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BPM - Sustaining Six Sigma and Lean Improvements June 21st 2008

Six Sigma is now very well known as a Process Improvement methodology. There are numerous case studies and success stories of companies who have deployed Six Sigma and reaped the benefits of rigorous analysis of specific processes. The majority of Six Sigma deployments, however, are not transformational and it seems that after a few years of training and employing the various 'belts' of internal consultants; companies are easing off on Six Sigma and looking for the next methodology to take them that extra step forward. Lean is beginning to fill that space for some companies and is in some ways prolonging the hype-cycle of Six Sigma.

"The Six Sigma Way" and "The Six Sigma Way - Team Fieldbook" both refer to Process Management (or BPM) as a higher-order capability with the following extracts from the latter book (pp.19-20):

  • One aspect of the DMAIC process improvement strategy that is often overlooked is that the concepts apply to managing processes across the organisation, not just through an improvement project...[BPM] involves changes in culture and management throughout the organisation that must accompany Six Sigma efforts if their full power is to be realised.


  • Without process management, Six Sigma is doomed to become just another flavourof-the-month program.


  • Process Management tends to evolve as a business expands its Six Sigma effort and deepens its knowledge of its processes, people, and customers.


  • But as a Six Sigma team member or leader, be aware that your work nay be influenced by (or help influence) broader efforts going on in your organisation.

The benefits of both Six Sigma and Lean are not being debated here - it is the way in which they are deployed into companies that I am questioning. As long as short-term financials dominate the report card and without end-to-end processes mapped as a foundation from which either method is context; the full potential of Six Sigma and Lean will never be realised.

The number of organisations that have a Six Sigma (or Lean) group and a different BPM group is evidence to me that neither those improvement professionals nor the companies that have employed them fully appreciate the relationship between Process Improvement (Six Sigma) and Process Management (BPM). If they did, then the groups would at least be working together and ideally be a part of the same functional business unit - note: not IT department.

For a summary of my views related to how Six Sigma relates to BPM see:
BPM & PI: Business Performance Partners (part 1)
BPM & PI: Business Performance Partners (part 2)
BPM and PI: Business Performance Partners (part 3)


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BPM Technology - how is IT enabling your processes?


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