Abstract

The continuous improvement (CI) value proposition, while invaluable to enabling transformation and improving the customer experience, has lost some of its meaning and luster to those not directly involved with it. It has become stale bread. Executives cannot always articulate what CI represents to their organization or customers. Their attention is now being diverted by newer things, such as Agile. Using the Agile methodology, teams can build products and services faster, but with every strength there is a weakness: Agile doesn’t have the framework to clearly define the business opportunity and customer requirements. Nor can the methodology ensure successful operationalization of the solutions it devises. Sheila Shaffie and her team at ProcessArc, a customer experience architecture firm, explain why it is beneficial to use multiple, complementary methodologies in business transformation and continuous improvement. By using Lean Six Sigma to “bookend” an Agile product or service development process, organizations can enable accelerated transformation.