By Kevin Meyer
A year or so ago a reader asked if I'd ever heard of lean applied to the legal profession. I had briefly, but did not have any specific resources. So my fading memory was joggled a bit last week when I somehow came across a video in American Lawyer magazine (don't ask...) that discussed the application of six sigma at law firms.
Regular readers know I'm not a big fan of six sigma - it can be a great tool for optimizing processes, but first you need to take the time (perhaps via lean methods) to ensure those processes are actually necessary in the first place. I've seen far too many six sigma implementations that optimized a process that was redundant or unnecessary, and have bumped into too many rainbow belted dudes that can't see the forest for the statistical trees. And don't get me started on the craziness of colored belts themselves... anyway, you now know my position on six sigma.
But in any case, here's the video for what it's worth. And here's an older blog post from Larry Bodine that also discusses the topic.
Enjoy your Saturday morning while waiting in line to get your new iPad. Yes I know you're there, right?