Let's Start From the Very Beginning...

Elizabeth Jamischak • Feb 16, 2022

Do the necessary due diligence and get teams to the point where everyone is clear on the objective of the project with guardrails in place so that you are properly balancing a rapid agile environment without accidently running off the cliff.

The key to getting a clear picture of where we want to be, starts with where we are right now. The same is true when embarking on a business mandate, project, assignment or process improvement strategy. In the world of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) we call this the ‘Define’ phase.

Many argue that the ‘Define’ phase is the most critical step for achieving project success. However, it’s common that an inadequate amount of time and attention is spent on the ‘Define’ phase, since we often think we know what the issues are already and we’re anxious to solve the problem. Which isn’t to be criticized, however, a proper project definition will undoubtedly increase our likelihood for identifying and improving the key issues.

Therefore, over the next several months we will be sharing a series of blogs whereby we will break down the LSS DMAIC methodology; (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) and highlight some of the important aspects of each of the phases. Today, we’re starting with Define phase and it’s vital role in a LSS project.

The Define Phase begins by asking crucial questions such as “what is the problem", "what impact does it currently have on our product and services, our productivity and performance, our costs, and most importantly our customers?” These questions help us to understand in broad terms which areas / methods / processes could be improved. However, we must not stop there and continue to outline and define our objectives and purpose for our project.

A quick google search will reveal in simple terms that 'Define', in a LSS context, is a statement of what our project is all about. More specifically we may think about it in terms of what’s needed ‘to improve the process’, ‘to produce a better widget, to understand the root cause, and so on.

The challenge remains that questions of this nature are still too broad and offer no parameters for the project, which often leads to scope creep and undesirable outcomes. As you know, scope creep can also cause time delays, and higher costs, exceeding the overall budget in people resources and financially.

So where does this leave us?

We suggest that you need to dedicate adequate attention to the Define phase. Do the necessary due diligence and get teams to the point where everyone is clear on the objective of the project with guardrails in place so that you are properly balancing a rapid agile environment without accidently running off the cliff.

This all begins with the Voice of the Customer (VOC). However, to complicate things further, we may need to first ask ‘Who is our customer? Are they happy or upset? What do they tell us, do we already know? Is our priority to ensure that our project objectives and outcomes result in a better customer experience? Are we aligned as a project team?’

We have discovered that the most effective way of getting to the true VOC and engaging thoughts and ideas from the broader team, is to use a variety of fact finding methods and techniques.

These techniques include:

Surveys
Interviews
Focus groups
Live chat
Online reviews
Emails
Website behaviour
Social media
Net promoter score

Analyzing the results obtained from the VOC will confirm whether the project idea is aligned with the actual need as defined by our customer or whether our project objectives need to be shifted.

Next, we recommend conducting a SIPOC Diagram of our project. This tool will identify the relevant elements and provide insight into where we may be tempted with scope creep (hint: Inputs). Image source: https://powerslides.com/powerpoint-industry/apparel-retail-food-beverage-templates/sipoc-template/

Lastly we recommend preparing a Project Charter as the final element in the Define phase to guard against confirmation bias.

Image source: https://project-management.com/what-is-a-project-charter/

As stated at the beginning of this post, when embarking on a new project it is easy to make broad statements, reasoning that as you gain more information and discover insights into a project you can narrow the scope.

The reality is that more often than not, the opposite happens. Therefore, taking extra time to listen to the Voice of the Customer and creating SIPOC diagrams PRIOR to outlining the Project Charter will provide for a more focused objective and purpose.

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By Elizabeth Jamischak • 12 Apr, 2023

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Sticky Improvements and Closing the Project

By Elizabeth Jamischak • 21 Dec, 2022

This year we have been posting about the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology which is the hallmark of Six Sigma theory and execution. Since this is the final blog for 2022 we decided to include both ‘Improve’ and ‘Control’ within this post. So far we have discussed the importance of defining the problem that we want to fix or area we want to improve and the value of spending time on developing a robust Project Charter, how to protect our project from scope creep by using tools such as a Data Collection Plan and how to uncover the actual Root Cause of the problem we are wanting to resolve or area we are planning to improve. In this post we will list common tools which will aid in collating all the information we have gathered thus far in our project and interpreting that information into potential solutions. However, our primary focus will be on how to actually implement change and then how to monitor / control those changes. To jump right in, some of the most common tools within the Improve phase to identify potential solutions include: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Stakeholder Analysis Kaizen Event Poka-Yoke Cost-Benefit Analysis Matrix Diagram Once you have a list of possible solutions, selecting the best one AND implementing often brings with it stress and anxiety therefore putting a plan in place is essential for successful change. There are many templates and resources available online for developing an Implementation Plan. We recommend including the following elements: Strategy Process Action Each of these elements can be broken down by applying the 5W2H Method. For example, Strategy Who is managing the implementation of the change(s)? What is our ultimate goal with this project? When does the change(s) need to be completed? Where does this project tie into our mission & vision? Why have we selected ______ solution instead of _______ solution? How will the changes be monitored? How much will it cost to implement the changes? Process Who will be involved in implementing the changes? What is the process and timelines for implementing this change? When do we need to set our milestones to ensure success? Where does the majority of our focus need to be to successfully implement the changes? How will we communicate the change(s) to the staff / department / organization? How much effort is required from the team to implement this change(s)? Action Who is doing _______ [list specific role]? What do we need to accomplish this week / month / quarter to hit our next milestone? When do we need to test the process to verify our changes have been fully adopted? Where will we keep the documentation for implementing the change(s)? How will daily activities for ____ need to be adjusted due to these change(s)? How much time will __________ require to work on implementing the change(s)? By answering these questions, you and your team will have a clear picture of the time, human resources, financial resources and most importantly, the communication which will be required for a successful implementation of the improvements / solution you have selected for your project. The final element in a Six Sigma DMAIC project is ‘Control’. This is the phase that makes all the others worth the time and energy because in the Control phase we focus on maintaining the change(s) / improvement(s) that have been implemented. Oftentimes, the greatest challenge at this point is maintaining the cultural / psychological change that occurred therefore it is important to review your organizations infrastructure (is it technically possible to maintain the change?), the policies and procedures (do these support the change(s)?) and the culture of your organization (is everyone on board with the change(s) / improvement(s) and intentionally incorporating the change(s) / improvement(s) into their daily activities and conversations?) Some tools and activities which typically occur within the Control Phase include… Control Plan Statistical Process Control Control Charts (ex. Xbar, run chart, X-MR chart, p chart, np chart, c chart, u chart) Cost Benefit Analysis Formal Project Closure Celebration of success and team recognition As Six Sigma practitioners it is easy to remain focused on the technical aspects of a project such as collecting and analyzing the data. Therefore, in this series we wanted to highlight some key activities and soft skills which can have a dramatic impact on the success of your project. We trust you will continue to thrive and learn from each experience and that you will allocate additional time and energy to developing your plans at each stage of the DMAIC process and that you will focus on how your project will and is, impacting the culture of your organization. Thank you for joining us on this journey and we look forward to connecting in 2023!