

Lean Six Sigma Bursts
Brion Hurley
Brion Hurley from Business Performance Improvement shares his takes and thoughts on a variety of topics related to process improvement (specifically Lean and Six Sigma methods), Bursts are rapid improvement activities, so this sounded like a good word to use for these short audio clips. We'll try to keep them under 10 minutes each. Have a question? Use the Spotify app to leave us a voice message, and we might pick your question for our next episode!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 8, 2026 • 10min
E146: Why Lean Teaches Takt Time Instead of Productivity Metrics
In this episode, I share a topic that has come up when teaching Takt Time to my students.Takt time is the available time divided by the customer demand. It measures how fast each unit needs to be produced.Productivity is often a measure of the number of units produced in an hour.I explain how they are inverse numbers of each other, but why Takt Time is preferred.Learn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

Oct 25, 2026 • 9min
E145: The Importance of Your Class Setup to a Great Learner Experience (Teaching 101 Webinar)
In this episode, I took a segment from my October webinar within the Lean Six Sigma Ecosystem platform, and wanted to share it as an episode. I also shared another segment in my last episode around creating classroom interactions (#144)In the webinar, I share some tips and tricks I've developed over my 30 years of teaching courses to adult learners. In this segment, I explain how important it is to make sure your classroom or virtual setup goes smoothly and you don't run into problems. I've learned the hard way and wanted to share these experiences with you. Click here to access the full webinarWebinars are accessible to Silver members for only $27/month, which includes access to all of our Premium cLearn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

4 snips
Oct 18, 2026 • 8min
E144: Engaging Your Audience During Class (Teaching 101 Webinar)
Turn adult-learning classes into lively conversations with practical techniques for replacing lectures, resetting attention, and drawing out participation. Explore open-ended questions, breakout discussions, group contributions, and ways instructors can learn from their own learners. The discussion also connects stronger engagement with better retention, feedback, and real-world application.

Sep 21, 2026 • 10min
E143: Why LSS Leads to Better Improvements and Cost Reductions
In this episode, I took a module from the Lean Six Sigma and the Environment course, and cleaned it up with AI to make it easier to listen to (due to background noise).I discuss an overview of Lean and Six Sigma and how companies can make bad decisions when only focused on cost reductions.I also share some examples of how Lean Six Sigma has helped companies To download the 40+ case studies I mentioned, go to https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/c/templates/40-environmental-lean-six-sigma-case-studiesThe Lean Six Sigma and the Environment course will be available at LeanSixSigmaEcosystem.com in the next month or so.Learn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

Sep 13, 2026 • 8min
E142: Lean Six Sigma Challenges with Sustainability
In this episode, I took a module from the Lean Six Sigma and the Environment course, and cleaned it up with AI to make it easier to listen to (due to background noise).Earlier in the course, I discussed how Lean and Six Sigma could help reduce environmental impacts, sometimes without even trying.However, there are reasons why these impacts are overlooked in improvement methods, which I explain in this clip.The course will be available at LeanSixSigmaEcosystem.com in the next month or so.Learn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

Jul 24, 2026 • 10min
E141: Hidden Costs of Equipment Downtime
In this episode, I discuss a big opportunity to improve success in your manufacturing facility, reducing equipment downtime.Most people are only focused on the lost labor when equipment isn't running, but what about the lost opportunity to produce valuable products that could be sold to a customer?If you're looking for a good improvement project, collecting data on your downtime and calculating these costs might uncover a potential project you can work on.Learn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

Jun 22, 2026 • 13min
E140: Applying Six Sigma's IPO (Inputs Process Outputs) to your Personal Life
In this episode, I discuss an important concept in Six Sigma:Y = f(x) or Y is a function of x.Y is your measured output, and X represents the inputs to your process, and the function represents the process and how the X factors relate or impact the Y.Another way to state it is Inputs (X), Processes (Function) and Outputs (Y) or IPO.I explain how this concept can be used when thinking through your own personal improvement journey. What are your inputs, processes and outputs.If you don't like how one of the outputs is performing (relationships, weight, health, income, etc), then what processes and inputs need to change.Listen to the episode to learn more. If you'd like the graphic I mentioned, send me an email at [email protected] more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

May 17, 2026 • 14min
E139: Six Common Types of Process Improvement Projects for Lean Six Sigma Certification
In this episode, I summarize 6 different types of projects you can use for a Lean Six Sigma certificationImprove QualityReduce Speed and TimeReduce Cost and Consumption of ResourcesReduce RiskImprove Capacity and FlowImprove Experience and Satisfaction RatingsI also share examples of each across 4 industries: Manufacturing, Office, Government and HealthcareYou can also read about these 6 types by going to https://greenbeltcertification.com/2026/05/17/common-types-of-process-improvement-projects-for-lean-and-six-sigma-certification-programs/I also mentioned that there are a long list of project ideas by industry and department, which can be found at https://www.biz-pi.com/lean-and-six-sigma-project-ideas/Learn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

May 4, 2026 • 8min
E138: Using Employee Surveys and Paired t tests for Measuring Improvement
In this episode, I discuss a specific method for capturing process improvements using surveys, and how you can isolate the improvements so that the difference between survey participants doesn't hide the results. I also referenced a similar survey I conducted (Episode 77), where I shared the survey results at a company after implementing a daily huddle.You can check out episode #77 from June 2023 at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e77-client-survey-shows-daily-huddles-improve-communication/id1529478357?i=1000615545292Learn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization

Apr 6, 2026 • 11min
E137: Lean Six Sigma Training Simulations and Exercises
In this episode, I share a list of the simulations I use in my training classes to teach Lean and Six Sigma methods and techniques. To see the entire list, go to https://greenbeltcertification.com/lean-six-sigma-training-simulations/If you'd like to attend the Green Belt with Copilot Part 2 webinar, I had to reschedule to April 13th. I'll go through ANOVA, DOE, Regression and other hypothesis tests using Copilot. You can still register at https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/c/webinars/green-belt-refresher-using-copilot-part-2Learn more about BPIVisit https://www.leansixsigmaecosystem.com/ to access free courses and templates, or upgrade for premium content and coaching programsVisit https://www.biz-pi.com to learn more about me and my consulting firmVisit https://greenbeltcertification.com to learn how to get Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt training and certification for you or your organization


