## Synergies ### Emphasis on Root Cause and Continuous Improvement - **Lean Six Sigma**: Uses structured tools (e.g. 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, DMAIC) to diagnose and fix root causes of variation or waste. - **Systems Thinking**: Focuses on uncovering deep, systemic causes of recurring problems, often hidden in structures or mental models. Both aim to go beneath the surface and address the **real causes** rather than superficial symptoms. ### Process Orientation - **Lean Six Sigma**: Views the organisation as a collection of processes to be measured and improved. - **Systems Thinking**: Explores how processes interact across departments, teams, and time to produce outcomes. Both seek to understand and improve how things flow through a system. ### Data-Driven Decision Making - **Lean Six Sigma**: Relies heavily on data, metrics, and statistical analysis to justify decisions. - **Systems Thinking**: Uses data as part of feedback loops and system models to understand behaviour over time. Evidence matters — both approaches reject intuition-only decision-making. ### Shared Language of Systems - **Lean Six Sigma** uses concepts like inputs/outputs, variation, and control limits. - **Systems Thinking** uses stocks/flows, feedback, and delay. Both treat organisations as **systems** that behave according to structure and logic — not randomness. ## Dissonances and Tensions ### Scope and Perspective - **Lean Six Sigma**: Focuses on tightly scoped processes within defined boundaries. - **Systems Thinking**: Challenges boundaries, asking how systems connect and what sits upstream or downstream. Lean Six Sigma may optimise a single process in a way that damages the wider system. ### Time Horizon - **Lean Six Sigma**: Prioritises short- to medium-term gains, typically within a 3–6 month project window. - **Systems Thinking**: Considers long-term dynamics, time delays, and unintended consequences. A solution may show positive short-term metrics but undermine resilience or sustainability over time. ### Nature of Change - **Lean Six Sigma**: Treats change as manageable, structured, and usually linear (define → measure → analyse → improve → control). - **Systems Thinking**: Sees change as dynamic, emergent, and often unpredictable. Systems thinking may resist "projectised" interventions that don’t address systemic feedback or complexity. ### Nature of Knowledge and Insight - **Lean Six Sigma**: Prefers quantifiable data and clear measurement systems. - **Systems Thinking**: Integrates qualitative insight, mental models, and multiple stakeholder perspectives. Not all important dynamics can be measured — systems thinking might prioritise insight where Lean Six Sigma demands evidence. Improvements in data don’t always translate to improvements in experience or outcomes. ### Control Orientation vs Adaptive Response - Lean Six Sigma is rooted in **control**: reduce variation, implement standard work. - Systems Thinking often embraces **variability** as a natural part of complex systems. Over-controlling a system can make it brittle or resistant to change. ## Using them together | Systems Thinking Can Help Lean Six Sigma By... | Lean Six Sigma Can Help Systems Thinking By... | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | Exposing systemic constraints beyond the project scope. | Turning insights into structured, deliverable improvements. | | Preventing local fixes that create wider issues. | Providing robust tools for analysis and intervention. | | Emphasising long-term system resilience and unintended effects. | Ensuring accountability and measurable outcomes. | | Encouraging reflection on assumptions and mental models. | Driving implementation discipline and control. |