Page 202 - Six Sigma Demystified
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182 Six SigMa DemystifieD
• Appendices containing raw data, analysis results, and a timeline of the
actual activities for reference
• A listing of the expenditures required to implement the project, including
lost capacity, material, and/or labor
• The cost savings received to date and projected for the next one to three
years
• The current status of the process and the control plan for the future
• Recommendations for future projects related to the process
• Recommendations for future project leaders and sponsors based on les-
sons learned during this project
The project report should be circulated to the finance or accounting areas
for review of accuracy of the financial information. The project report (and the
financial approval) must be presented to the sponsor for formal approval and
project close.
In some organizations, the master black belt and senior management respon-
sible for Six Sigma deployment also must sign off on the report. It is often a
good learning experience for black belts to formally present the findings to
management. When other senior management leaders are invited, it provides
good exposure to the program and the work of the project teams.
Organizations should adopt some strategy for rewarding Six Sigma teams.
Financial rewards, particularly a percentage of the savings, are not necessary, nor
encouraged. They send the wrong message and cultivate a culture of short-
sighted profiteering or inflated savings at the expense of real improvement.
Instead, teams should be recognized with ceremony and appreciation from
management for a job well done. Even project failures should be celebrated for
their effort, in the realization that at least some of the stretch goals sought will
not be achieved.
In this vein, success stories should be communicated throughout the organi-
zation. If frustrations with a process were overcome, that speaks volumes in a
language that others are anxious to hear. Project failures also should be noted
for their efforts, their partial success, and the lessons learned.
Many companies have found Web-based forums on the company intranet a
useful venue for sharing information. Black belts should be given the opportu-
nity to share, learn, and grow through contact with one another. The use of
technical skills, as well as the softer change management skills necessary for
building buy-in, will grow when practitioners have a chance to see their suc-
cessful application by other teams. It’s truly remarkable how one team’s success