Top management co-operation is crucial for success in Lean Six Sigma implementation, says Gary Miller, strategic projects leader for Aspen Pharmacare.
Miller will speak at the ITWeb Lean Six Sigma conference on 10 and 11 June at the Sandton Sun.
He says it is vital that top leadership remain fully supportive at all times, especially after implementation.
Miller adds that it is important for all employees, new and old, to go on continuing refresher training so the Lean Six Sigma approach is maintained.
"Training can be conducted by external trainers and also by experienced in-house trainers and knowledge transferred by means of a 'train the trainer' programme," he says.
He suggests a 'pilot line/area' approach, which prevents all the operations being impacted at once, by doing one department at a time. According to Miller, this is necessary because, “until the philosophy is embedded, there will be an impact on operations."
For Lean Six Sigma to become a natural part of the company culture, Miller says an organisation needs strong change agents that will drive the new philosophy at all levels. This should be done in conjunction with a visible commitment to the new ways and measurement systems being adapted to these approaches.
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