Page 99 - Six Sigma Demystified

80 Six SigMa DemystifieD

pose and scope, as documented in the project charter. Of course, if the scope
changes as the project progresses through DMAIC, the team and sponsor again
should reach consensus on the revisions.
The project plan and timeline should be reviewed, and meeting times and
locations should be established. Generally, it’s best to meet only when neces-
sary, although default times can be established for meetings to help members
allocate time.
Teams require ongoing management to be effective. Ideally, teams should
meet only as needed to discuss or resolve issues or to follow up or assign action
items. When meetings become a waste of anyone’s time, then the team will
begin to lose commitment and momentum. Agendas should be distributed
beforehand so that members are prepared to discuss planned items. Action
items should be assigned at the end of each meeting and reviewed at the start
of the meeting for which they are scheduled. The project schedule should be
updated regularly to reflect changes as they occur, with regular reports to the
project sponsors and stakeholders.

change Agents

To drive change in an organization, you will need to accept a basic fact of
human nature: Change scares most people. Organizational change requires
adoption of new policies or procedures. Personnel often will need to learn new
skills, particularly in a Six Sigma deployment. This is unsettling to some, nerve-
wracking to others. This fear of the unknown is a barrier to change.
To make the matter more complicated, those of us who do not fear change
are usually skeptical of it. Change is not always for the better, at least in every-
one’s eyes. Some people will long for the “good old days.”

Finally, there are those who know that change could be for the better but
still won’t be behind it. Why? They don’t believe management is committed to
make it happen! “Been there, done that, got the T- shirt. Next!”
Effective change agents will address these concerns because change cannot
i
occur without buy- n from those responsible for change. The following DMAIC
steps are useful to achieve buy- in within the organization:

• Define key stakeholders. These are the individuals or groups who can make
or break the change initiative.
• Measure the baseline level of buy- in for each key stakeholder. How com-
mitted are stakeholders to change?