How can you build trust and collaboration in Lean Six Sigma solution design?

1 Understand the problem

Before you can design a solution, you need to understand the problem you are trying to solve. This means clarifying the goals, scope, and impact of the project, as well as identifying the root causes and sources of variation in the process. To do this, you need to involve the stakeholders, customers, and process owners who have the knowledge and experience of the current situation. You can use tools such as voice of the customer (VOC), SIPOC, fishbone diagram, and Pareto chart to collect and analyze data, and communicate the findings to the team and the sponsors. By understanding the problem, you can build trust and alignment among the stakeholders, and ensure that the solutions you design are relevant and feasible.

2 Generate ideas

Once you have a clear problem statement and a set of criteria for evaluating solutions, you can start generating ideas. This is where you can unleash your creativity and explore different possibilities for improving the process. You can use brainstorming, affinity diagram, mind mapping, or other ideation techniques to generate as many ideas as possible, without judging or filtering them. The key is to encourage participation and diversity of perspectives, and to create a safe and supportive environment where people can share their thoughts and opinions. By generating ideas, you can build collaboration and engagement among the team members, and leverage their collective wisdom and experience.

3 Evaluate and select solutions

After you have a list of potential solutions, you need to evaluate and select the best ones for implementation. This is where you can use data and logic to compare the alternatives and assess their feasibility, effectiveness, and impact. You can use tools such as cost-benefit analysis, risk analysis, Pugh matrix, or pilot testing to rank and prioritize the solutions, and to identify any potential issues or gaps. The key is to involve the decision makers and the process owners who have the authority and responsibility for implementing the solutions, and to ensure that they are aligned with the project goals and criteria. By evaluating and selecting solutions, you can build trust and commitment among the sponsors and the owners, and prepare them for the next phase of improvement.

4 Communicate the solutions

Once you have selected the best solutions for your problem, you need to communicate them to the relevant stakeholders, customers, and employees who will be affected by the change. This is where you can use storytelling, visuals, or other presentation techniques to explain the rationale, benefits, and steps of the solutions, and to address any questions or concerns. The key is to communicate clearly and effectively, and to solicit feedback and input from the audience. By communicating the solutions, you can build trust and buy-in among the stakeholders, customers, and employees, and motivate them to support and adopt the change.

5 Implement the solutions

The final step in LSS solution design is to implement the solutions in the real process. This is where you can use project management, change management, or other implementation techniques to plan, execute, monitor, and control the change. The key is to involve the process owners and the employees who will be responsible for carrying out the solutions, and to provide them with the necessary training, resources, and support. By implementing the solutions, you can build trust and accountability among the owners and the employees, and ensure that the solutions are executed as intended and deliver the expected results.

6 Sustain the solutions

The last but not least aspect of LSS solution design is to sustain the solutions in the long term. This is where you can use control charts, standard operating procedures, or other control techniques to monitor and measure the performance of the process after the change, and to identify and correct any deviations or variations. The key is to involve the process owners and the employees who will be maintaining the solutions, and to provide them with the necessary feedback, recognition, and incentives. By sustaining the solutions, you can build trust and loyalty among the owners and the employees, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?