12 Steps to an Effective Lean Six Sigma Deployment

Time needed: 540 days

The Lean Six Sigma deployment is very important for an organization when the management or stakeholders decide to undergo a process improvement by having Lean Six Sigma training and project. It can be one of the most nerve-wracking yet exciting initiatives at the same time taken by an organization. A well-structured Lean Six Sigma deployment flow can help reenergize the entire organization and help achieve remarkable results. An organization needs to find ways in order to align the present activities of all employees with the organizations business goals and on how to find ways to develop the process step by step. Hence, implementing the Lean Six Sigma deployment flow chart can help provide the methods for creating the process to ensure the organization is driven towards achieving the goals. Implementing Lean Six Sigma in the organization is very useful as it helps cut waste and meet customer requirements. The importance of this flowchart is to explain in detail the steps of the Lean Six Sigma deployment strategy within an organization.

Road map to Lean Six Sigma workforce training & development requires few steps to achieve. Let’s discuss each step!

1. Determine Parameters for Certification

   The core group will need to set the parameters for the Lean Six Sigma certification. Common parameters used as the criteria for the selection are:
   – Attended training based on the level of steps in Lean Six Sigma training which are the black belt, green belt and yellow belt
   – Participants have to pass the exam or the training assessment given at the end of the training.
   – Participants to lead and complete Lean Six Sigma project with the significant result and saving amount.
   

2. Develop a Timeline (6-8 months per batch)

   This is very crucial for an organization to set a duration to complete the project before starting with the Lean Six Sigma training and projects. Training and project execution timelines differ according to the Lean Six Sigma belts, such as Green Belt is up to 6 months and Black Belt is up to 8 months.
   

3. Select Candidates

   The management needs to identify the potential candidate to lead the Lean Six Sigma project. Criteria needed for project leader selection (Green belt/Black Belt holder).
   Interested in Six Sigma
   – Positive attitude – ‘Can do’
   – Passionate
   – Process oriented
   – Process knowledgeable
   – Able to spend required time
   – Inclination towards data analysis
   

4. Intro Session

   This step is the Lean Six Sigma overview session to explain the objectives, benefits, and methodology of Lean Six Sigma. It is also to educate the project champion on the roles and responsibilities within Six Sigma deployments. The target audience during this session is the management and executive level.
   

5. Scoping Session

   The management burning platform session will help the organization identify a list of potential Lean Six Sigma projects for the scoping session. The selection of the projects will be based on the expected benefits such as cost-saving, return of investment, revenue generation, etc. The session will be led by consultants and attended by the key person from the organization.
   

6. Select and Approve Projects

   The core Lean Six Sigma group will review the list of potential projects from the burning platform and select the project to be executed as a Lean Six Sigma project.
   

7. Require Candidates to Complete Pre-Work

   The core group will have to collect data from the relevant process to represent the current state of the problem. The data will be utilized as a project baseline and as a reference to set the project goals. Once the project list has been identified, the project leader task is to:
   – Identify measurable/quantifiable metrics of respective projects
   – Justify what is the process in question and its scope
   – Identify the stakeholders who will be impacted or to involve by every project’s undertaking (internal vs external)
   

8. Conduct Lean Six Sigma Training & Project Coaching

   The selected candidate will need to attend the full Lean Six Sigma training (Green Belt or Black Belt) followed by project coaching and a toll gate session for each DMAIC phase.
   

9. Conduct Accredited Examinations

   In this step, candidates need to sit for the examination after training is completed on the last day of the training. On a certain occasion, candidates can also opt to sit for the international examinations at an additional cost. Consultants will assist the candidate with the revision session and provide them with sample questions before they sit for the international examination. There are two international examinations: IASSC & CSSC, and candidates can choose these two based on their preferences.
   

10. Review Projects Certifications

    The management and champion will have to review the result of the project and the expected benefits. The champion, process owner, and project team should a have consensus on the project completion.
    

11. Celebrate & Share Success!

    Recognize and reward the project team’s effort to continuously motivate them to engage in the Lean Six Sigma improvement process constantly. The management team is responsible for setting up the reward and recognition plan.
    

12. Sustain the Gains

    The project team must monitor the improvement result for 12 months continuously and have to report to the Lean Six Sigma facilitator. The main purpose of this step is to ensure the expected saving is materialized and sustain.