Initial posting: I have recently completed BB training and am working on my first project. I have reached the improve/innovate stage. If my training had a weakness it was in this phase of the project. I would like to ask those more experienced in SS, what structured problem-solving methodologies have proven useful? Thanks in advance for your input.

Response: The basic roadmap that I suggest includes the basic "wisdom of the organization" tools within the measure phase of flowcharting/value-stream-mapping, cause-and-effect diagram, cause-and-effect matrix, and FMEA (I put these tools in the same phase where I understood GE did initially in the mid 90's).

Within "wisdom of the organization" work you could also include other tools such as affinity diagrams, benchmarking, etc. You then go into the analyze phase looking to test out your theories of Y=f(X). From this you hopefully gain insight to what might be done to improve your process. Other tools that can stimulate out of the box thinking include Triz.

Without further details about your project it is hard to give anymore details. Hopefully this helps. Call me if you would like to discuss further.

Forrest Breyfogle
512-996-8288
forrest@smartersolutions.com
www.smartersolutions.com