Innovating to do more with less - the story of Lean Six Sigma in the Central Statistics Office, Ireland

Article type: Research Article

Authors: McSweeney, Keith^* | Moore, Ken

Affiliations: Central Statistics Office, Mahon, Cork, Ireland

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Keith McSweeney, Central Statistics Office, Skehard Road, Mahon, Cork, Ireland. Tel.: +353 214535423; E-mail:keith.mcsweeney@cso

Abstract: The financial challenges of recent times places a premium on national statistical institutes (NSIs) to creatively examine how to `do more with less'. Faced with significant staffing reductions and demands for quality improvements, CSO introduced the lean six sigma problem solving methodology. In this paper we explore: Why CSO introduced lean and how we introduced it; Examples of successful lean projects: how we did it and the benefits achieved in terms of cost reduction and quantifiable quality improvement; Examples of where we had difficulties with lean projects - the learning lessons/implementation issues national statistical institutes should be aware of, including the importance of placing lean within a strategic context.

Keywords: Lean Six Sigma, culture, change management

DOI: 10.3233/SJI-150929

Journal: Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 587-592, 2015