Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt — Lesson 3: Analyze and Improve Basics, Root Causes, Prioritization, Solutions, and Risk

Learning Objectives

• Interpret the requirements, principles, roles, and dependencies shaping analyze and improve basics, root causes, prioritization, solutions, and risk.
• Apply a practical workflow and create a reviewable root-cause and solution selection matrix.
• Evaluate the exception where solutions address symptoms instead of verified causes and determine proportionate follow-up.

Detailed Topics

• Analyze and Improve Basics applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.
• Root Causes applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.
• Prioritization applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.
• Solutions applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.
• and Risk applied to the course scenario and expected evidence.

Instructor Demonstration

The instructor traces a case involving a service operations team reducing delays, rework, errors, and customer handoff problems. The demonstration links decisions to objective evidence, records the result in root-cause and solution selection matrix, and tests the condition where solutions address symptoms instead of verified causes.

Hands-On Exercise

Complete a controlled exercise covering Analyze and Improve Basics, Root Causes, Prioritization, Solutions, and Risk. Confirm scope and responsibilities, examine the stated exception, reach a supported conclusion, and preserve the outcome in root-cause and solution selection matrix.

1. Define the objective, boundaries, stakeholders, criteria, and expected work product.
2. Perform the activity while recording assumptions, observations, evidence, and decisions.
3. Test normal operation, the exception, and an escalation or follow-up condition.
4. Document conclusions, owners, deadlines, verification methods, and review triggers.

Scenario Analysis

• Identify the requirement or control with the strongest influence on the scenario outcome.
• Compare two defensible responses and explain their risk, operational, and evidence trade-offs.
• Decide how the root-cause and solution selection matrix should be approved, retained, reviewed, and updated.

Troubleshooting Guidance

Start where expected practice and observed evidence first diverge. Separate a missing record from an ineffective process, distinguish unclear ownership from a control failure, and treat “solutions address symptoms instead of verified causes” as a hypothesis until tested against the applicable criteria and intended outcome.

Validation Checklist

• Scope, roles, criteria, stakeholders, dependencies, and intended outcomes are explicit.
• The root-cause and solution selection matrix connects conclusions to objective, reviewable support.
• Normal operation, the stated exception, escalation, and follow-up were evaluated.
• Owners, due dates, verification methods, review triggers, and improvement actions are clear.

Lesson Outcome

Learners can apply Analyze and Improve Basics, Root Causes, Prioritization, Solutions, and Risk, explain the reasoning used, and defend the result through root-cause and solution selection matrix.