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Six Sigma
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Improvement Model
Six Sigma Business Intelligence Initiative
Strategy
Take an iterative, modular approach. Start small. Deliver success. Make the pilot highly visible and make sure you can deliver success. A lot of lessons have been learned the hard way -in Information Technology project development and management. There is no reason to repeat the mistakes. The iterative, evolutionary development method for IT has become established only after so many 'big bang - do it all now' projects self destructed, taking whole companies with them. So begin with a small, short pilot with visibility and high payback and deliver some short term success. It will make everyone feel better about the initiative, the goals and the process. Select and train one core team and use that team to identify, carefully plan and run the pilot program Use the lean six sigma Business Intelligence strategies and go after the most visible, most easily solved problem you have. You may structure your whole program in modules with Critical to Quality product definitions and goals which are measurable, but each set should be limited, easy to understand, and the data should be easily gathered using the available technology and known methods already in place. It may be delivery of BI to a specific group, response times across the board, or email triggers which do not address the most pressing operational problems.
Translate a current enterprise wide initiative into a lean six sigma BI success. Three initiatives which are currently in progress in many organizations right now are essentially Lean Six Sigma BI pilot projects. Master Data Management. Meta Data Management. Quality Data and Governance. We have chosen these major focus areas because they are critical to quality improvement. They are of a scope which is easier to understand and implement solutions. They are definitely impacted by the whole of the organization. The projects are in place and well recognized within the organization. The marketing and buy in have been accomplished. If they were not already in place, each would be identified as a excellent pilot project for Six Sigma BI. We should study the programs; learn from the process which has made them successful. We also need to review and assess them to ensure that we have identified metrics and are carefully measuring the results. The industry has taken these programs on. There have been a lot of reasons for the long slow rush to finally solve the issues of quality data for the enterprise. The Master Data Management program for your organization may well be your first choice as a pilot Six Sigma BI project. This means that you have a lot of the up front work of marketing and structured approach and goals already in place. You learn from the success. This means also that someone has to ensure that the project is placed on a rigorous, metrics basis. Because the whole industry is caught up in the drama, resources are being committed. Turning one of these projects into a six sigma showcase will be both easier than starting with a fresh new module and much harder. You may be viewed as standing in the way of success. But the visibility is there - and the need for a structured, metrics based process and management can translate these projects into outstanding Six Sigma BI pilots and increase the probability of success for both the project and the Six Sigma BI initiative.
Six Sigma Business Intelligence Initiative
Team
Key factors in the success of any Six Sigma program includes strong execultive level support. This must come from the CEO/CIO levels of the organization. They must set the tone, provide the vision and provide the impetus to make the program work and give those involved the encouragement and power to make the program work.
Most Six Sigma Initiatives in the general business world have a core team of professionals who are given martial arts designations. A whole industry has grown up around these martial arts Six Sigma professionals. You may or may not wish to follow the protocols and names already set for a Six Sigma BI program. In any case, the creation of a strong core of professionals with expert knowledge to act as consultants and hands on specialists is vital to the success of the Initiative. There is a need to have a strong, well trained team. The roles and responsibilities are still necessary, whatever the designation given.
Strategy
Take an iterative, modular approach. Start small. Deliver success. Make the pilot highly visible and make sure you can deliver success. A lot of lessons have been learned the hard way -
Translate a current enterprise wide initiative into a lean six sigma BI success. Three initiatives which are currently in progress in many organizations right now are essentially Lean Six Sigma BI pilot projects. Master Data Management. Meta Data Management. Quality Data and Governance. We have chosen these major focus areas because they are critical to quality improvement. They are of a scope which is easier to understand and implement solutions. They are definitely impacted by the whole of the organization. The projects are in place and well recognized within the organization. The marketing and buy in have been accomplished. If they were not already in place, each would be identified as a excellent pilot project for Six Sigma BI. We should study the programs; learn from the process which has made them successful. We also need to review and assess them to ensure that we have identified metrics and are carefully measuring the results. The industry has taken these programs on. There have been a lot of reasons for the long slow rush to finally solve the issues of quality data for the enterprise. The Master Data Management program for your organization may well be your first choice as a pilot Six Sigma BI project. This means that you have a lot of the up front work of marketing and structured approach and goals already in place. You learn from the success. This means also that someone has to ensure that the project is placed on a rigorous, metrics basis. Because the whole industry is caught up in the drama, resources are being committed. Turning one of these projects into a six sigma showcase will be both easier than starting with a fresh new module and much harder. You may be viewed as standing in the way of success. But the visibility is there -
Six Sigma Business Intelligence Initiative
Team
Key factors in the success of any Six Sigma program includes strong execultive level support. This must come from the CEO/CIO levels of the organization. They must set the tone, provide the vision and provide the impetus to make the program work and give those involved the encouragement and power to make the program work.
