LSS

LSS is an acronym that can refer to several concepts across different fields. The two most common meanings are Lean Six Sigma and Life Support System, though context often dictates the intended sense.

Lean Six Sigma is a process-improvement methodology that combines Lean principles, which focus on waste reduction and flow, with Six Sigma’s emphasis on reducing process variation and defects. It uses structured project frameworks such as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) for improving existing processes and DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify) for creating new processes. Key tools include value stream mapping, statistical data analysis, root-cause analysis, and design of experiments. Practitioners typically pursue belt levels ranging from White and Yellow to Green, Black, and Master Black Belt. Proponents cite gains in efficiency, cost reductions, and quality improvements, while challenges often involve sustaining gains, organizational change, and data collection requirements.

Life Support System refers to a set of technologies designed to sustain human life in environments where natural resources are limited, such as space, submarines, or hazardous terrestrial zones. An LSS supplies breathable air, removes carbon dioxide, controls temperature and humidity, provides clean water, and manages waste. In spacecraft and space habitats, life support systems may operate as closed or regenerable loops, integrating air revitalization, water recovery, and thermal control, sometimes with backup resupply. In submarines and other confined environments, LSS performance is critical for crew safety and mission success and is designed with redundancy and monitoring to detect and respond to failures.

Other uses of the acronym exist in various fields, and the intended meaning should be inferred from context.