Glossary
Whether you’re new to the quality and continuous improvement arena or a seasoned expert seeking detailed information on a specific quality topic, you should find what you need in our Glossary of Terms.
Explore the concepts, tools, applications and technical terms that make up the world of continuous improvement.
Lack Of Fit
The Lack of Fit test is used for assessing the correctness of the functional part of the model can aid in interpreting a borderline residual plot.
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Lead Time
Lead Time or Order Turnaround Time is the period between receiving a customer order and delivery of the final product. Today, organisations seek to identify ways to improve the lead-time on their products and services. If an organisation has the ability to deliver products well ahead of its competitors it stands a better chance of receiving future orders. The implementation of Lean Six Sigma is one of the ways organisations have sort to improve business operations and thus improve ones Lead Time.
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Leadership
Leadership is the ability to identify what work has to be done and then to select the people who are best able to tackle it. It is about setting Goals and Objectives and generating enthusiasm and motivation from the workforce and stakeholders to work collectively towards common objectives.
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Lean
Pioneered by Toyota, Lean is a methodology that aims to reduce non-valued added activities that will lead to the goal of reduced waste and cycle times.
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Lean Six Sigma
Lean Six Sigma is a continuous improvement methodology that focuses upon the elimination of waste and the reduction of variation found within processes, whether they are manufacturing or transactional in nature.
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Learning Curve
A concept that recognises that productivity from a workforce improves as they become more familiar with the sequence of activities involved in a given process.
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Least Squares
Least Squares is the statistical method for finding the best fitting curve for a given set of points by minimising the residuals of the points from the curve.
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Linear Model
The General Linear Model underlies almost all Statistical Analysis and is the foundation store for other statistical methods such as T-test, Analysis of Variation (ANOVA), Regression Analysis and many of the multivariate methods including Factor Analysis, Cluster Analysis Discriminant Function Analysis and many others. In its simplest form, a linear model specifies the Linear relationship between a dependent or Response Variable (Y), and a set of predictor variables, the (X)s.
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Linear Regression
In Statistics Linear Regression is a method of estimating the Conditional or Expected Value of one variable (Y) given the values of some other variable or variables (X). Simply put, Regression is the problem of estimating a conditional expected value.
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Littles Law
In Queuing Theory, the most famous law is Littles Law, which asserts that the average number of customers in a queuing system is equal to the rate at which customers arrive. Used in Lean Manufacturing the principle aims to minimise waste and increase speed. Increasing speed equates to reducing lead-time to an organisations customers. Minimising waste includes an analysis of inventory and steps to reduce that inventory. Littles Law provides an equation of lead time equals WIP units divided by the Average Completion Rate in units per time period. By knowing any two variables within the equation allows the calculation of the third. For example, by reducing WIP whilst at the same time maintaining the same Average Completion Rate reduces lead time and so it goes. This rule applies to any process where that be manufacturing, transactional, service or design.
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Load Chart
A Load Chart is a vertical bar chart which compares the workload, in units of time, assigned to each operator or piece of equipment in a work cell.
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Logical Flow Map
The Logical Flow Map is a concept map or form of flowchart used as a metaphor to define the concept of conceptualising and creating solutions to processing problems in one step.
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Low Hanging Fruit
The term, Low Hanging Fruit is used to reference those improvements and innovations that can be suggested and implemented during the Measure Phase of the DMAIC Model when they become apparent. Low Hanging Fruit contribution should not be considered when determining the Process Capability at the Control Phase.