A Six Sigma deployment is like a journey and like many other journeys, you need to prepare the following:
1. decide where we are going (Six Sigma or bust!)
2. understand where we are coming from
3. plan our route
4. follow the plan
5. monitor the progress
6. change plans to meet the unexpected challenge
This does not mean however that all companies embark on the same initial projects. Different companies start their deployments in different ways, depending on what program works well for the kind of organizational structure and culture the company is.
Normally, the deployment plan will follow this schedule:
1. Management Commitment?Week Zero.
2. Management Training?Week One
3. Six Sigma Discovery?Weeks Two to Four.
4. Champion Training, including Project Selection?Week Five.
5. Black Belt Training?Weeks Six to Eighteen.
6. Green Belt Training?Week Nineteen.
The schedule is not always followed thought In reality, you?ll need some lag time between these activities. Thus the five months may become seven or eight months in a fairly aggressive deployment.
But the the toughest part of deploying Six Sigma is building top management interest and commitment. A successful Six Sigma deployment requires this top management leadership. In larger corporations, it?s common to see pilot programs take root and end successfully because they are run by motivated, inspired leaders.
One of the major reasons top management hesitate to take on a Six Sigma deployment is that they do not see the benefits and savings of such undertaking. You’ll have to let them know how it will improve their business and reduce their costs.
According to Paul Keller in his book Six Sigma Deployment: A Guide for Implementing Six Sigma in Your Organization, deploying Six Sigma in any organization is a lot of hard work. Six Sigma Champions will need to assemble and train the right people, have committed leadership, select viable and fruitful projects, and integrate metrics for feedback into your business . These changes require determination, patience, persuasiveness and the knowledge imparted in this book.
“Yes, it?s hard work, but Six Sigma done right is also a great deal of fun and brings great reward,” he further quips.
Read more A Deployment Strategy
