Six sigma, Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Business Process Reengineering, Prince 2, PMBOK, Prosci, Agile Management, Total Quality Management, Kaizen, Just in Time, Poka Yoka…and many, many more.
Some consultants will tell you that one methodology is superior…six sigma is the only way, lean will improve performance quickly, Prince 2 will deliver better projects…sound familiar? It’s boulder dash.
There is no business improvement methodology utopia. They all have their advantages and shortcomings.
…Six Sigma utilises outstanding analytical tools that will enable you to identify the areas of your business that drive performance…
Sadly there are no project management and change management tools that are essential in translating opportunities into results.
It’s not a pragmatic approach for rapid improvement. There are a heap of project stage gates and governance requirements. If you follow the method as it’s designed you will undoubtedly attract criticism that the project is “taking too long”.
…Lean offers a variety of tools that will eliminate the inefficiencies from your business. It’s a great suite of tools to deliver rapid improvement.
However, Lean is a toolkit rather than a methodology for delivering improvement. People are often confused as to which of the many tools is best suited to address their specific problem.
…Prince 2 & PMBOK are excellent project management tools. Chances are if you use them you will deliver the required changes on time and on budget…
Unfortunately they will provide you no guarantee that you’re delivering the right projects to turn the dial on performance.
The thing about methodologies is that they are simply a means to delivering an outcome. Don’t lose sight of the outcome you’re trying to achieve here – performance improvement.
The best approach to achieving your performance improvement outcomes is to use a variety of situation and business appropriate tools, which complement each other, and remove the short comings from using one business improvement methodology in isolation.
About 3 Ps in Profit
Our Vision: Enabling more Australian small & medium businesses to succeed & thrive through genuine partnerships that deliver performance improvement & growth.
Our Mission: Improving & growing Australian small & medium businesses by focusing on the three fundamental elements that drive performance; planning & alignment, processes & systems, and people.
Want to find our more? We would welcome the opportunity to discuss your performance improvement objectives and how we can help you achieve them.