What is Foresighted Six Sigma: Making Sense of Process Improvement in an Age of Accelerated Change?

Process improvement is an approach to enhancing and improving business processes by systematically analyzing existing processes and coming up with solutions to make them more efficient. This is often done to meet new goals or standards of quality, and it reduces costs and inefficiencies while simultaneously improving company productivity over time (Stryker). Process improvement has been a tried-and-true method for entrepreneurs to increase accountability, quality, workflow, and structure within their organizations, but with the rise of artificial intelligence and an increase in technology, process improvement must change to accommodate a shifting professional landscape. This is precisely what led Dr. José A. Lugo Santiago to write his upcoming textbook, Foresighted Six Sigma: Making Sense of Process Improvement in an Age of Accelerated Change.

After years of observing business models fail in the implementation of otherwise good strategies and others lacking in the foresight necessary to adapt to the ever-changing future, Dr. Santiago was called to pursue his education in Strategic Leadership and Foresight, eventually earning his doctorate at Regent University (Santiago). After decades of hands-on experience in implementing various methods of process improvement, Dr. Santiago realized that, in the face of the workforce's uncertain future, traditional approaches to process improvement were becoming insufficient in a world of accelerating change. Thus, Foresighted Six Sigma was developed.

(KARBH IT SOLUTIONS LLP). A visual of the DMAIC phases of Six Sigma process improvement.

Foresighted Six Sigma combines the Six Sigma strategy of process improvement, a data-driven methodology which reduces variability and deficits, and strategic foresight (M). By integrating these two approaches to process improvement while utilizing technology as an instrument rather than an uncertainty, the method that Dr. Santiago calls "Foresighted Six Sigma" is not only a groundbreaking tool for strengthening business models, but an extremely necessary one. His textbook serves a number of purposes including providing "a comprehensive knowledge base for professionals seeking certification in Six Sigma, Lean, and related methodologies", bridging the gap between "traditionally separate disciplines by integrating process excellence with strategic foresight", and serving "as a practical guide for organizations navigating the complexities of improvement in rapidly changing environments." (Santiago).

In a world where there seems to be new technologies, AI models, and accessibility to online information at every turn, Foresighted Six Sigma: Making Sense of Process Improvement in an Age of Accelerated Change provides businesses and professionals a system of organization amidst the chaos.

Sources:

KARBH IT SOLUTIONS LLP. Six Sigma DMAIC Phases Graphic, karbh.com/public/uploads/page/dynamic-page-banner-10.png.

M, Michelle. “What Is Six Sigma? A Guide to Process Improvement.” Project Templates, 1 Apr. 2025, www.projectmanagertemplate.com/post/what-is-six-sigma-a-guide-to-process-improvement.

Stryker, Cole. “What Is Process Improvement | IBM.” Www.ibm.com, 21 June 2024, www.ibm.com/think/topics/process-improvement.

Lugo Santiago, José. Six Sigma: Making Sense of Process Improvement in an Age of Accelerated Change. Cedric D. Fisher & Company Publishers.