Student: Elizabeth Hayes

Instructor: Kim Silver

I was thrilled to find out I had been asked to participate in the Creative Inquiry semester. I recently completed my Green Belt Lean Six Sigma training at Greenville Tech and thought the Creative Inquiry semester would be a perfect opportunity to gain my Lean Six Sigma certification.

My Creative Inquiry will involve creating a process for gathering data on recent graduates of the School of Business and Computer Technology to determine if they are working in their chosen field. I will spend the Fall 2019 Semester in the Department of Accounting:

1) observing the current system in place for gathering data
2) creating a new system that realizes improved results,           while using the DMAIC process in the Design for Lean Six Sigma: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.
A. Define – Define the problem:
There is no current system in place to gather relevant information on recent graduates of the School of Business and Computer Technology
in order to determine if they are employed in their chosen field.
Without this accurate information, the School cannot get appropriate
funding from the State.
B. Measure – Measure the results of the current system.
I will record the process as it currently exists and measure its current
success rate.
C. Analyze – Analyze the steps currently in place.
I will analyze each step of the current process. I will identify the
weaknesses using analytical tools.
D. Improve – Improve the system
I will create a new system of collecting information from recent
graduates.
E. Control – Control for future use
I will create tools that will ensure future use of the new system of
collecting data.

DMAIC is a structured problem-solving methodology that leads a team logically
from defining a problem through implementing solutions linked to underlying
causes, and establishes best practices to ensure the solutions stay in place.
Lean Six Sigma is a business improvement methodology that maximizes value by
achieving the fastest rate of improvement in cost, quality, process speed and
invested time.
Upon completion of the project:
1) I will have in place an efficient, effective system for capturing and retrieving
data on recent graduates and their employment status for the Accounting
department and the School of Business and Computer Technology.
2) I will receive my Green Belt Certification in Lean Six Sigma from Greenville
Technical College.