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This article is the third in our three-part series to help you achieve the best results using Six Sigma. You can read the previous two articles here. Now, go!

You’ve made your plans and assembled your team, but what comes next is not always as easy (or as difficult!) as it may first appear. The culmination of our three-part guide to project management, planning, and preparing the perfect team will give you a head start on how to triage and run your Six Sigma project.

Six Sigma: Get Started

As you may well know, Six Sigma takes time. Your project demands a collective effort delivered consistently over an extended period. This will almost certainly deliver the best results. Once you’re got your plan out of the way, and your project team assembled, the project needs to then get off the ground. From small, gradual efforts, to large-scale business improvement, your Six Sigma project should be treated with care.

For the perfect project (i.e. a successful one), you need to understand how the project can also start out as a problem. In a practical sense, of course it is going to halt the flow of production, temporarily at least, until things are up and running. Six Sigma is all about practical solutions, which is why it is necessary to view the project from all angles. To ensure the project doesn’t harm any key performance features, you should remain focused on the following:

• Customer satisfaction – What the customer needs determines what the company needs.
• Employee Satisfaction – Employees are the backbone of any company, and it’s important that your project team remain motivated, engaged, and that their hard work is both appreciated and acknowledged.
• Costs – Nothing costs nothing. So be mindful of the budget.
• Process aptitude – Is the process under consideration working? How can it be improved? Has waste accumulated? Does it add value? Act accordingly.
• Output and Quality – Six Sigma projects operate under the objective of achieving optimum process improvement. Any identified improvements in output and product quality will allow you to gauge how successful you have been up to a certain point. It will also prompt thoughts on how to achieve greater success.
• Potential revenue – The potential rewards from a successful Six Sigma project are an ideal goal to work towards. The success of the company is your success as well.

Use Your Plan, and Your Team, to Your Advantage

Contained within your project plan is everything you need to direct and organize your team. It is a tool for your success, so use it. Evaluate regularly to keep things on track. Your Work Breakdown Structure will be your guide to all aspects of the project. If you are ever uncertain, refer to the plan, and you will find the answer!

Your team is just as essential to the success of the project. Keep them focused on the shared goal and provide regular motivation. It’s important you stay involved, offering support and assistance, determining and assigning project responsibilities, while relying on your team to help you as well. Working closely with them will allow you to recognize where their talents may be best suited, and how reorganizing the team may benefit the project in the long- or short-term.

Stop by and contact us at 6Sigma.us and find out how we can positively help you plan and change the culture and operations of your organization. We offer Green Belt and Black Belt training programs, as well as a Master Black Belt program.