Transforming Publishing Processes: Lean Six Sigma for Knowledge Work

Adapted from my talk at Firebrand Technologies Publishing Innovation Forum, Nashville TN, 24–26 Sept 2024

Process improvement methodologies make big promises about increasing efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and adaptability?—?big promises which are generally fulfilled in manufacturing settings. Take Lean Six Sigma (LSS), a go-to methodology in manufacturing. The LSS emphases on streamlining workflows, standardizing processes, and reducing defects are all a tight fit with manufacturing, where processes are tangible and applying LSS principles is clear.

But what about knowledge work? Efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and adaptability are as important in an office as in a factory. Can we also apply LSS principles where processes are non-linear, intangible, and often obscure? Yes, we can?—?but only when we use a thoughtful approach and some creative adaptation.

By embracing these adapted principles, publishing houses can create efficient processes that free time and mental energy currently consumed by inefficient processes, thereby opening space for the creativity and innovation that are at the heart of the publishing industry.

Understanding Lean Six?Sigma

Before diving into the application of Lean Six Sigma, a quick refresher on the methodology. Lean Six Sigma is a combination of two established process improvement approaches.

1. Lean was developed by industrial engineers at Toyota in the 1950s and focuses on removing waste and discontinuing non-value activity.
2. Six Sigma was designed by Bill Smith, an engineer at Motorola and emphasizes defects reduction and process standardization.

While these methodologies were developed separately, they share principles and objectives. Through the late 1990s and early 2000s, practitioners recognized the synergy between Lean and Six Sigma, and so the merged methodology occurred organically in their use cases.

Principles of?LSS

• Understand how the work is done
• Focus on the customer
• Identify the root causes of problems and solve them
• Remove waste and non-value-adding steps
• Reduce defects by removing variation
• Use data and feedback to drive a continuous cycle of change

These principles have proven highly effective in manufacturing settings. But how do they translate to knowledge work, particularly in an industry like publishing?

The Challenge: Factories vs.?Offices

Applying Lean Six Sigma principles to knowledge work presents some unique challenges.

• Understand how the work is done: In factories, processes are physical and easily observable; while in offices, processes can be intangible and harder to visualize.
• Focus on the customer: In manufacturing, the customer is a clear end point of a linear and sequential workflow; while in knowledge work, workflows are generally iterative and non-linear, which obscures a view of the customer.
• Identify the root cause problems and solve them: Manufacturing defects often stem from process inconsistencies; while in knowledge work, issues are more likely related to incomplete or inaccurate information flow.
• Remove waste and non-value-adding steps: Factories produce visible, physical waste; while in offices, waste often mirrors valuable work (think unnecessary meetings or redundant tasks).
• Reduce defects by removing variation: Manufacturing aims for standardization in both process and output; while knowledge work is heavily influenced by human factors and decision-making, with outputs that can vary greatly and be more subjective.
• Use data and feedback to drive a continuous cycle of change: Manufacturing production timeframes are generally short and consistent and ensuing metrics are clear and quantifiable; while in knowledge work, timeframes are variable across workflows and from project to project, making it a real challenge to define metrics and accurately measure against them.

Given these differences, how can we effectively apply Lean Six Sigma principles to knowledge work, specifically in the publishing industry?

We can’t get there by simply “trying harder”?—?that’s just a recipe for exhaustion. Instead of trying harder at the same thing, we need to shift the approach and adapt the methodology to be an effective fit in our environment.

Instead of trying harder at the same thing, we need to shift the approach and adapt the methodology to be an effective fit in our environment.

Shifting the approach a bit, we see a much better?fit.

