Lean is a great methodology. Six-Sigma has a great tool set. Process Engineering is a more fundamental approach and can incorporate the others as a program.

Another complexity faced when trying to improve processes is having a great metric that truly represents the system’s reliability.

You mentioned both performance and quality; OEE and Process Reliability measure all three of the major contributing factors – performance, quality and availability.

Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that OEE measures machines or equipment. Applied to the process, it is very effective and eye-opening. In fact, both OEE and Process Reliability can be applied in a very manual environment such as a distribution center that has very little to no automation.

Just like “silver bullets,” there is no “golden metric.” However, a strong process measure is a key to successfully engineering a process for optimal throughput and reliability.

Again, great post and thank you for the opportunity to chime in.