When considering the implementation of a Six Sigma program for your IT Department, the most popular approach is using Lean Six Sigma. The ability to quickly eliminate waste appeals to businesses from a financial perspective and this streamlined approach makes it a more attractive option for those working in IT.
Lean Six Sigma is a program that solves process defects using waste elimination. This appeals to IT workers, as they simply don’t have the time to delve into lengthy projects often offered by traditional Six Sigma programs. Lean Six Sigma is the combination of Lean Practices and Six Sigma quality improvement methodologies aimed with the ultimate goal of reducing waste, while increasing profits and efficiency.
IT Departments tend to operate much more quickly than other departments at a business. Employees in these departments are constantly consumed with projects and deadlines, making it impossible for them to delve into a full-blown Six Sigma Project. Life in IT moves fast and in order for a process improvement program to be accepted, it too needs to move quickly. That’s why Lean Six Sigma is such a great fit.
As mentioned previously, this process focuses on waste analysis and elimination. It uses the basic principles of Six Sigma training but at a much faster speed. The result is a solution to waste elimination that’s efficient. Arranging to certify employees in the IT Department at a company in the Lean Six Sigma methods is recommended as this will guarantee that those working on the projects with an IT focus have direct input into the process. Basic IT solutions have been around for years but these are often based on simple data collection and emotional speculation. Certifying professionals with these credentials will ensure a more technical process is put into place for solid problem solving.
Applying Lean to IT projects is easier as data is so readily available within this particular department. Those working in IT are often equipped to do extensive data analysis, which will be of great benefit when tackling a Lean project. One of the best tools for analyzing Lean projects is turning to IT support or help desks, as problems are already presented on a regular basis here. Both problems and solutions can be narrowed down based on what issues have been “repeat offenders.” Regularly applying Lean Six Sigma to projects in IT makes for a continuous improvement process. Eventually, with a committed effort from all workers in IT, less time will be spent fixing errors and more time can be spent developing new software and working to help those throughout the organization they serve.
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