Resources

Have you ever faced a problem that wouldn’t go away? You fix it once, only to see it pop up again in another form. Whether it’s a recurring defect in production, a service delay, or a customer complaint that keeps resurfacing, the real issue often lies beneath the surface . That’s where Root Cause Analysis (RCA)  comes in — a systematic approach to identifying the real  causes behind problems rather than treating symptoms. Before we explore tools like the 5 Whys , it’s essent

Every organization carries a silent drain on its profits—errors, rework, warranty claims, and customer dissatisfaction. In Lean Six Sigma, the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)  is the metric that brings these hidden costs into the light. By expressing inefficiency in dollars and cents, COPQ gives leaders a compelling reason to act. What Is COPQ? According to the American Society for Quality (ASQ) , COPQ refers to “the costs associated with providing poor-quality products or servic

Lean isn’t just about tools, metrics, and process improvement—it’s about people. Sustaining a Lean culture requires more than...

In Lean Six Sigma, solving problems effectively means going beyond the symptoms and uncovering the true source of variation or waste. This is where Root Cause Analysis (RCA)  plays a critical role. According to ASQ, a root cause  is “a factor that caused a nonconformance and should be permanently eliminated through process improvement” (ASQ, n.d.). RCA, therefore, is not just about fixing what is broken—it’s about preventing recurrence by addressing the core issue  that trigg

In Lean and continuous improvement environments, communication and visibility  are everything. No matter how strong your strategy or tools, success depends on the ability of teams to align, act quickly, and stay focused on what matters most. Two simple but powerful practices— daily huddles  and metrics boards —make this possible. When combined, they create a rhythm of accountability, foster collaboration, and transform numbers into action. What Are Daily Huddles? A daily hudd

In Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement work, understanding a process is the first step toward improving it. Processes often seem straightforward at a glance, but when mapped and analyzed, hidden inefficiencies, errors, and redundancies come to light. That’s where process analysis tools  come in. These simple yet powerful techniques help teams visualize how work gets done, uncover problem areas, and design better ways of working. Let’s look at four of the most widely use