Lean & Six Sigma Foundations: 6-Module Roadmap

Welcome — Why this roadmap matters

If your team wants fewer defects, less wasted effort, more predictable flow, and simple ways to solve recurring problems, this six-module roadmap gives a practical, time-boxed path. Each module is designed to be run in a short workshop or integrated into existing team routines. The emphasis is on learning by doing: short pre-reads, hands-on exercises, facilitator notes, and simple competency checks that let teams apply methods to real problems the same week.

How to use this roadmap

Pick a module to run as a single 1–2 hour workshop, or run the modules as a weekly series. For sustained learning, have participants bring one real problem or process they care about so exercises are grounded in practical work. Each module lists outcomes, a time-boxed workshop plan, facilitator tips, materials, and an assessment checkpoint.

Module 1: Lean thinking & waste identification

Outcomes: Shared language for waste, three immediate everyday wastes identified and mapped, one quick win planned.

Estimated session: 90–120 minutes

Plan: Short hunger question to open (what frustrates you most about this task?), 15-minute pre-read recap, 30-minute waste-mapping exercise (swimlane or value-stream slice of a common process), 30-minute prioritization and quick-win planning, 15-minute reflection and action assignment.

Facilitator notes: Encourage concrete examples. Translate Lean terms (value, waste, value stream) into the team's language. Use physical sticky notes or a simple digital board so everyone can move steps and wastes.

Materials: Process map template, waste checklist (TIMWOOD + extra: delay, non-utilized talent), short pre-read (10 minutes).

Competency check: Each participant names two wastes in a target process and proposes one immediate change with an owner and date.

Module 2: Flow & pull basics

Outcomes: Understand flow vs. batch thinking, experiment with Kanban/pull, identify one flow constraint.

Estimated session: 60–90 minutes

Plan: Quick illustration of flow and pull, a simple Kanban simulation (cards moving through stations with limited WIP), debrief on bottlenecks, define a pilot area to try pull (or a virtual Kanban).

Facilitator tips: The simulation should be fast, playful, and observable. Emphasize WIP limits and how invisible queues create waste.

Materials: Kanban cards, board template, short checklist to choose pilot process.

Competency check: Team defines a concrete WIP limit and how pull will be enforced for a one-week pilot.

Module 3: Standard work and visual controls

Outcomes: Create or refine a simple standard work template, design one visual control to reduce errors or speed decisions.

Estimated session: 60–90 minutes

Plan: Present purpose of standard work, walk through a template using a real task, co-create a visual control (e.g., color-coded board, Andon string, or shadow board), pilot the control for a day and collect feedback.

Facilitator notes: Keep standards short and practical. Standard work is a baseline for improvement, not paperwork. Visuals should be obvious from 10 feet away.

Materials: Standard work template, visual control examples, validation checklist.

Competency check: Role-play: a team member follows the standard for one cycle while others observe deviations and suggest one improvement.

Module 4: Basic DMAIC problem-solving

Outcomes: Learn a light-weight DMAIC flow (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), complete a 1-page A3 for a small problem, and assign clear next steps.

Estimated session: 90–120 minutes

Plan: Brief overview of DMAIC and when to use it, walk through a 5-step A3 with an example, small-group work to draft an A3 for a team problem, group critique and owner assignment.

Facilitator tips: Keep the A3 concise. Focus on root-cause thinking (why-why) rather than jumping to solutions. Emphasize measurable targets.

Materials: A3 template, root-cause analysis prompt sheet, owner activity checklist.

Competency check: Completed A3 draft with a measurable improvement target and a named owner for actions.

Module 5: Measurement & basic SPC

Outcomes: Create a simple data collection plan, plot a quick run chart or control chart, and interpret variation vs. signal.

Estimated session: 60–90 minutes

Plan: Explain types of data and sampling, create a one-page data plan for the team's pilot, hands-on charting exercise (use spreadsheet or flipchart), practice reading common patterns and deciding next actions.

Facilitator notes: Start with run charts; move to basic SPC only if data volume supports it. Teach practical rules (shifts, trends, runs) for detecting special cause variation.

Materials: Data collection template, sample dataset, quick SPC cheat sheet, simple charting steps.

Competency check: Team collects 10–20 data points, plots them, and states whether variation suggests an assignable cause or natural variation.

Module 6: Sustaining improvements & daily management

Outcomes: Define a daily or weekly huddle cadence, create a sustaining checklist, and assign ownership for standard reviews.

Estimated session: 60 minutes

Plan: Design a 10–15 minute daily huddle agenda (safety, quality, flow metrics, blockers, quick experiments), create a sustaining checklist for implemented changes, and schedule a 30-day review.

Facilitator tips: Keep huddles short and relevant. Use visual metrics that are updated before the huddle. Rotate roles to build ownership.

Materials: Huddle agenda template, sustaining checklist, review cadence calendar.

Competency check: Run a mock huddle and document one decision, one action owner, and the metric that will track progress.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using tools as a checklist instead of linking them to real outcomes.
• Rushing to complex statistical tools before stabilizing the process.
• Neglecting ownership and follow-up—no one sustains what no one owns.

Next steps and adaptations

This roadmap is intentionally modular. Teams can run single modules as stand-alone workshops or bundle several into a short program. Consider pairing each module with a 30-day experiment and a short evidence submission (photos, data, A3 update) so learning is visible and actionable.

Templates and attachments to include

Provide editable templates for: process map, waste checklist, Kanban board, standard work, A3, data collection plan, run chart example, huddle agenda, and sustaining checklist.

Closing

Designed for practical adoption, this roadmap helps teams move from understanding Lean & Six Sigma concepts to applying them in daily work. Start small, measure, and iterate—your wins will compound.