Topic
Level
Concept
Beginner
Lean Manufacturing
A systematic method for waste minimization within a manufacturing system.
Tool
Intermediate
A3 Problem Solving
A structured problem-solving approach using a single sheet of ISO A3-size paper.
Concept
Beginner
Kaizen & Continuous Improvement
The philosophy of continuous improvement through small, ongoing positive changes.
Tool
Intermediate
DPMO
Defects Per Million Opportunities: A standard measure of process performance.
DMAIC
Beginner
DMAIC Tools
An overview of the essential tools used in the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control phases.
DMAIC
Intermediate
DMAIC Roadmap
The core data-driven improvement cycle used for improving, optimizing and stabilizing business processes.
Design
Advanced
DMADV
Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify: A methodology for designing new processes.
Concept
Intermediate
Design Thinking
A non-linear, iterative process used to understand users and redefine problems.
Tool
Advanced
DFMEA
Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis for identifying potential failures in product design.
Tool
Intermediate
Decision Matrix Analysis
A quantitative technique used to rank multi-dimensional options.
Tool
Intermediate
Data Sampling Methods
Techniques for selecting a subset of data from a larger population.
Tool
Beginner
Data Collection
The systematic approach to gathering and measuring information.
Concept
Beginner
Cross Functional Team
A group of people with different functional expertise working toward a common goal.
DMAIC
Intermediate
Critical to Quality (CTQ)
The key measurable characteristics of a product or process.
Concept
Intermediate
Cost of Quality
Determining the resources used for activities that prevent poor quality.
Concept
Intermediate
Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
The costs associated with providing poor quality products or services.
Tool
Intermediate
Cost Benefit Analysis
A systematic approach to estimating the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives.
Tool
Advanced
Corrective & Preventive Actions (CAPA)
Improvements to an organization's processes taken to eliminate causes of non-conformities.
Tool
Intermediate
Counter Measures
Actions taken to reduce or eliminate the root causes of problems.
Tool
Intermediate
Convenience Sampling
A type of non-probability sampling involving the sample being drawn from that part of the population that is close to hand.
DMAIC - Control
Intermediate
Control Plan
A document that describes the actions required at each phase of the process to assure the process outputs are in a state of control.
Tool
Advanced
Control Charts (SPC)
A graph used to study how a process changes over time.
Concept
Beginner
Continuous Improvement (CI)
The ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes.
Tool
Advanced
Confidence Intervals
A range of values so defined that there is a specified probability that the value of a parameter lies within it.
Tool
Advanced
Cluster Sampling
A sampling plan used when mutually homogeneous but internally heterogeneous groupings are evident in a statistical population.
Tool
Advanced
Chi Square Test
A statistical test applied to sets of categorical data to evaluate likelyhood.
Concept
Intermediate
Cellular Manufacturing
A process of manufacturing which is a subsection of just-in-time manufacturing.
Tool
Beginner
Brainstorming
A group creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a specific problem.
Concept
Intermediate
Business Process Management (BPM)
The discipline used to discover, model, analyze, measure, improve, optimize, and automate business processes.
Tool
Intermediate
Box Plots
A method for graphically depicting groups of numerical data through their quartiles.
Concept
Beginner
Bottlenecks
A point of congestion in a production system.
Role
Intermediate
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
An expert in Lean Six Sigma philosophies and principles.
Tool
Intermediate
Benchmarking
Comparing one's business processes and performance metrics to industry bests.
Concept
Beginner
Batch Production
A method of manufacturing where the products are made as specified groups or amounts.
Tool
Intermediate
Balanced Scorecard
A strategy performance management tool – a semi-standard structured report.
Concept
Intermediate
Autonomous Maintenance
A pillar of TPM where operators perform simple maintenance tasks.
Tool
Advanced
Attribute Agreement Analysis
An assessment of the consistency and accuracy of a measurement system for attribute data.
Tool
Advanced
ANOVA
Analysis of Variance: A collection of statistical models and their associated estimation procedures.
Tool
Beginner
Andon
A visual control device in a production area, typically a lighted overhead display.
Concept
Intermediate
Agile Project Management
An iterative approach to planning and guiding project processes.
