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Is Lean Six Sigma still relevant?

Is Lean Six Sigma still relevant?

In the age of AI and ML, where everything is getting automated, why would any one need an approach will can improve the process.  Yes, mostly processes are set to become automated and that means they are already optimized. Will there at all be a need or scope to improve them any further?

Lets now look at how digital transformation is going and its adoption across sectors:

• Internal acceptance and adoption is slow for digital transformation technologies and expected ROI remains an aspiration
• People have come to realize that Digital Transformation is a journey and not a ‘fix it and forget it’ model.
• Digital Transformation is a continuum of iterative improvements leading to big transformation and so even when it is digital change, they have to move step by step
• People are not going to go away and hence success of such transformation will reside largely on how people behavior change is addressed and technology change will take care of itself
• Every employee will have to have a keen eye for improvement and find ways to transform the business.
• The only differentiation between competition and you, is how you will react to a situation, because your competition would have the same technology advantage as you. That means, change is constant and your employees have to look for newer ways of doing things and technology is just an enabler

Lean Six Sigma is a way to challenge status quo, a way to solving problems and make improvements.

With AI and ML, neither will the need to challenge status quo or solve a problem or make improvements go away. In fact they will become even more challenging. That would mean, the need for Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques will be all the more important.

No Digital transformation commences without a good As-is analysis. The tools and techniques used for performing this are tools used in Lean and Six Sigma. Similarly, identifying how much improvement can be brought about requires going to the root of the problem. Technology solutions that are superficial will only add to the complexity and not simplify the business.

Thus even skills needed for Digital Transformation are part of Lean Six Sigma body of knowledge.

To be very specific, Lean Six Sigma Certifications will definitely be an added advantage in days to come which are dominated by AI, ML and Digital transformation.