Tony Jacowski asked:
Identifying Areas Of Improvement
Six Sigma is not easy to implement and requires a lot of effort on part of the organization to make it a success. It makes sense to implement 6 Sigma concepts only in areas where the potential for reducing costs are quite immense. The best way of identifying the areas of improvement is to utilize statistical tools and techniques that help in measuring the existing value provided by a business process and also the potential benefits that can be derived by implementing Six Sigma. Statistical tools and techniques also help in assessing the cost of the implementations, which allows the senior management to select only the most cost-effective implementation projects.
Utilizing The Services Of 6 Sigma Professionals
For ensuring the success of Six Sigma implementations, it is necessary to utilize the know-how and expertise offered by 6 Sigma professionals such as Black Belts, Master Black Belts, Six Sigma Champions and others. Most of these professionals have live experience in executing 6 Sigma implementation projects and provide multi-level support during the implementation process. The only problem is that Six Sigma professionals charge top-dollars for their services, which can create financial problems, especially for organizations that are already facing a resource crunch.
Since it is quite difficult to implement 6 Sigma concepts without the guidance and support of Six Sigma professionals, the best option for these organizations is to train their existing employees. Depending on implementation needs, organizations can choose from a wide range of certification courses for their employees. By transforming existing employees into 6 Sigma professionals, organizations will be able to harness their existing organizational knowledge and the expertise that they develop during the training. Another benefit is that such organizations will never have to deal with expenses related with hiring Six Sigma professionals from outside because most of the skills and expertise will be available in-house.
Leadership Support And Guidance
For timely and effective implementations, it is necessary for top-rung management to provide continuous support and guidance to 6 Sigma implementation teams as and when needed. The senior management can provide valuable insights during the implementations and can define the specific roles of implementation team members in order to avoid the potential occurrence of conflict and confusion.
The actual execution of Six Sigma implementation projects is quite similar to the execution of any other management-related project undertaken by an organization. The aims and objectives of the projects may differ widely, but the managerial tools and techniques employed for executing the projects are more or less the same. We can thus conclude that the basic management principles apply to 6 Sigma implementations in the same way as they apply to any other management initiative.