved in the manufacturing industry, you should know the term ‘Lean Manufacturing,’ my friend. It’s ok if you don’t know in detail about Lean Manufacturing yet; by the end of this article, you will. Let’s dig deep.

Lean manufacturing is a philosophy that aims to remove any waste while manufacturing. Though this method aims to reduce waste as much as possible, its quality always gets the priority.

In lean manufacturing, the term ‘waste’ plays a significant role. So, what is waste? Simply put, anything that doesn’t add value from the customers’ point of view is considered waste in this philosophy. The main goal of all these is to remove any unnecessary steps or obstacles so that the necessary ones get full attention to the business.

Here are some success stories to motivate you,

The first one is obviously from the creator of this famous methodology, Toyota. The Toyota production system had developed and implemented this method in the 1990s. This has made the company one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. The company did this by eliminating seven types of waste in the manufacturing process, such as overproduction, waiting, transporting, inappropriate processing, unnecessary inventory, unnecessary motion, and defects.

Based on South Dakota, Dakota Bodies have seen a 20% improvement in revenue and saved 2,200 square feet of room space by implementing lean manufacturing. Read the full report here.

Here are some more success stories of lean management in case you want more proof.

So, what are the factors that make the company a successful one? Here are some of the factors;

1. It increases product quality, especially by removing defects.
2. It improves lead time, especially by eliminating overproduction and waiting.
3. Lean manufacturing ensures sustainability.
4. Increases employee satisfaction.
5. It increases profit.

These are the five benefits that every manufacturing company always dreams of reaping. Below are some principles that might not be specific to Lean Manufacturing, but surely help companies to become nimbler and more creative while improving quality and production time;

• Value stream mapping
• Demand-based (pull) system
• Continuous improvement
• Measurement, KPIs, and Visualization

A non-expert might find these daunting. If you are one of them, worry not. At SSD Global Solution, we are helping students and learners learn Lean Manufacturing through an active learning process and in a perfect environment.

Identifying the value in lean production means understanding all the activities required to produce a specific product and then to optimize the whole process from the customer’s view. Our workshop discusses the lean basics and value of Lean Manufacturing in a completely customizable option for your business’ specific needs. Your group can choose 1-5 days of workshop training to make sure you get exactly what you need.

So, ready to level up your business or expertise of your team? Join us now or learn more about the workshop here.

See you inside…