Manufacturers are beginning to use strategies from both Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma together, fusing them into a more powerful and effective hybrid. This combined approach shows far more potential than either does alone. A growing number of companies are combining these two disciplines to remove waste and increase the consistency of processes.

In the past, manufacturing companies have adopted one or the other as their primary approach to operational improvement, or in some cases used both but as fairly independent tools. Increasingly, however, companies are seeing the benefit of combining the two techniques into a more integrated strategy that uses the best of each approach, which can be highly complementary. Many believe that a combined Lean Six Sigma strategy is the best way to improve overall supply chain results and tackle process improvement more holistically.

As the manufacturing industry becomes increasingly competitive, sophisticated technology has emerged to improve both production performance and quality. Artificial Intelligence in manufacturing can be applied to a variety of lean six sigma systems. It can recognize patterns and create schedules for production which take many factors and constraints into account.

There are basically two classes of software used to support Six Sigma ( Lean Six Sigma Defined ). The first consists of analysis tools, which are used to perform statistical or process analysis. The second is program management tools, used to manage, track and report on the corporation's entire Six Sigma program. Lean software consists of a set of tools which assist in the identification and steady elimination of waste in the manufacturing process. It is focused on getting the right things, to the right place, at the right time, in the right quantity to achieve perfect work flow while minimizing waste and being flexible and able to change. As waste is eliminated, quality improves while production time and costs are reduced.

Combining the tools used to improve quality and reduce waste into an integrated system is proving to be a wise strategy for manufacturers. The increasing use of browser-based software systems is making is easier than ever before to implement a Lean Six Sigma system. There are numerous benefits to a browser-based software model, such as extendibility, scalability, real-time data, flexibility, thin client, data push capabilities and depending on the vendor, lower TCO (total cost of ownership).

Some software vendors are offering a collection of data entry, reporting and production scheduling interfaces designed as a lean six sigma solution that is agile and easily extended as new opportunities arise.