Ken Feldman

Six Sigma is a powerful methodology for process improvement and operational efficiency. However, its implementation often encounters obstacles due to common mistakes. This paper explores these pitfalls and provides specific examples and strategies to avoid them. 1. Lack of Clear Organizational Goals Mistake: Organizations often fail to align Six Sigma projects with strategic […]

In today’s data-driven world, organizations across industries are inundated with information. Transforming this data into actionable insights requires robust analytical tools, one of which is statistical hypothesis testing. This method enables businesses to make decisions based on data rather than intuition, significantly reducing risks and enhancing operational efficiency. This article explores the concept […]

Lean Six Sigma, a methodology that combines lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles, has long been synonymous with the factory floor. Born out of Toyota’s production system and popularized through companies like Motorola and General Electric, Lean Six Sigma has been instrumental in streamlining manufacturing processes, reducing waste, and improving quality. However, its […]

Value Stream Mapping (VSM): An Overview Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a Lean management tool used to visualize, analyze, and optimize the flow of materials and information required to deliver a product or service to customers. It helps identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and waste in the process, enabling teams to improve value delivery and […]

How do you get everyone on board with a continuous improvement effort? A prominent peanut butter manufacturer was facing a growing problem: customer complaints about inconsistent product color. Variations in the shade of peanut butter on grocery store shelves led to perceptions that some jars were fresher than others. As a result, customers avoided purchasing […]

How can the fractional factorial design of experiments benefit you? A global beverage company faced a persistent issue in its production line: excessive foaming while bottling 1-liter apple juice bottles. The foaming caused significant inefficiencies, including improperly filled bottles, contamination risks, and increased rework due to rejected products. Despite attempts to address the problem through […]

You know variation in your process is not a good thing. It negatively impacts predictability and planning. Let’s learn about an easy way to measure variation so you can better understand your process.

Is your data normal? If not, will that be a problem? It might be, since data normality can be important when using certain statistical tools to make your business decisions. 

Never-ending improvement is the heart of any continuous improvement effort.  The Deming Cycle, or PDCA, is one of the first formalized approaches to utilize an iterative approach to improving processes, and it still serves as a fundamental tool today for continuous improvement.  This article will describe the stages of the Deming Cycle, the benefits of […]

Quality is one of those words and concepts that have many meanings. Let’s review the concept and discuss the different definitions associated with the term. It refers to the degree of excellence or superiority of something, often concerning its intended purpose or function. Further, it is a measure of how well something meets its specifications […]

You want to make good data-driven decisions, but can you trust your data? Is the measurement system you used to gather the data giving you precise and consistent measurements? A Gage R&R study will answer your questions. 

How do you convert DPMO to Sigma Level? There are several metrics you can use to measure how well your process is performing. Let’s look at three of them and discuss how to calculate them and how they relate. The three are DPMO, Sigma Level, and Cpk. Convert DPMO/Sigma to Cpk  Before discussing how you […]

The word Normal generally has a positive connotation. When applied to statistics, the term Normal Distribution has essentially the same effect. Let’s see why. 

The global workforce is evolving rapidly, with emerging technologies, shifting market demands, and a renewed emphasis on efficiency. For organizations striving to maintain a competitive edge, Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has become a crucial methodology for streamlining processes and improving quality. However, as we enter 2025, one challenge looms large: the skills gap […]

How do you calculate the overall standard deviation of multiple groups or samples? You can’t just add them up and divide by the number of groups, like you do with averages. Let’s see how we can do it correctly.

There are three measures of central tendency for data. One is the mean or x-bar, and the others are the median and mode. When you’re diving into statistical analysis, these are basic components. Most practitioners should have encountered these in grade school, but a refresher never hurts. Let’s dive into what it means. Overview: What […]

One of the most famous sayings in the Star Wars films is May the Force be with you. This saying may also apply to making changes in your organization. Let’s see what forces you need to identify and deal with when using a force field analysis to manage change.

Full factorial DOE is one of the most powerfully designed experimentation statistical tools for understanding the impact your process inputs have on your process outputs. 

Startups operate in a fast-paced environment where resources are scarce, time is of the essence, and the margin for error is slim. To thrive, startups need to streamline operations, improve quality, and deliver value to customers efficiently. Lean Six Sigma (LSS), a methodology traditionally associated with large corporations, can be a game-changer for […]

Residual, standardized residual, studentized residual — what do they mean, and how do I use them? 

ANOVA will tell you whether there is a statistically significant difference in the population means of three or more groups of data. But which means are different? Tukey’s will tell you that. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is used to determine whether the population means of several sample data sets are statistically different or not. If […]

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global operations, forcing organizations to reevaluate traditional business practices and adapt to an unpredictable environment. Lean Six Sigma (LSS), a methodology focused on reducing waste and improving quality, has proven to be a critical tool in navigating these challenges. By emphasizing data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and flexibility, Lean […]

Creating and mapping business process models can sound like a daunting task with little tangible value. With input-process-output models, we debunk these myths and introduce a versatile, straightforward methodology that can be used to transform your business.

Are you confused yet? Is it the 6 Ms? Is it 5 Ms and a P? How about 4 Ms, 5 Ms or 8 Ms? Let’s explore some of these and figure it out.