The Republicans have been talking about their proposal for eliminating the federal budget deficit without raising taxes or removing entitlements. Also, it appears that more politicians, including those in Costa Mesa, are joining the ranks of others by declaring that they have new solutions to improving city governmental operations.
The new political buzz word regarding the federal government is called Lean Six Sigma (Six Sigma) and Value Stream Mapping (VSM); even President Obama used such hot words during his talks. Implementing Lean Six Sigma has been proven by many in the private sector by reducing costs, enhancing quality and improving operations.
So the questions upon us are what is Six Sigma or VSM and what is Lean?
It is simply the review of processes using scientific management methodologies to eliminate waste and improve quality. The Six Sigma methodologies are widely used in manufacturing and also lately in service organizations. Also, lean thinking is empowering the employees to implement change.