Monday, December 29, 2008

Six Sigma Implementation - Is Continuity In The Cards

By Craig Calvin

The Six Sigma process promises to deliver a discipline of improved and more efficient systems and processes to companies who have chosen to implement it. During the process, it is important that no hindrances are in the way. Managers and team leaders should make every effort to assure this. The Six Sigma implementation process must be transparent if expected benefits are to be fulfilled.

Effective planning is not just crucial for the Six Sigma projects; it can be beneficial to everyone involved in the organization. For a Six Sigma implementation to have a proper plan in place is vital. These plans should be realistic and achievable. The planning has to be such that the participation of the members involved does not hamper the daily functioning of the organization. If the plans are not effective enough, they may be extra burden added to the daily activities of the business. With proper planning and strategizing for the various stages in the Six Sigma project implementation, you will be ready to face any kind of problem that may arise. In a Six Sigma implementation the biggest risk faced is the resistance to the changes. Considering this factor, strategies have to be designed that will help to overcome or reduce such resistance. Planning should involve resources, strategizing to face the problems that may arise and having a good communication strategy for the project.

An important factor to consider is the availability of human and material resources. There must be a regular supply throughout the duration of the project and they should be readily available. Smaller companies will likely be able to have such available quickly and easily, however larger corporations may be challenged with providing logistical solutions in a timely manner. If the project is to avoid going off schedule, the resources must be available. Unavailability can cause team motivation to decline and that can affect negatively the Six Sigma implementation process.

As stated earlier, the plans have to be made well in advance to ensure that the implementation goes on continuously. Similarly, information about the project has to move freely among various team members such as Green Belts, Black Belts and top management as well. This is why the teams need to have proper communication channels and strategies in place - so that the communication is smooth. Communication of the important decisions made is vital, as well as communicating about the project stages that have been reached. Setting up a communication system has to be of top priority.

Communication of the various activities to the employees at various levels of the business has to be done. This is helpful in addressing resistance to change to a large extent. Communication has to reach out to employees, stakeholders and the senior management as well. Six Sigma is beneficial to all sorts of businesses, big or small. The implementation of such projects has to be continuous to ensure that the business starts to work to its fullest possible level.

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