Agile is all the rage. Scrum has worked wonders. Lean is reducing waste. Six Sigma is saving millions.
All of the companies using the set of tools used in these are looking for what is next. It seems that while all of these theories have their merits they will be another fad soon enough.
0 defects. 0 waste and fast production does not build a company. It does not sell a service.
One of the consistent discussions I am pulled into is what is next. What will be the next thing in management?
My answer is almost the same: These tools are not going away. They shouldn’t go away. However, we need something to tie them into the bigger picture. We need a management theory. Something to take those tools and tie them into the bigger picture.
Installing a theory that will tie these tools together is not a light undertaking nor is it something that should be done on a whim. It takes much time and thought. Planning.
Don’t let that scare you away. Not doing it will end with the same fate as Motorola.