Faster Sample Delivery to the Microbiology Laboratory using Lean Six Sigma

Abstract

This article presents the Lean Six Sigma tools used to identify the factors that impact the timely arrival of environmental water samples to a Microbiology Laboratory in a biotechnology industry. The inherent variations which cause an inefficiency in a process can be identified using the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) Methodology, which are the different stages of the Six Sigma tool. The Microbiology Laboratory needs to improve the service it provides by, it would be determine the inherent variations which cause waste or inefficiency in the process. Among the objections of the Microbiology Laboratory, one was to reducing the time delay for the delivery of the samples form 2.7 to 2.1 hours. In addition, the lab needs to decrease or eliminate the non value added which affects the process.