Tool
Beginner
Affinity Diagrams
A business tool used to organize ideas and data.
Concept
Intermediate
ADKAR Change Management
A goal-oriented change management model.
Tool
Advanced
Value Stream Mapping
A lean-management method for analyzing the current state and designing a future state.
Concept
Advanced
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
A holistic approach to equipment maintenance that strives to achieve perfect production.
Tool
Intermediate
Standard Deviation
A measure of the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values.
Concept
Intermediate
Root Cause Analysis
A collective term for tools and techniques used to uncover the true cause of a problem.
Tool
Intermediate
Fishbone Diagram
Also known as the Ishikawa diagram, used to identify many possible causes for an effect.
Tool
Advanced
FMEA
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
Concept
Beginner
5S Framework
A system for organizing spaces so work can be performed efficiently, effectively, and safely.
Concept
Intermediate
Karakuri
Simple, low-cost automation using gravity and mechanics.
Tool
Beginner
5 Whys
An iterative interrogative technique used to explore the cause-and-effect relationships.
Tool
Advanced
SFMEA
System Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
Tool
Advanced
PFMEA
Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
Tool
Advanced
Process Capability (Cp, Cpk)
A statistical measure of the inherent process variability of a given characteristic.
Tool
Beginner
5W1H (Is/Is Not)
A method of asking questions to define a problem.
Concept
Intermediate
Six Sigma
A set of techniques and tools for process improvement.
Tool
Intermediate
Swimlane Process Map
A flowchart that groups process steps into lanes based on who is responsible.
Concept
Intermediate
3G (San Gen Shugi)
The 'Three Reals': Genba (Real Place), Genbutsu (Real Thing), Genjitsu (Real Fact).
Tool
Beginner
Gemba Walk
Going to the 'real place' where value is created to observe.
Concept
Beginner
Six Sigma Certification
Overview of the Belt system (White, Yellow, Green, Black, Master Black).
Concept
Intermediate
Muda, Mura, Muri
The three types of deviation from optimal allocation of resources.
Concept
Intermediate
Industrial Engineering
Optimization of complex processes, systems, or organizations.
Tool
Advanced
Reverse FMEA
Reviewing existing processes to verify that FMEA controls are working.
Concept
Intermediate
Operational Excellence
Execution of the business strategy more consistently and reliably than the competition.
Concept
Beginner
Lessons Learned
Knowledge gained from the process of performing a project.
Concept
Beginner
Fundamentals of Lean Six Sigma
Core LSS Principles. Understand the fusion of Lean waste reduction and Six Sigma variation control.
Concept
Intermediate
Project Management
The application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives.
Concept
Intermediate
The Juran Trilogy
Quality Planning, Quality Control, and Quality Improvement.
Tool
Beginner
Scatter Plot
A graph in which the values of two variables are plotted along two axes.
Concept
Beginner
7 Wastes of Lean
TIMWOOD: Transport, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Overprocessing, Defects.
Concept
Intermediate
Industry 4.0
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, focused on automation and data exchange.
Concept
Beginner
LIFO
Last In, First Out inventory management method.
Concept
Beginner
PDCA Cycle
Plan-Do-Check-Act: An iterative four-step management method used for the control and continuous improvement of processes.
Tool
Advanced
Statistical Process Control (SPC)
A method of quality control which employs statistical methods to monitor and control a process.
Tool
Beginner
Poka Yoke
Mistake-proofing mechanisms.
Tool
Advanced
SMED
Single-Minute Exchange of Die: A system for dramatically reducing the time it takes to complete equipment changeovers.
Role
Beginner
Yellow Belt vs Green Belt
Comparison of responsibilities and knowledge requirements.
Concept
Intermediate
One Piece Flow
Moving one work piece at a time between operations within a workcell.
DMAIC - Define
Beginner
Project Charter
A statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in a project.
Role
Advanced
Master Black Belt
The highest level of technical and organizational proficiency.
Concept
Intermediate
Preventive Maintenance
Maintenance that is regularly performed on a piece of equipment to lessen the likelihood of it failing.
Concept
Beginner
Time Management
The process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities.
