Page 92 - Six Sigma Demystified

Chapter 4 DEF INE STAGE 73

The term team refers to the specific members of the stakeholder groups who
will play an active role in the project problem solving, data collection, and
analysis, including the assigned black belts, green belts, subject- matter experts,
operational personnel, and facilitator (if any). Typically, one black belt is
assigned to a given project. One or more green belts may be assigned from a
given stakeholder department. Since black and green belts are trained in basic
facilitation skills, facilitators should be needed only in exceptional situations,
such as if hostility exists between team members. Ad hoc team members also
may be identified to provide assistance, expertise, or background information
on request but not necessarily participate as regular members of the team.
These concepts are covered in more detail in the “Team Formation” section
later in this chapter.
l
The sponsors are the middle- to upper- evel managers who support the project.
Sponsors fund the project, allocate resources, and develop the initial charter. As a
member of management, the sponsor builds support for the project in the manage-
rial ranks of the organization. The sponsor’s managerial position in the functional
area that is the subject of the improvement project helps to build awareness and
support for the project in the operational ranks, as well as to clear roadblocks that
might inhibit timely progress of the project. When stakeholders are from different
functional areas, the sponsor may be at the level above the functional area of man-
agement so that resource allocation and departmental commitment are achieved.
To prevent the top levels of the organization from sponsoring too many projects,
cosponsors from the top ranks of the affected functional areas also may be used.

Project exAmPle: Stakeholders

Stakeholder groups include sales, shipping and packaging, and accounting, as
shown in the top- level process map of Figure 4.4. The project champion has func-
tional authority over all these areas.

tIP: Use process map and suppliers- inputs- process- outputs- customers (SIPOC)
analysis to determine stakeholder groups.

resources

Resources refer to the processes, equipment, databases, or labor (not included
as team members) that may be needed to keep the project on schedule and
provide the data necessary for conclusive analysis.