My PhD Blog

Enterprise Improvement with Enterprise Engineering and Lean Six Sigma

Title:
Enterprise improvement with Enterprise Engineering and Lean Six Sigma

Background:
The science of Enterprise Engineering (Dietz, 2006) (Dietz, et al., 2005) is based upon the principle that an enterprise is designed and engineered coherently and consistently from an enterprise ontology. The enterprise ontology  and enterprise architecture are the two root elements of Enterprise engineering from which DEMO was derived. DEMO (Design & Engineering Methodology for Organizations) is a scientific and practical viable methodology to  (re)design organizations or consider its implementations, no matter  its size or the nature.

Six Sigma is a widely applied evidence based framework (process, tools and design philosophy) for companywide improvement (Koning, 2007). The framework is built upon principles, methods and tools that are integrated as a full programme for business improvement. Lean thinking was only recently incorporated. The principles of lean increased Six Sigma’s value significantly. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has become a standard for business improvement which is practiced worldwide. A scientific grounding for Lean Six Sigma , was delivered in 2007 as result of a PhD research and publications of the UVA IBIS institute.

Problem:
In many Lean Six Sigma case studies flow diagrams fulfill the role of an information object that represents the organization as a design. From an Enterprise Ontology point of view these models aren’t ‘connected’ to enterprises ontology. And therefore not interoperable with other organizational disciplines. 

This is however not ‘only’ a interoperability problem. Flow diagrams lack in distinctions in layers, which is essential for enterprise ontology. So waste and variation isn’t pinpointed there where they manifest themselves. We therefore dont create ourselves an opportunity to address the problems in the nature and characteristics of the corresponding ontological layer.

Research Goal:
Recommend, based on thorough analysis, whether it is scientifically viable to deliver ontological support in Lean Six Sigma with DEMO.

Central research question:
To what extent can Enterprise Ontology increase the Lean Six Sigma methodology and how does it improve the effectiveness of LSS ?

Method:
With this research we will try to answer the central research question by using the following research plan:

• Explore the meaning of enterprise engineering concepts in the realm of LSS
• Proof added value for the enterprise ontology for Lean Six Sigma (value grounding, theoretical grounding, empirical grounding)
• Ontologically define waste and variation for adoption in DEMO
• Identification of conditions that affect the incorporation and effectiveness of DEMO in LSS

Works Cited:

1. Dietz, Jan and Hoogervorst, Jan. 2005. Enterprise Engineering, a manifesto. s.l. : CIAO consortium, 2005.
2. Dietz, Jan. 2006. Enterprise Ontology, ISBN: 3540291695. Delft : Springer Verlag, 2006.
3. Koning, Henk de. 2007. Scientific Grounding of Lean Six Sigma’s Methodology. Amsterdam : UVA, 2007. 978-90-6464-176-3.