How does the field of performance improvement differ from lean service (sigma)? I suspect if the question is posed to practitioners in each field, they would separate like oil and water (or Democrats and Republicans). In fact, many of the same tools are in used in lean service and performance improvement practices. Performance improvement professionals would like to believe that lean service is a re-packaging of continuous quality improvement. However, there is an important difference between the two. Performance improvement tends to be a reactive practice. A problem emerges and performance improvement practitioners are asked to resolve the problem. Lean service, on the other hand, it a mindset and philosophy. Lean service seeks to eliminate problems; it is a proactive, forward leaning approach to business. Performance improvement is like remodeling a house and lean service is analogous to building a new house from the ground up.
Your thoughts?