Lean organizations look to minimize eight types of waste to create a flawless flow of value to the customer. In a perfect world, no resources are used until necessary, and every task contributes something for which customers are happy to pay.

In reality, achieving this is much more challenging than wanting it. That’s why Lean tools and techniques have been created to help leaders embark on this journey. Using software designed to support this type of positive change is one way to ensure success.

The 5S workplace organization technique is a prevalent methodology that companies can use to improve operations. The intent is to improve efficiency, minimize waste, and generally optimize how things are run. The 5S technique is most often used in manufacturing and warehousing organizations, but it can significantly benefit almost any industry. Learning the principles of 5S will help your organization gain its benefits and implement it with great success.

These days, organizations of all types embrace the concept of continuous improvement. Still, there's a reason that many of the most popular tools and techniques for improvement and waste reduction began in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing is complicated. There are issues of materials management, complex equipment, specialized employee responsibilities, production deadlines, and many more.

More complicated processes and systems mean increased opportunity for error and inefficiency. Both can waste time and cost money, impacting the total profits for an organization.

Dedication to continuous improvement is an approach to cutting these inefficiencies, reducing waste, and enhancing processes. Continuous improvement in manufacturing focuses on increasing customer value, reducing waste, and optimizing factory operations. Further, the goal is to build a culture of improvement where workers notice and act on opportunities to improve their work and share ideas for innovation.

The Lean and Six Sigma business methodologies have deep roots in the automotive manufacturing sector. One of the reasons they are so popular in the auto industry is that they bring a set of techniques and tools designed to help organizations achieve continuous improvement and a seamless flow of value to the customer.

Fortunately for today's auto manufacturers, software is available to support Lean Six Sigma efforts and streamline the road to improvement and waste reduction. The best Lean Six Sigma software solutions for automobile manufacturers and suppliers have features to enhance multiple Lean Six Sigma techniques in a single platform that becomes the repository for all improvement knowledge and work.

Here are seven popular auto industry Lean Six Sigma tools that can be better supported by software.

The Lean business approach is becoming increasingly popular in healthcare organizations. Leaders have discovered that Lean is a perfect fit for healthcare because it helps improve resource utilization and reduce costs while keeping quality patient care as the top priority. To get the most out of Lean, many hospitals and healthcare networks use a software platform that supports Lean principles and related techniques. If you are considering leveraging technology to accelerate your mission to reduce waste and increase employee engagement, this post will help.

Many organizations look to minimize the eight types of waste identified in the Lean business methodology. The goal is to create a shameless and efficient flow of value to the customer. Ideally, no resources are used until needed, and every task contributes something for which customers are willing to pay. In the real world, achieving this is much more difficult than wanting to do it. That's why so many Lean techniques and tools have been created to help those who embark on this journey. Using software purpose-built to support this type of improvement work is one way to ensure success.

The DMAIC improvement cycle is a structured, data-centric approach to problem-solving. DMAIC (pronounced də-MAY-ick) stands for "Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control." It is an essential element of the Lean and Six Sigma business methodologies, but it can also be valuable for any organization looking to support continuous improvement.

Each phase of the cycle has a defined set of tasks and objectives. Let's have a closer look at each of them.

We talk to people who are looking for ways to get more efficient with their continuous improvement efforts every day. Many are already using the Lean management method, others are just getting started with Lean, and some are taking a "Lean light" approach by adopting some of Lean's principles without going all in. In any case, leaders want to know what to expect and how the Lean management system can help them improve and achieve their most important goals. Luckily, we are well-positioned to share what our customers have told us happened when they invested in technology to bolster their efforts to improve and reduce waste.

Organizations that embrace the Lean method of business management have many tools and techniques that they can deploy. That's one reason Lean is so popular; you get to select the best tool for the job and get started in an ordered and repeatable manner.

Technology supports many Lean methods in many ways and creates a unified platform for all kinds of improvement.

Here are just a few of the most valuable.

The Lean management methodology is popular across almost every industry. We have customers in sectors from healthcare to construction that rely on Lean principles to manage improvement and change. Some use a bunch of Lean tools and bake that way of thinking into every part of the business, while others take a more casual approach. In any case, Lean software can be used to support employees in their quest for reduced waste and better value for customers. Here are a few of the most important benefits.