· Amit Kothari · Process Improvement
Definition – What is Process Variation?
Process variation occurs when processes fail to follow precise patterns, killing predictability and quality. McDonald's and Starbucks succeed through consistency: a Big Mac tastes the same everywhere, and Venti Latte is understood in 55+ countries. When quality issues arise, determine if it's variation (training, equipment, negligence) or if the process itself is fundamentally broken.