Years ago, an article in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers magazine made an argument I’ve never quite let go of. The author, Geoffrey Mika, set out to debunk the idea that Lean plus Six Sigma adds up to one thing called “Lean Sigma,” or “Lean Six Sigma.” His metaphor: you can’t cross-breed your cat and your poodle into a “Catoodle.” Here is an image I created to illustrate this: Mika’s argument Mika didn’t soften it: … Continue reading Is Lean Six Sigma Real? The “Catoodle” Problem