Over the course of my career I’ve worked in the research and innovation departments of many companies who all faced the same problems: how to launch their new products or services quicker and cheaper. More recently, the research environment has become tougher – those paying for the innovation want more predictable speed, cost and quality outcomes, while regulators and society put greater pressures on us for compliance.
This is forcing those conducting the research to look more closely at how they do the work of innovation, seeking to improve their efficiency and the effectiveness, and many have turned to Lean Six Sigma to help them.
Lean Six Sigma is a method of Continuous Improvement that has delivered great benefits to organisations in diverse industries and types of work, from manufacturing and transportation to office work, from healthcare to the law, from sales to human resources.
So it’s no surprise that it has been applied very successfully in research & development too, resulting in reduced time to market, lower development costs, and better use of valuable skilled resources to create innovation.
At the heart of Lean Six Sigma is a focus on identifying and eliminating work which doesn’t contribute value to the final outcome, and making that work less variable and more predictable. A structured project approach, using the power of team working to unlock creative solutions, is underpinned by rigorous data- based decision making.
Our upcoming Green Belt course will show you how to apply Lean Six Sigma in an R&D function, to work on problems that are preventing your company from getting the most out of its innovation.
Because that’s what R&D is all about, ultimately.
Get market-leading Lean Six Sigma training catered to meet your specific needs. Sign up for our Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training course now.