Lean Six Sigma PM Tools and Resources
You’re an Executive responsible for PMs running programs and projects, driving change through the organization.
The PMs may or may not report to you, but your business results depend on their success.
You have PMs ranging from novice to seasoned veteran, and everything between.
You have projects and programs with low, medium, and high Degree of Difficulty.
Each program’s complexity may not be well-matched to the PM’s abilities.
As if that’s not enough, the teams are composed of a broad mix of functional members, some of whom seem unable to “gel” as a Capital-T Team.
Your challenge is simple, but not easy.
Simply raise the capabilities of your PMs and teams >>>
while they rapidly move their projects to completion!
Hmmm… Sounds sort of like:
Simply change the tires on your team’s NASCAR racer >>>
while the driver circles the track at 200MPH!
Where to begin?
Integrating Essential Lean Six Sigma with professional Project Management would be a great start to elevating your Teams toward their full potential.
Lean Six Sigma PM Tools and Resources
You’re an Executive responsible for PMs running programs and projects, driving change through the organization.
The PMs may or may not report to you, but your business results depend on their success.
You have PMs ranging from novice to seasoned veteran, and everything between.
You have projects and programs with low, medium, and high Degree of Difficulty.
Each program’s complexity may not be well-matched to the PM’s abilities.
As if that’s not enough, the teams are composed of a broad mix of functional members, some of whom seem unable to “gel” as a Capital-T Team.
Your challenge is simple, but not easy.
Simply raise the capabilities of your PMs and teams >>
while they rapidly move their projects to completion!
Hmmm… Sounds sort of like:
Simply change the tires on your team’s NASCAR racer >>>
while the driver circles the track at 200MPH!
Where to begin?
Integrating Essential Lean Six Sigma with professional Project Management would be a great start to elevating your Teams toward their full potential.
How can Lean Six Sigma PM help my project teams?
Lean Six Sigma is NOT an activity you do, NOT just a set of tools you implement.
Rather, it is a core element of business philosophy, a greater purpose that drives the firm.
When you decide that serving your customers with excellent products and service will guide your operational decisions all the time, then improvements in Project Management and other business processes will follow. If that leadership attitude is observable and unwavering, the transformation to a learning organization and culture gains momentum.
Lean Six Sigma, or LSS, is a strategic approach to change for the better – an ongoing process, not an event.
The most successful PMs and teams I’ve worked with were adept at integrating the Essential LSS Tools to ensure their projects stayed ahead of the curve.
That doesn’t mean learn all 120+ tools in the LSS framework, just in case. Not every single category of hypothesis test. Probably not how to set up and run a Full-Factorial Design of Experiments (DOE).
But ‘Yes’ to the essential problem-solving, decision-making, and agile-kaizen techniques – a dozen or so – that are most useful in major change programs.
And those successful PMs knew when to call in the Black Belt to run the DOE if needed.
So why not start today? Do the work to integrate Lean Six Sigma into your Project and Program Management processes, starting with production, engineering, and quality, then expand outward organically from there.
Follow the links below to learn how LSS can help your projects at whatever stage they are currently running.
How can Lean Six Sigma PM help my project teams?
Lean Six Sigma is NOT an activity you do, NOT just a set of tools you implement. Rather, it is a core element of business philosophy, a greater purpose that drives the firm.
When you decide that serving your customers with excellent products and service will guide your operational decisions all the time, then improvements in Project Management and other business processes will follow. If that leadership attitude is observable and unwavering, the transformation to a learning organization and culture gains momentum.
Lean Six Sigma, or LSS, is a strategic approach to change for the better – an ongoing process, not an event.
The most successful PMs and teams I’ve worked with were adept at integrating the Essential LSS Tools to ensure their projects stayed ahead of the curve.
That doesn’t mean learning all 120+ tools in the LSS framework, just in case. Not every single category of hypothesis test. Probably not how to set up and run a Full-Factorial Design of Experiments (DOE).
But ‘Yes’ to the essential problem-solving, decision-making, and agile-kaizen techniques – a dozen or so – that are most useful in major change programs.
And those successful PMs knew when to call in the Black Belt to run the DOE if needed.
So why not start today? Do the work to integrate Lean Six Sigma into your Project and Program Management processes, starting with production, engineering, and quality, then expand outward organically from there.
Follow the links below to learn how LSS can help your projects at whatever stage they are currently running.
Lean Six Sigma Tools & Resources: From start to finish
PREPARE, PLAN, & KICKOFF
- Fit to Business Strategy & Program Portfolio
- Divergent Thinking → Convergent Thinking
- Boundaries & Assumptions
- Constraints & Risks
- Budgetary Cost → Desired ROI
Preparation and planning are as much characteristic of the business environment as they are actual phases of a given program or project. Manufacturing operations and product engineering often involve multi-year programs with many overlapping and sequential projects to achieve the business’s long-term objectives –profitability, technology leadership, field performance, warranty costs, customer base, market share, and others. {Continue reading}
EXECUTE, ADAPT, & CONTROL
- Detail phased project plan (Gantt or kanban)
- Pull through project stages – establish cadence
- Fact-based data-driven decisions
- Think 2 to 5 moves ahead
Your project is underway! As the project manager, you were probably heavily involved in developing the tactical project plan; even if you were not, you are now accountable for delivering the expected results. How can you maximize your chance for success in accomplishing the ‘change for the better’ promised by your project?
{Continue reading}
EXECUTE, ADAPT, & CONTROL
- Detail phased project plan (Gantt or kanban)
- Pull through project stages – establish cadence
- Fact-based data-driven decisions
- Think 2 to 5 moves ahead
Your project is underway! As the project manager, you were probably heavily involved in developing the tactical project plan; even if you were not, you are now accountable for delivering the expected results. How can you maximize your chance for success in accomplishing the ‘change for the better’ promised by your project?
{Continue reading}
CLOSEOUT & TRANSITION
- Conduct After Action Review
- Project files to Business Program Library
- Formalized handoff to Operations or Customer
As your project is nearing the final milestones before completion, begin taking the steps necessary for an orderly transition to its ultimate operational environment. Your effectiveness in project closure conveys your level of professionalism as a PM to your entire business organization. {Continue reading}
PROBLEM SOLVING & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
- Disciplined – no shotgunning allowed
- Concise problem statement or Kaizen objective
- Involve multiple skills and perspectives
- LSS tools & techniques using PDSA approach
Complex technical change projects are inherently risky; problems will arise that may not have been considered during risk planning. A design verification test may fail; a supplier may be late delivering a critical piece of process or test equipment; a competitor may announce a new product feature that will adversely affect your new product’s market acceptance.
{Continue reading}
PROBLEM SOLVING & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
- Disciplined – no shotgunning allowed
- Concise problem statement or Kaizen objective
- Involve multiple skills and perspectives
- LSS tools & techniques using PDSA approach
Complex technical change projects are inherently risky; problems will arise that may not have been considered during risk planning. A design verification test may fail; a supplier may be late delivering a critical piece of process or test equipment; a competitor may announce a new product feature that will negatively affect your new product’s market acceptance. {Continue reading}