subject: Six Sigma Project(s) and Extended Cycle Times [print this page] Six Sigma Project(s) and Extended Cycle Times
Devising organized and well structured plans is imperative to reducing the cycle time of Six Sigma project(s). Proper feasibility report and requirement analyses are vital drafts that need to be kept in hand before the initiation of the project. There could be several factors hindering or extending the cycle time of the Six Sigma project(s) being implemented in an organization. In this article, we shall discuss them in detail and chalk out ways to eliminate these factors.
How to determine and eliminate the factors that prolong the Six Sigma Project(s) Cycle Times?
Practically speaking, the factors that lead to longer project cycle times are diverse and they often vary from business to business. However, according to conclusive reports, there are a few basic factors which undeniably cause longer cycle times in most projects. The common situations are:
Project scope, vision and objectives are not clear. This happens when such important attributes are not considered at the initiation of Six Sigma project(s).
The business process in concern lacks substantial reliable data associated to it.
There are drastic changes and amendments that are made to organizational policies very often, leading to ambiguity and misinterpretation of rules and conditions.
Meetings and reviews are often re-scheduled or postponed.
Change Management has created trouble due to the pervasive resistance put forward by the employees of an organization.
To ensure proper implementation of Six Sigma project(s), one must consider the root causes of the extended cycle time and work to eliminate it faster. For long term benefits of Six Sigma project(s), intensive study of the organizational requirement and a lucid understanding of the businesses process are necessary.
Experienced and skilled employees from every functional department and all hierarchies in an organization should be united to form a team. This team should be specifically trained and then assigned the responsibility of determining the root causes of the extended cycle time of the Six Sigma project(s). This team can also be used to get valuable suggestions or feedback regarding the possible causes of the propagation delay.
The basic responsibility to complete a project within a specific timeline is usually assigned to the Black Belts in an organization. It is their task to strategize methods to monitor time constraints without hindering the day-to-day operations of various departments in the enterprise.
Due to the complexity of Six Sigma project(s), only Black Belts are allowed access to the diverse resources of an organization, namely, manpower, software, finance and others, according to the requirement of the hour. Black Belts are also entitled to advice and suggestions from the top management on critical issues pertaining to the internal affairs of the enterprise.
There is nothing more important than the cooperation of employees and their support when it comes to achieving shorter cycle time of Six Sigma project(s). An organization which is prudent enough to keep its employees satisfied will never face the otherwise common issue of employee resistance. It is necessary to maintain a positive and open communication level in order to understand the workforce in a better way. If the employees are conveyed a message of assurance and sincerity, smooth execution of Six Sigma project(s) can be guaranteed, along with reduced cycle times.
