Lean at UT Health Science Center

Lean 6 Sigma is a methodology in which teams, small groups, or individuals听collaborate听to improve听a process by reducing waste, eliminating motion, avoiding over-production, and standardizing practices while improving the quality of the process and its outputs.

This results in a culture change - a journey in which an area听discovers easier and better ways to do things and visits those ideas periodically to ensure continuous improvement.

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Process Catalog

You may have heard about process maps, but have you seen one? Visit our college and departmental process maps in the new - we may already have one that interacts with your processes! (NetID login required)

Lean Projects - Where Do They Come From?

Have you ever:

thought of a better way to do something at work but听weren't quite sure how to approach your听manager with the idea?
experienced difficulties somewhere on campus and thought, 鈥淚 wish that had been easier?鈥�
had听someone听dissatisfied with听a departmental听experience that shouldn鈥檛 be so complicated?
wondered why you keep doing something just because that's the way it's always been done?
found yourself with a pile of papers on your desk that just keep getting taller?

Every submission might not become a project, but听 submissions are reviewed and kept confidential.听 All projects are developed with the intention听of听helping the university run smoothly and efficiently.听 And, even if it doesn't turn into a project, we can still meet to help work out the kinks of a process.

Continuous improvement is a win-win for all!

Something isn't working听the way it should.听

Before you can solve your problem, you must define it.听 The Define Phase is spent:

developing your problem and goal statement
identifying all of your customers
creating a map of your current process
Listening to your听customers听(Voice of Customer)

Tools which may be used during the Define Phase:

Project Charter
SIPOC
Business Process Mapping
Voice of the Customer (VOC)
CTQ (critical-to-quality) Tree Diagram
Stakeholder Analysis

Now that you've defined the problem, you need to quantify it. What does the customer care about? In order to judge improvement, you need a baseline of data.听 The Measure Phase听is spent:

determining how the current process performs
creating a plan to collect reliable听data
gathering the baseline data

Tools which may be used during the听Measure Phase:

Data collection plan
Operational definitions
PERT chart
Pareto chart
Swimlane map
Time value analysis
Prioritization matrix
Run charts
Control charts
Baseline Sigma levels

You've听defined your problem. You've听gathered听your data. Now it is time to analyze it.听 What is the cause of the problem?听The Analyze Phase听is spent:

examining the process
understanding the data
graphically displaying the data
looking for the root cause of the problem
verifying the cause of problems

Tools which may be used during the听Analyze Phase:听

Value stream map
Root cause analysis
5 Whys
Brainstorming
Affinity diagrams
Histograms
Pareto charts
Fishbone diagram

This is the moment you've been waiting for - you know what the problem is and have identified some causes.听 Now it's time to improve the process.听 The听Improve听Phase听is spent:

Brainstorming solutions
Prioritizing and selecting听practical solutions
Selecting the best solution
Process mapping the new process
Piloting the new process
Implementing the solutions
Measuring the improvement

Tools which may be used during the听Improve听Phase:听

Brainstorming
Change management
Benchmarking
5S/6S
To-Be process map and swimlane
Pilot checklist/testing
Action听plan
Communication plan
Prioritization matrix

The hardest part is over, but you still have to听monitor the process and make sure it doesn't become a problem again.听The听Control Phase is spent:

Ensuring the process is managed and monitored
Documenting improved process
Applying improvements听 to other areas
Sharing and celebrating your success
Continuously improving the process

Tools which may be used during the听Control Phase:

Control plan
Dashboards
Control charts
Monitoring and response plan
Finalized business process maps
Standardized process
Training plans and programs
Process Sigma levels

Now comes the time to show off your success!听 A designated member of the team will present a short review of the project to our sponsor or Dr. Ken Brown, champions, stakeholders, team members, and others involved in the project.听

The review also includes refreshments, certificates, and team photos.

You've worked hard to help better your work process and UTHSC as a whole, so celebrate your victory.

You are now a lean practitioner!

Share your story with colleagues and听put your new听knowledge to use by helping them improve their processes.听

If anyone in your office is interested in attending training, have them contact us via our or by contacting Lisa Hall (lhall37@uthsc.edu or 901.448.8434).

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