• Understand how the work is done: Because processes in knowledge work can be intangible and harder to visualize, we will start small, with individual workflows, and we’ll use techniques that help people visualize their work as a process.
• Focus on the customer: Because the path to the end customer is obscured by iterative and non-linear processes, we will focus on the customer relationships within workflows?—?otherwise known as handoffs.
• Identify the root cause of problems and solve them: With knowledge work, the emphasis is on improving work quality, so we will look for issues that reduce quality through the workflow.
• Remove waste and non-value-adding steps: Because knowledge work often creates hidden waste which can mirror valuable work, we will keep our guard up for red flags like hidden in-between tasks and over-work. We’ll uncover these nuances in the conversations we have with the people doing the work.
• Reduce defects by removing variation: As we’ve said before, knowledge work is heavily influenced by human factors and decision-making, and outputs vary greatly and are subjective. So, to be effective at process improvement, we’ll stay empathetic and use conversational techniques and focus on listening to what makes the work FLOW and what hinders the flow. It’s also helpful to think of standards as finding commonalities?—?allow standards to arise from an examination of the work, rather than imposing standards from the outside.
• Use data and feedback to drive a continuous cycle of change: It can be a real challenge to define KPIs and metrics and to accurately measure against them, but it can be done. We can also build feedback loops that aren’t metrics-based.

From this shifted approach to the principles of LSS, we glean a practical application in four steps.

Four Practical Steps to Lean Six Sigma in Publishing

The first step in any process improvement initiative is to gain a clear understanding of the current state.

Step 1: Understand How the Work is?Done

The first step in any process improvement initiative is to gain a clear understanding of the current state. In knowledge work, this means starting small and focusing on individual workflows.

Action Items

• Choose a specific segment of the overall workflow to examine (e.g., the copyediting process).
• Talk directly with the people who do the work. They’re our best source of information about the day-to-day realities of the process.
• Create a visual representation of the workflow. This could be a flowchart, a process map, or even a series of sticky notes on a wall.
• Resist the urge to jump to solutions at this stage. The goal is to observe and understand, not to fix.

Remember, in knowledge work, processes can be intangible and harder to visualize. By creating a visual artifact, we’re making the invisible visible, which is crucial for identifying improvement opportunities.

In knowledge work, every handoff throughout the workflow is essentially a customer interaction.

Step 2: Pinpoint Handoffs with Internal Customers

In knowledge work, every handoff throughout the workflow is essentially a customer interaction. These handoffs are critical points where work passes from one person or team to another, and they often represent opportunities for improvement.

Action Items

• Identify where work comes from and where it goes for each step in the process.
• Add these handoffs to the visual workflow map.
• Pay attention to what exactly is being handed off. Is it a manuscript? A set of design files? A brief?

Understanding these handoffs is crucial because they often represent the points where issues can arise. A smooth handoff process can significantly improve overall workflow efficiency.

Examine workflow handoffs for opportunities.

Step 3: Identify Improvement Opportunities

Now that we’ve mapped out the process and identified the handoffs, it’s time to look for improvement opportunities. In knowledge work, workflow handoffs are a particularly rich vein for these opportunities.

Action Items

• Examine the completeness and accuracy of handoffs. Are recipients getting what they need to start their work immediately?
• Look for hidden “in-between” tasks. These are often preparatory tasks that people do before they can start their main work.
• Identify instances of over-work, where people might be doing more than necessary, perhaps due to lack of trust in the process or misunderstanding of roles.

To uncover these opportunities, we’ll use open-ended questions to establish empathy and reveal workflow nuances. For example, we might ask a copyeditor:

• What setup tasks do you do before you get down to the work?
• How consistent is the completeness of the materials you receive?
• Are style and format guidelines generally complete?
• How often do you find yourself making substantial rewrites rather than minor corrections?
• Do you often need to fill in gaps in research or fact-checking?
• Do you spend time on tasks outside the typical scope of copyediting?

The goal is to smooth the flow of work and reduce bottlenecks. Keep solutions simple and focused on addressing the root causes of?issues.

Step 4: Develop a Plan to Act on the Improvement Opportunities

With a clear understanding of the current state and identified improvement opportunities, it’s time to develop an action plan.

Action Items

• Choose one or two key opportunities to focus on initially. Don’t try to fix everything at once.
• Create a “future state” map showing how the workflow will look after improvements are implemented.
• Develop practical solutions to address the identified issues. Such as:

>>> Establish procedures and checklists to improve the quality of handoffs

>>> Document and assign ownership for hidden “in-between” tasks

>>> Clarify roles and responsibilities to reduce over-work

Remember, the goal is to smooth the flow of work and reduce bottlenecks. Keep solutions simple and focused on addressing the root causes of issues.

Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement

While these four steps can lead to significant improvements, the real power of Lean Six Sigma comes from creating a culture of continuous improvement.

Creating this flow requires a holistic approach that integrates the principles, focus areas, and practical steps that we’ve reviewed today. By weaving these principles into the fabric of daily operations, organizations can foster an environment where efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction are constantly evolving.

The single most important key to establishing an ongoing improvement culture is to embed ways to consistently recognize and reward team members who contribute to process improvements. A mechanism which emphasizes the value of continuous improvement will reinforce the culture.

Understand how the work is done

• Continually re-understand.
• Regularly update and share process maps, ensuring they reflect the current state of operations.
• Intentionally make time for open conversations about workflows, using process maps as a guide to continually pinpoint improvement opportunities.

?Focus on the customer

• Remember, in knowledge work, every handoff is a customer interaction.
• Create mechanisms for team members to provide regular feedback on processes.

?Identify the root cause of problems and solve them

• Create a safe environment for transparent discussions.
• Encourage team members to raise issues and participate in root cause analysis.
• Make it clear that the goal is improvement, not blame.

Remove waste and non-value-adding steps?—?and reduce defects by removing variation

• Cultivate a mindset where everyone is empowered (and expected) to question processes and suggest improvements.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for routine tasks, so that everyone has brain space and capacity to manage flexibility around creative processes.
• Use data and feedback to drive a continuous cycle of change

Maybe the biggest challenge in applying Lean Six Sigma to knowledge work is measurement.

How do we know if our improvements are actually working?

• The goal of these metrics is not to create a rigid, numbers-driven environment, but to provide feedback on the effectiveness of our improvement efforts.
• Potential KPIs for publishing

>>> Handoff Quality: Track the number of rework instances. A decrease in rework suggests that handoffs are improving in completeness and accuracy.

>>> Resource utilization: Measure the percentage of time spent on value-adding activities versus non-value-adding activities. Aim to increase the proportion of value-adding work.

>>> Process Efficiency: Count the number of unnecessary steps or redundant tasks. A reduction in these indicates improved process efficiency.

>>>Innovation: Track the number of improvements suggested and implemented by team members. This can be a good indicator of engagement with the continuous improvement process.

A few words about Change Management

As with any new initiative, there will be challenges around change management.

While the benefits of applying Lean Six Sigma to knowledge work are becoming clear, it’s important to acknowledge that there will be change management challenges.

• Resistance to Change: Some team members may be skeptical about applying manufacturing principles to creative work. Address this by involving team members in the process from the start and emphasizing that the goal is to free up more time for creative work, not to constrain it.
• Difficulty in Visualizing Processes: Unlike manufacturing, knowledge work processes aren’t always visible. Confront this by using collaborative mapping exercises and visual management tools to make the invisible visible.
• Variability in Work: Knowledge work often involves high variability, which can make standardization seem impossible. Allow standards to arise organically by collaboratively identifying process and task commonalities during team discussions. Focus on standardizing the routine aspects of work while leaving room for necessary variation in creative tasks.
• Measuring Intangibles: Measuring improvements in knowledge work can be challenging. Develop a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures, and don’t underestimate the value of subjective feedback from team members and internal customers.
• Sustaining Improvement Efforts: Initial enthusiasm for process improvement can wane over time. Look for ways to Integrate continuous improvement into regular work routines and to recognize ongoing improvement efforts.

The Future of Lean Six Sigma in Publishing

Evolution calls for continual adaptation.

As the publishing industry continues to evolve in the digital age, the principles of Lean Six Sigma become increasingly relevant. By focusing on understanding workflows, improving handoffs, identifying and eliminating waste, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, publishing houses can enhance their efficiency, quality, and adaptability.

The key to success lies in adapting Lean Six Sigma principles to fit the unique nature of knowledge work.

• Focus on flow and quality rather than rigid standardization
• Emphasize the importance of smooth handoffs throughout the workflow
• Recognize and eliminate hidden wastes that mirror productive work
• Create a culture where everyone is empowered to contribute to process improvement

By embracing these adapted principles, publishing houses can create efficient processes that free time and mental energy currently consumed by inefficient processes, thereby opening space for the creativity and innovation that are at the heart of the publishing industry.