Role
Beginner
Yellow Belt Guide
A professional who is well versed in the basics of Lean Six Sigma.
Concept
Intermediate
Just In Time (JIT)
A management philosophy that aligns raw-material orders from suppliers directly with production schedules.
Role
Intermediate
Green Belt vs Black Belt
Distinctions in leadership, statistical depth, and project scope.
Concept
Intermediate
Kata
Structured routines for thinking and acting.
Concept
Beginner
Project Roles
Roles and responsibilities within a Lean Six Sigma project.
Tool
Intermediate
Short Interval Control (SIC)
A factory-floor process for driving production improvements during the shift.
Tool
Intermediate
Force Field Analysis
A method for listing, discussing, and assessing the various forces for and against a proposed change.
Tool
Intermediate
Snowball Sampling
A nonprobability sampling technique where existing study subjects recruit future subjects.
Concept
Intermediate
GROW Coaching Model
Goal, Reality, Options, Will.
Concept
Intermediate
Y=f(x)
The core mathematical concept of Six Sigma.
Role
Beginner
White Belt Guide
Introductory level certification.
Role
Intermediate
Green Belt Guide
The workhorse of Six Sigma projects.
Concept
Intermediate
Industry 5.0
The re-introduction of the human element to Industry 4.0.
Tool
Beginner
Lean Tools Overview
A summary of the most common Lean tools.
Tool
Advanced
P-Value
A number between 0 and 1 describing the probability that data would have occurred by random chance.
Concept
Intermediate
Push vs Pull Flow
Make to stock (Push) vs Make to order (Pull).
Concept
Beginner
Workplace Design
Designing the physical workspace for efficiency and safety.
Concept
Intermediate
OODA Loop
Observe, Orient, Decide, Act.
Tool
Beginner
KPIs
Key Performance Indicators.
Concept
Beginner
Flow
The continuous movement of items through a process.
Concept
Beginner
Problem Solving
Structured approaches to finding solutions.
Tool
Advanced
OEE
Overall Equipment Effectiveness.
Tool
Intermediate
Kaizen Event
A focused, short-term project to improve a process.
Concept
Intermediate
Pull System
A method of controlling the flow of resources by replacing only what has been consumed.
Tool
Advanced
PPAP
Production Part Approval Process.
Tool
Beginner
Pareto Chart
A bar graph containing both bars and a line graph, where individual values are represented in descending order by bars.
Concept
Beginner
8 Wastes
TIMWOODS: Including 'Skills' (unused human talent).
Tool
Intermediate
Gap Analysis
Comparing actual performance with potential or desired performance.
Tool
Beginner
SMART Targets
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
Concept
Advanced
Hoshin Kanri
Policy Deployment.
Tool
Beginner
Mind Mapping
A visual diagram used to organize information.
Tool
Intermediate
How-How Diagrams
A tree diagram used to drill down into the details of a solution.
Concept
Intermediate
Jishuken
Management-driven kaizen activity.
Tool
Intermediate
Quota Sampling
A non-probability sampling method.
Tool
Intermediate
Kanban
A visual system for managing work as it moves through a process.
DMAIC - Define
Beginner
SIPOC Analysis
Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers.
DMAIC - Measure
Advanced
Gage R&R
Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility.
Tool
Intermediate
Kano Model
A theory for product development and customer satisfaction.
Tool
Beginner
Impact Effort Matrix
A grid for prioritizing tasks.
Tool
Intermediate
Non-Value Add Analysis
Identifying steps that do not add value to the customer.
Tool
Beginner
RACI Matrix
Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.
DMAIC - Define
Intermediate
Voice of the Customer (VOC)
Capturing customer requirements.
Tool
Advanced
Yamazumi Chart
A stacked bar chart that represents the work content of a series of tasks.
Tool
Beginner
5S Red Tagging
A visual method for identifying unnecessary items.
Concept
Intermediate
Jidoka
Autonomation with a human touch.
Tool
Intermediate
Standard Work
The current best way to perform a specific task.
Tool
Advanced
8D Problem Solving
The Eight Disciplines of problem solving.
