In the context of Lean Six Sigma, "stratification" refers to a data analysis technique used to understand variations in a process and identify potential sources of problems or defects. Lean Six Sigma is a methodology aimed at improving processes and reducing defects or errors in a systematic and data-driven way. Stratification is one of the tools used within this methodology to help identify patterns and factors that might be influencing the performance of a process.

Here's how stratification works in Lean Six Sigma:

Data Collection: Initially, data related to a particular process or problem is collected. This data can include various metrics, such as cycle time, defect rates, or customer complaints.

Stratification: The collected data is then stratified or divided into meaningful subgroups or categories based on specific factors or variables. These factors or variables can be anything that might influence the process or outcome, such as time of day, shift, machine operator, product type, or location.

Analysis: Once the data is stratified, it can be analyzed separately for each subgroup or category. This analysis helps identify variations or patterns within each subgroup.

Comparison: The key purpose of stratification is to compare the performance of different subgroups. By doing this, you can often identify trends or differences that are not apparent when looking at the data as a whole. For example, you might find that a particular shift has a higher defect rate than others or that a specific product type consistently takes longer to process.

Root Cause Analysis: After identifying differences or patterns among subgroups, the next step is to conduct root cause analysis to determine why these differences exist. This involves investigating the factors or variables that contribute to the variations and defects.

Improvement: Once the root causes are identified, Lean Six Sigma practitioners can develop and implement improvement strategies to address these issues and reduce variations and defects in the process.

In summary, stratification in Lean Six Sigma is a data analysis technique that helps break down and categorize data into subgroups to better understand variations and potential sources of problems within a process. This structured approach enables organizations to make informed decisions and implement targeted improvements to enhance process performance and reduce defects or errors.

To learn more go to https://expanding-excellence.com/f/stratification

#leansixsigma #leanthinking #leanmanagement #lean