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I just recently read an article about Starbucks showing how a service organization can be successful applying Six Sigma to their processes. In that article Starbucks focused on just one of the seven types of waste “Motion” of the operator. Starbucks showed results by focusing on one of the seven types of waste. Over the next few weeks let me tell you about the seven types of waste including Starbuck “Motion” one. See if you can see ways you can save in these.

First before I get into the seven types of waste let me explain what waste is in six sigma. Waste is any activity that does not produce value. Value in the “eyes” of the customer, not you. The seven types of waste are:

1. Corrections
2. Overproduction
3. Movement of material or information
4. Motion of operators
5. Waiting
6. Inventory or other resources that are not being used
7. Processing

This post will address Corrections.

Corrections

Corrections are and time you redo, rewrite, rework, repair, or scrap something. This can be as simple as rewriting a grocery list. Say you have a grocery list but you want to rearrange the items on it in the order you will encounter them in the store. Even though it will speed things for you shopping it had to be redone instead of thinking of making the list ordered in the first place. Redoing the list did not add any value to you; it took longer to write it a second time instead of doing it right the first time.

Some symptoms of corrections that you can look for are:

• Rework, Repair or Scrap
• Added inventory costs
• Customer returns
• Loss of customer confidence
• Loss of business
• Missed Shipments/ deliveries
• Hazardous waste generation
• Frequent spill cleanups
• High disposal costs
• High utility costs

Look around you place of work or at home and see if you can see any of these. They are just the flag that there is a cause for these that needs to be identified and addressed. What are some of the root causes associated with these symptoms? Let me list them as well. I would associate them with the symptom but many times a root cause shows more than one symptom. So as you read this list of root causes look at the symptoms above and see how many of them it could cause.

Some Root Causes of Corrections:

• Weak process controls
• Questionable quality
• Lack of error proofing
• Unclear directions or instructions
• Unbalanced inventory levels
• Deficient planned maintenance
• Poor product or service design
• Customer needs not understood
• Improper handling
• Poorly managed waste streams
• Inadequate training

I invite you to post what you see around you that are corrections that could be changed.

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