Six Sigma is a data-driven methodology for process improvement. Project management is a process, meaning that the methodology can be used to make it better. Here’s how Six Sigma can be used for successful project management.
Helps in Organizing the Right Team
From the moment the project begins, Six Sigma stresses the importance of a highly organized team to run it. Lack of organization might not seem critical to success, but it is often the reason many projects fail. Any project manager can adapt Six Sigma’s approach for the effective organization of the right personnel.
In a Six Sigma project, all roles are clearly defined and the leader is picked to avoid confusion and conflicts. Furthermore, every team member is an experienced professional, which minimizes the chance that a skill gap will derail or delay the project.
Brings DMAIC into Project Management
Since project management is a process, project managers can use the DMAIC approach. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. Each letter is a clearly defined step that allows the project management team to identify areas of improvement and implement sustainable changes.
After the team follows the steps, they are left with an efficient project management process. And through continuous improvement, positive gains stick and the process gets better and better over time.
Helps Reduce Mistakes
In the manufacturing industry, Six Sigma is heavily relied upon to reduce the occurrence of defects in products. Defects happen due to mistakes. And Six Sigma teams use various tools to help them identify the root causes of the observed errors and eliminate them.
This can also be the case with the project management process. Six Sigma removes so much of the guesswork when identifying and eliminating mistakes. This means that the project management team won’t waste valuable time, effort, and resources fixing the wrong thing.