Most Six Sigma Initiatives in the general business world have a core team of professionals who are given martial arts designations. A whole industry has grown up around these martial arts Six Sigma professionals. You may or may not wish to follow the protocols and names already set for a Six Sigma BI program. In any case, the creation of a strong core of professionals with expert knowledge to act as consultants and hands on specialists is vital to the success of the Initiative. There is a need to have a strong, well trained team. The roles and responsibilities are still necessary, whatever the designation given.
Champions. Responsible for Six Sigma implementation across the organization in an integrated manner. These are upper level management people who are designated by the executive management. Champions provide support for the program and the individual professionals.
Master Black Belts. These experts act as coaches on Six Sigma. They are people whose sole job is Six Sigma. They work for and with the Champions and provide advice and support for the Black Belts and Green Belts. Apart from statistical tasks, their time is spent on ensuring consistent application of Six Sigma across various functions and departments.
Black Belts. These are trained professionals/specialists, who operate under Master Black Belts to apply Six Sigma methodology to specific projects. They devote 100% of their time to Six Sigma. They primarily focus on Six Sigma project execution, whereas Champions and Master Black Belts focus on identifying projects/functions for Six Sigma.
Green Belts. These are the employees who take up Six Sigma implementation along with their other job responsibilities. They operate under the guidance of Black Belts.
(Thanks to www.isixsigma.com for much of the information included here. Great website! Lots of practical info.)
A large group of such professionals is probably not needed nor recommended for Six Sigma Business Intelligence. However, the professionalism and the expertise which is represented is very important. There should have at least one or two specialists who have been trained to the level of Master Black Belt and Black Belt. The training for the remainder of the organization should incorporate the requirements for the level of their participation. You may wish to start with a pilot program and limit the core team to a few of the experts and plenty of good training for those who have other job responsibilities.
Six Sigma Business Intelligence Initiative
Road Map
Take an iterative, modular approach. Start small. Deliver success. Make the pilot highly visible and make sure you can deliver success. A lot of lessons have been learned the hard way -in Information Technology project development and management. There is no reason to repeat the mistakes. The iterative, evolutionary development method for IT has become established only after so many 'big bang - do it all now' projects self destructed, taking whole companies with them. So begin with a small, short pilot with visibility and high payback and deliver some short term success. It will make everyone feel better about the initiative, the goals and the process. Select and train one core team and use that team to identify, carefully plan and run the pilot program Use the lean six sigma Business Intelligence strategies and go after the most visible, most easily solved problem you have. You may structure your whole program in modules with Critical to Quality product definitions and goals which are measurable, but each set should be limited, easy to understand, and the data should be easily gathered using the available technology and known methods already in place. It may be delivery of BI to a specific group, response times across the board, or email triggers which do not address the most pressing operational problems.
There are usually five stages to the Six Sigma Initiative:
Road Map
Take an iterative, modular approach. Start small. Deliver success. Make the pilot highly visible and make sure you can deliver success. A lot of lessons have been learned the hard way -
There are usually five stages to the Six Sigma Initiative:
1. Initialize the program. Establish the goals, the infrastructure, and the team management.
2. Roll out the program. Identify and train the team and provide the tools necessary to the program.
3. Implement the program. See the Continuing Improvement Model.
4. After the first iterations of the program with specific goals, the program will be more fully established and structured.
5. Review, Assess, and Modify. Review and assess the program goals, strategies and implementation. Modify as necessary to make it more successful.
2. Roll out the program. Identify and train the team and provide the tools necessary to the program.
3. Implement the program. See the Continuing Improvement Model.
4. After the first iterations of the program with specific goals, the program will be more fully established and structured.
5. Review, Assess, and Modify. Review and assess the program goals, strategies and implementation. Modify as necessary to make it more successful.
The Six Sigma Initiative
