Steve Minter, writing for IndustryWeek, gives us a good reminder about the factors that affect the success of Six Sigma projects.
Perhaps, you have been into Six Sigma for years, and your projects although ongoing, have somehow reached a plateau. When this happens, it’s time to step back and re-evaluate. Here are the four factors cited by Minter:
- Leadership – Active and visible support from senior management. “Senior managers must communicate to employees that the purpose of the Six Sigma projects is to make the company more efficient and competitive not to reduce their numbers,” says George Haley, a business professor at the University of New Haven.
- Strategic alignment – Pick projects that will have the greatest impact on the business. “No matter the size of the company, it needs to improve,” says Ellie Kemp, a Master Black Belt at machine tool manufacturer MAG G&L.
- The Right Personnel – “Black Belts and Green Belts need not only training in the Six Sigma methodology but also team leadership and communication skills so that they can shepherd these collaborative projects,” Bob Rome
- Measurement – In developing projects, leaders state the business problem, outline project objectives, list the benefits and any associated hard savings and state how the savings will be calculated.
Related posts:
4 Factors Critical to the Success of Six Sigma Projects
3 Reasons for Six Sigma Deployment Determine Its Success or Failure
