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Despite the increasing number of digital transformation projects and the fact that they are seen as necessary for competition, there are many different views and approaches to creating a digital transformation roadmap.

The most likely reason for this differentiation is the digital transformation language. More specifically, the confusion and misapplication of 3 key terms related to the integration of innovative technologies – (i) digitization, (ii) digitalization and (iii) digital transformation. All 3 terms refer to different topics.

Lean, supported by 5S, is an important part of a successful Lean Six Sigma deployment and organizational transformation.  Lean Transformation is a productive but long journey. Accurate planning and strategy become paramount as you begin the transformation. With Lean Transformation, while organizations achieve simpler processes, they reach high and sustainable profitability, multi-competence employees working in waste-free processes and a value-oriented business culture.

5S is considered the first step of this whole journey and purpose, and the journey of transformation starts from here. Often practice needs patience and time to evolve into a sustainable discipline after a successful first step. Change in appearance and its continuity are not the most critical in the 5S implementation. The 5S implementation, which has turned into a cultural transformation and a way of doing business, gives the institution the habit of doing business with discipline, care and high-quality standards.

As any six sigma practitioner knows good data are the key to verifying the vital few root causes and then verifying that the new process has eliminated or sufficiently reduced the root cause(s) to the point where the customer requirement is met.  That good data can come from new data or from valid and acceptable historic data.

Once good data is available the power of a software like Minitab will make the project team’s analytical efforts fast and comprehensive.  The range of statistical and graphical tools in Minitab makes even the most complex calculations accurate and immediate.  Minitab, in short, is a real productivity enhancer for belts.

One the issues frequently faced by lean six sigma belts is the need to secure key stakeholder support for process changes.   Using the DMAIC approach the team should select the solution that best addresses the vital few root causes while also being acceptable to the organization.  In other words the new process needs to correct the process deficiencies AND have the support of the organization.

Oftentimes these changes go counter to “the way we’ve always done it” mindset.  And often the poor performing process was originally developed by a key stakeholder in the organization such as a senior manager or someone with established competence or experience in the process.  While stating their support to improve it, frequently these individuals are not all that keen to see “their baby” changed.