Improving forensic processes performance: A Lean Six Sigma approach

Quality practices in forensic science are often in tension with providing timely results. When the Costa Rican Department of Forensic Sciences ballistics unit achieved accreditation under ISO/IEC 17020:2012 in 2018, the unit started experiencing slower turnaround times. With a view to expediting the resolution of forensic examination processes, the unit undertook a Lean Six Sigma project with a five-phase problem-solving methodology. The unit began to use data and process tools to transform its current state. The completion of all phases showed that two main aspects were preventing the laboratory from fulfilling the customers’ expectations: standardization and constraints. This project took 6 months and improvements were seen through the reduction of the number of pending cases with a backlog of more than 3 months by 97% and the turnaround time from 4 months to 1 month. Through this project, leadership identified an effective methodology, creating a positive impact on customers’ expectations.