BACKGROUND Lean and Six Sigma are business management strategies commonly used in production industries to improve process efficiency and quality. During the past decade, these process improvement techniques increasingly have been applied outside the manufacturing sector, for example, in health care and in software development. This article concerns the potential use of Lean and Six Sigma in im...

Affinity Diagram – A tool used to organize and present large amounts of data (ideas, issues, solutions, problems) into logical categories based on user perceived relationships and conceptual frame working. Often used in the form of “sticky notes” sent up to the front of the room in brainstorming exercises, and then grouped by facilitator and workers. Final diagram shows relationship between the...

Six Sigma has been very successfully applied in manufacturing. Is it also applicable to software, and ICT? Six Sigma is about cost reduction by eliminating defects. Six Sigma uses the following three principles: 1. Focus on customers 2. Process orientation 3. Leadership based on metrics Applying Six Sigma to software development makes software projects transparent to both management and custome...

Industrial, manufacturing and service organizations are interested in improving their products and processes by decreasing the variation, because the competitive environment leaves little room for error. Variation is the enemy of quality which is defined and evaluated by the customers. We must deliver products and services at the ideal targets demanded by the customers. The traditional evaluati...