Uncommon Sense - Tools to Improve your Work Forever – Details, episodes & analysis

Sometimes the biggest risks in your business aren’t obvious. They’re hidden in the gaps between teams. Work gets done, but critical information gets lost, compliance slips, and frustration builds.

In this episode, Damion Albinson and Susannah Clarke reveal how understanding the internal voice of the customer transforms how teams collaborate. Using real examples from a complex logistics environment, Damion shows how moving from “I didn’t know you needed that” to consciously understanding your role in the wider process can make a real difference.

If you want practical insight into bridging the hidden gaps in your processes and building a team that’s consciously competent, this episode is a must-listen.

 More resources:

• SIPOC Template
• Understanding the Voice of the Customer
• Systems Thinking From a Leadership Perspective

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

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• Explore Distance Learning >>

Even the best-designed processes can drift over time, but Process Confirmation stops small deviations from becoming major gaps.

In this episode, PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson explains why Process Confirmation isn’t about auditing but understanding how work really happens. He explores how this approach helps leaders stay connected to operational reality, using the insights to strengthen performance and build capability at every level.

From frontline operators to leaders managing improvement systems, Damion shares practical examples of how you can use Process Confirmation to uncover variation, validate standards, and drive Continuous Improvement in a structured, positive way.

More resources:

• Improvement Toolbox – Process Confirmation
• Lean Thinking Is Not About Efficiency
• Establishing Visual Management and Daily Huddles

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

On the surface, everything seems aligned. But improvement just won’t stick. Why? 

Join PMI Director Consultant Warren Knight as he unpacks five leadership behaviours that quietly derail progress. From staying too far from the frontline to clinging to outdated thinking, these pitfalls are easy to miss but hard to work around. 

If you’ve ever struggled to get traction, build momentum or gain support for your improvement work, this conversation will help you see what might really be going on. 

More resources you may find helpful:

• Blog: 5 Things Every Leadership Team Should Know
• Podcast: How Effective Leaders Support a Learning Organisation
• Improvement Focus Collection: How Do You Build and Sustain an Improvement Culture?

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

It’s a deceptively simple question: What is the purpose of this process? 

An unclear process purpose is one of the most overlooked causes of waste, misaligned priorities, poor decisions, and missed improvement opportunities. Yet too often, teams dive into complex redesign without first agreeing on why the process exists at all. 

Join PMI Director Consultant Stuart Gibson as he shows how stepping back to define process purpose clearly and collaboratively can uncover hidden value, prevent confusion, and drive more effective improvement efforts. Expect practical insights, thoughtful examples, and a reminder that common sense isn’t always common practice. 

More resources you may find helpful:

• Webinar: Where to Start with Daily Process Improvement 
•  Blog: Our Processes Should Not Be Rocket Science 
•  Podcast: Process Redesign and the 5Rs

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

It’s simple: identify what’s valuable and do more of it. 

But in practice, defining what truly adds value and what doesn’t, can be far from straightforward. 

PMI Consultant Damion Albinson explores why defining “value add” is one of the trickiest yet most essential concepts in improvement. From legislative red tape to emotional resistance, he shares how well-intentioned tasks can cloud our view of what's really worth doing. 

Hear how to distinguish truly necessary work from disguised waste, why being comfortable with calling things "non-value add" reveals opportunity for real transformation, and how to navigate the emotional terrain of challenging long-held habits. 

More resources you may find helpful:

• Infographic: Assessing the Value Added by the Work We Do
• Podcast: Decode Ambiguity with Operational Definitions
• Webinar: Creating Space to Focus on the Value Add

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

The core principle of DoE is elegantly simple: “how does this thing affect that thing?” 

PMI Consultant Niall Coney explores the value of experimental design and regression analysis: clear thinking, informed decisions, and measurable impact. Whether you’re working on improvement in manufacturing or marketing, operations or organisational change, don’t let the fear of complex statistical calculations hold you back.  

It’s about asking better questions and digesting the answers.

More resources on this topic:

• Podcast: Simplifying Sampling Strategies 
• Video: From Green Belt Practitioner to Black Belt Specialist – Making an Impact
• Blog: 9 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Do A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

We’re on the same page…  Or are we?

In improvement work, misaligned understanding around simple terms like ‘on time’ or ‘complete’ can derail progress before it begins. But PMI Consultant Damion Albinson explains how you can cut through the noise with clear operational definitions.

Discover how to turn vague expectations into measurable clarity, avoid costly misunderstandings, and build trust with both customers and colleagues. The difference between rework and results starts with shared understanding.

More resources on this topic:

• Improvement Toolbox: Operational Definitions
• Video Series: Essential Green Belt Tools
• Blog: Agile Improvement Explained

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

Does data collection feel like a tedious, time-consuming hurdle in your improvement projects? It doesn’t have to be.

Join Niall Coney, Consultant at PMI, for a 15-minute masterclass in smarter data collection that delivers reliable insights without wasting time or resources. Learn how to choose the right sampling strategy, ensure accuracy with the right measurement systems, and leverage data simulation effectively.

More resources:

• On Demand Webinar: Data Collection Techniques
• Podcast: The Value of Capability Analysis
• Blog: How to Identify Your First Green Belt Project

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

Your improvement team is assembled, the project is underway, but something’s off. Misalignment keeps surfacing, engagement is lacking, and stalled progress feels inevitable.

Join PMI Consultant and improvement project expert Mark Allison, as he shares the essential steps for setting your team up for success, with practical techniques to build clarity, confidence, and collaboration from day one. Take the time to consider your onboarding process and ensure that your next project kicks off with a team that’s engaged, motivated, and ready to contribute.

Related resources:

• Podcast: Identifying the Right People for Your Improvement Team
• Toolbox: Roles in Process Management
• Template: Project Charter & Contract 

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>

When you spot a difference in your data, is it because something has genuinely changed, or is it just chance?

Join Niall Coney, Consultant at PMI, as he demystifies hypothesis testing: one of the most misunderstood tools in improvement. From p-values to t-tests, Niall breaks it down in practical terms, showing how the right statistical ‘screwdriver’ can give you the confidence to act on your data. 

Plus, a relatable lesson in learning to trust the numbers, even when they don’t tell you what you want to hear! Listen now and take the guesswork out of improvement.

More resources:

• Black Belt Tools for Success
• What is a Black Belt Project?
• Managing Variation with Heijunka

More from PMI:

• Dive into our Knowledge Hub for more tools, videos, and infographics
• Join us for a PMI LIVE Webinar
• Follow us on LinkedIn

Take your improvement career to the next level with PMI's Lean Six Sigma Certifications - now available in two new and accessible formats, built around you. 

• Explore On Demand >>
• Explore Distance Learning >>