“Six-sigma” methodology
- Promotes an organization-wide methodology to reduce process variation and drive improvement
- Aim is to drive process capability toward six standard deviations (“6σ”) between the mean and the nearest specification limit
5S methodology
- Can be an important starting point to provide a neat and organized workplace
- Seiri – “Sort, Systematize or simplify”
- Seiton – “Straighten, standardize”
- Seiso – “Shine”
- Seiketsu – “Sanitize”
- Shitsuke – “Sustain”
“Lean” initiatives
- Also known as TPS (Toyota Production System)
- Aimed at eliminating non-value-adding activities from processes.
- Originally developed for manufacturing, but also applicable to services
- Can be combined with “6σ”; sometimes known as “lean six-sigma”
Total Productive Maintenance
- Builds on 5S methodology
- Concept is that “Each person looks after their own equipment”
- Can reduce costs by using “predictive maintenance”
Business Excellence models
- Often associated with Quality Award Schemes
- Organizations can use the marking criteria to drive improvement
- Examples include EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) and US MBNQA (Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award)
SWOT analysis
- Systematic method for identification and analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
- Can be used in Strategic Planning
