No, Lean Design is a completely separate methodology that is applied to the product design at any stage of a product’s life cycle, but preferably in the concept phase. Unlike Six Sigma, TPS, or other Lean Manufacturing methodologies, which reduce quality issues and wasteful processes on the manufacturing floor, Lean Design is applied to the product design itself. When implemented properly, Lean Design creates a simpler, easier-to-produce, and more cost-effective design that removes quality issues before they are ever experienced in the manufacturing process.