What is Lean Six Sigma? 

Lean focuses on improving processes by eliminating inefficiencies and prioritizing what delivers the most value to clients. Alternatively, Six Sigma uses a 5-step methodology (DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) to reduce variation and show quantifiable results. Together, Lean Six Sigma provides a robust set of tools and techniques to solve problems effectively. 

Our team has further adapted to include strengths-based Lean Six Sigma in our practice, a method that blends appreciative inquiry, solution-focused coaching and positive deviance with traditional Lean Six Sigma. For example, questions shift from a focus on the problem to a focus on strengths (e.g. asking what we can build on, rather than what’s wrong). This allows for QI work that is energizing and customized to the child and youth mental health and addictions sector.

What does our QI team do?

Our QI team enhances QI culture and facilitates quality improvement with individual agencies and service areas across the child and youth mental health and addictions sector.  

We do this by: 

• Providing Lean Six Sigma training, certification and coaching. 
• Sharing QI resources and success stories. 
• Convening and participating in QI events and communities. 

We also embed QI processes and practices internally, ensuring that all staff can contribute to quality improvement as part of our commitment to being a learning organization.  

Through these efforts, we aim to build a sector-wide common QI framework, language, and tools to drive continuous improvement.

Eight wastes

When looking to make efficiencies or add more value to a process, one of the things we attend to in quality improvement is the eight wastes. The eight wastes (using the acronym DOWNTIME) are important in terms of looking for improvement opportunities and examining day-to-day processes where this waste may occur. Usually we identify waste by asking “would you like more of this?” 

Read the tipsheet

Determining project scope (DMAIC)

Looking to begin a quality improvement project but aren’t sure where to start? This tipsheet will walk you through the initial stages of identifying improvement opportunities, prioritizing potential projects and developing your opportunity or problem statement and goal statement. Integral to this stage are the consideration and engagement of your stakeholders, the identification of what progress might look like and scoping your project appropriately to ensure success. 

Read the tipsheet

Quality improvement frameworks

QI helps ensure that programs and services continue to improve, innovate and evolve, contributing to optimal outcomes. There is a broad collection of structured frameworks and approaches that can be used to tackle the improvement of systems and their specific processes. Each of these approaches has been used across healthcare settings to improve client outcomes, increase client satisfaction, reduce operating costs, strengthen financial performance, enhance employee engagement, design space and place, and contribute to the client- and family-centered care movement. 

Use the frameworks 

5W2H approach

5W2H stands for 5Ws and 2H; or who, what, where, when, how and how much (or often). It is useful and information gathering technique when seeking to understand the problem.  

Use the worksheet 

A3 tool – project details

The A3 is a structured report that tells the story of an improvement and what’s been done to achieve it. We have adapted it for the child and youth mental health and addictions sector to follow the Lean Six Sigma structure of a project we use for quality improvement: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. It serves as a communication tool that captures all the necessary information, fosters agreement and helps the team stay on track.  

Use the tool