To successfully operate as a company in today’s highly competitive business landscape where technology and innovations are rapidly developing, it is imperative to remain competitive and stay up to date with the latest business approaches and developments.
OBJECTIVE
We worked closely with MegaBCo*, a large conglomerate, in their efforts to meet their goals encompassing training and developing their staff in using Lean Six Sigma tools correctly to improve the company’s operational issues and bring cost reduction in the future. This effort will ultimately enhance their internal capabilities to conduct continuous improvement at their own initiative and drive organizational growth.
While the main focus is to develop the company staff, their motivation also includes cost optimization, cost saving, operational efficiency, and waste reduction through actionable improvement initiatives and data-driven decision-making.
Additionally, the program aims to support the structured implementation of strategic improvement projects by enhancing the ability to investigate, analyze, strategize, prioritize, execute, monitor, and review them effectively.
APPROACH
Hence, MegaBCo* turned to establish a top-down deployment programme that essentially covers aspects of Lean Six Sigma. This 3-year programme involves the company’s staff as well as multiple nominations from their subsidiaries spanning various sectors (i.e., manufacturing, services, automotive, etc.) in pursuing to improve the tactical analysis and execution of strategic improvement initiatives. The staff was given a choice to participate in the programme individually or centralized in several waves to work in the effort to achieve their goal charter.
With guidance from our Master Black Belt-certified consultants acting as ‘Change Agents’, they utilized the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) with coaching and tollgate sessions conducted after each phase with major involvement from the top management, managing directors, and CEOs of participating subsidiaries.
The approach focused more on the application of tools and techniques to achieve the main objectives; hence, with the knowledge acquired and skills developed throughout the programme, all nominations conducted a minimum of two process improvement projects a year for three years.
RESULTS
In brief, the program came to fruition with staff and nominations not only enhanced their knowledge and capabilities to independently drive continuous improvement projects across their operations but also produced two accomplished Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt practitioners, contributing to the organization’s growth.
On top of that, the projects conducted have also successfully achieved approximately a hundred million dollars worth of hard savings over the span of just 3 years collectively.
Lean Six Sigma has shown significant advantages for organizations when successfully deployed including competitive advantage, employment development, productivity boost, quality standard improvement, cost saving, and more.
Additionally, the whole programme was conducted via in-house training which has shown to be beneficial for organizations as it is cost-saving (in terms of travel and meal expenses, training fee, etc.), promotes team building, provides customized training with relevant topics and issues, and enhances understanding of other departments’ processes.
*We use MegaBCo as a fake name to protect the confidentiality of our clients; however, the outcomes presented are authentic.