The potential of lean six sigma quality improvement is well-documented – but is it the right fit for the life sciences? EtQ's Alexandre Alain writes.
First, a quick history lesson for the uninitiated. Six Sigma was a business management strategy developed by Motorola in the 1980s, designed to improve its manufacturing processes, while the Lean philosophy was born out the waste reduction processes originally deployed at Toyota in the late 1940s. Then, in the early 2000s, Lean Six Sigma brought these two principles together, presenting them as the best possible business management solution for uncovering process waste, increasing organizational capability and stripping out zero-value company activity.