Lean Six Sigma Program Nearing Graduation
CMU’s fourth Lean Six Sigma (LSS) cohort is nearing the finish line. Seventeen participants started the program back in June and are now preparing to present their recommendations to their project sponsors in December and January.
About the Program
The LSS training program, introduced in 2018 by the Office of Human Resources, has continued to take shape and evolve into an annual program with nominations taken in the spring, training in the summer, and the team-based learning experience throughout the fall and into the winter. The program is designed to teach individuals how to collect and use data for improving processes. Throughout the LSS experience, senior consultant and LSS trainer Rick Schleusener facilitates the teaching and application of the LSS principles. Participants of the program are ultimately challenged to demonstrate their understanding of these principles through a real-world project that addresses an opportunity for improvement.
During the final stretch, additional check-in meetings are being scheduled with our consultant to discuss the status of each project as participants develop their recommendations. Individual teams are addressing the following university sponsored projects:
- Purchase Order Transmittal Process (sponsored by Tim Butala/Finance) — The current process holds PO buyers responsible for approving, which seems inefficient. The group's task is to explore the possibility of automating the process by the using Oracle's inherent system capabilities.
- Credit Card Fee Processing (sponsored by Liz Kaciubij and Monique Polas/Finance) — The team is reviewing credit card fees and the manual process of how fees get allocated to the business units.
- Postal Services Package Management (sponsored by Ray Perret) — CMU’s Postal Services sorts and distributes 150,000 packages a year. Applying Six Sigma principles to this operation has the potential to improve package throughput, improve working safety, and benefit the entire campus community.
- Facilities Operations Special Orders (sponsored by Charity Anderson) — The Facilities Operations Supply activity sources, purchases and issues $2.5M in special order items each year. Applying Six Sigma principles to this operation would improve operational and financial efficiencies.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are strongly encouraged and supported in taking the certification exam to become an IASCC Green Belt through the International Association of Lean Six Sigma Certification (IASSC), an independent organization that facilitates testing for groups and individuals who have completed recognized training.
2022 Cohort
Please help recognize and acknowledge our current Lean Six Sigma participants!
- Justin Braden (Computing Services)
- Jennifer Bett (FIRM)
- Nicholas Camerlengo (Student Affairs)
- Sarah College (Office of the Provost)
- Matt Duffey (Finance)
- Blair Dunckel (University Libraries)
- TJ Emanuele (FIRM)
- Chris Garcia (Finance)
- Lori Geraci (Heinz College)
- Hannah Gloeckl (Finance)
- Katie Gordon (Finance)
- Mindy Peskie (FIRM)
- Jesse Posset (Finance)
- Oscar Radoli (Computing Services)
- David Schreib (Computing Services)
- Jake Swanson (FIRM)
- Tara Trapani (Tepper School of Business)