How to Manage With Six Sigma

Six Sigma is an increasingly popular way for companies to ensure they are running their projects to the best of their ability. This methodology can prevent common project issues from recurring and works as a complement to conventional project management processes. To better understand how to properly manage your project using Six Sigma, follow these steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Identify the project that you will manage while using the Six Sigma methodology. Any project large or small can follow this methodology as long as there is a commitment to utilizing its tools. Make sure there is enough in the budget to do this in conjunction with the actual project completion.
2. Get buy in from the team and management to use Six Sigma to manage the project. Often this is laid out before the project begins. Six Sigma provides tools to effectively manage the key financial, resource, planning and implementation phases of the project through analysis, reports and checkpoints throughout the project lifecycle.
3. Begin with the definition or initiation of the project. Prepare a project charter and assign a project manager if one has not already been identified. Gather the project team and assign their roles in the project.
4. Define the project plan and scope of the effort. This includes defining the requirements of the effort you manage. Explore the priority of each requirement and assign a cost and time estimate to each.
5. Determine how each task within the project will be measured for success. Establish checkpoints throughout the project to ensure the project is on track and meeting the quality levels you've established.
6. Execute the project with a defect identification and resolution process in place. Identify potential risks that could occur and how you'll mitigate those risks should they occur.
7. Report to upper management on the progress of the project including the points you're struggling to manage with. Monitor how your project is doing compared with the plan including finances and resources. Have a review at the end of the project to see how your project did in comparison with the plan and what could be done better in the future.

Tips & Warnings

• Conduct meetings throughout the project to enhance communication.
• Use shared tools to keep project information updated so that everything can be easily found and tracked.
• Make sure to follow up with an end-of-project review and to share the lessons learned with others so that the next effort you can make better decisions for the project they manage.