Tool
Beginner
Histogram
A graphical representation of the distribution of numerical data.
DMAIC - Measure
Advanced
Process Sigma Level
A metric that indicates how well a process is performing.
Tool
Intermediate
Takt Time
The rate at which a product needs to be completed to meet customer demand.
Tool
Intermediate
Risk Analysis
The process of identifying and analyzing potential issues.
Concept
Beginner
Visual Management
Using visual cues to communicate information.
Tool
Advanced
Critical Path Method
An algorithm for scheduling a set of project activities.
Concept
Intermediate
Toyota Production System (TPS)
The precursor to Lean Manufacturing.
Tool
Intermediate
Is / Is Not Analysis
A problem definition tool.
Concept
Beginner
Stakeholder Management
The process of maintaining good relationships with the people who have most impact on your work.
Tool
Advanced
Monte Carlo Simulation
A mathematical technique that generates random variables for modelling risk.
Tool
Beginner
Waste Analysis
Systematically identifying waste in a process.
Tool
Beginner
SWOT Analysis
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.
Tool
Beginner
Gantt Chart
A type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule.
Concept
Intermediate
Visual Factory
A workplace where visual tools provide immediate information.
Tool
Intermediate
SWIFT
Structured What-If Technique.
Tool
Beginner
SQDC
Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost.
Tool
Advanced
Hypothesis Testing
Using statistics to determine the probability that a given hypothesis is true.
Tool
Advanced
Normality Test
Used to determine if a data set is well-modeled by a normal distribution.
Concept
Intermediate
Theory of Constraints (TOC)
A methodology for identifying the most important limiting factor.
Tool
Intermediate
TOWS Matrix
An extension of SWOT analysis.
Tool
Advanced
Regression Analysis
Estimating the relationships among variables.
Tool
Advanced
Multiple Regression
Predicting the value of a variable based on the value of two or more other variables.
Tool
Beginner
Mean, Median, Mode
Measures of central tendency.
Tool
Advanced
Skewness & Kurtosis
Measures of the shape of a probability distribution.
Tool
Advanced
Non-Parametric Tests
Statistical tests that do not assume a specific distribution.
Tool
Beginner
MoSCoW Method
Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have.
Concept
Beginner
Project Management Triangle
Scope, Time, Cost.
Tool
Intermediate
5S Audit
A checklist to verify 5S compliance.
Concept
Intermediate
Yokoten
Horizontal deployment.
Tool
Beginner
Eisenhower Matrix
Urgent vs Important.
Tool
Advanced
3P Method
Production Preparation Process.
Tool
Beginner
SCAMPER
Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse.
Tool
Beginner
Process Mapping
Creating a visual representation of a process.
Tool
Beginner
One Point Lesson (OPL)
A visual instruction on a single point of knowledge.
Concept
Intermediate
Voice of the Business (VOB)
The needs of the business and its stakeholders.
Tool
Intermediate
Monitor & Response Plan
A plan to monitor performance and respond to out-of-control conditions.
Tool
Beginner
PICK Chart
Possible, Implement, Challenge, Kill.
Concept
Intermediate
Supplier Quality Management
Managing the quality of parts received from suppliers.
Tool
Advanced
Time & Motion Study
Analyzing work methods and times.
Tool
Beginner
Six Thinking Hats
A parallel thinking process.
Tool
Intermediate
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
A deliverable-oriented decomposition of a project.
Tool
Beginner
Simple Random Sampling
Every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.
Tool
Intermediate
Stratified Sampling
Dividing the population into strata and sampling from each.
Concept
Intermediate
Rapid Improvement Event (RIE)
Another term for a Kaizen Event.
Tool
Beginner
Systematic Sampling
Selecting every n-th member of the population.
Concept
Intermediate
The Quality Pyramid
Hierarchy of quality documents.
Concept
Intermediate
Voice of the Process (VOP)
How the process is actually performing.
Concept
Intermediate
Total Quality Management (TQM)
A management approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction.
Concept
Beginner
Team Formation
Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing.
Concept
Beginner
Idea Generation Techniques
Methods for creating new ideas.
Tool
Beginner
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
A metric used to measure customer loyalty.