In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) changed the way we understand our solar system by declaring that Pluto was no longer a planet. A single decision nullified the one scientific fact that most people knew: the solar system has nine planets.
While this decision caused a great deal of upheaval and controversy, on earth nothing about the nature of Pluto itself changed. The IAU merely decided that classification as a planet required a clear orbit, something that Pluto lacked. Pluto’s mass was not large enough to clear the area of its orbit from neighboring celestial bodies.
A simple definition change caused a planet to disappear, textbooks to be rewritten, and the elementary school mnemonic device for remembering the old planetary order – My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles – to go the way of the eight-track tape.
How the Define Phase Drives Six Sigma
The Six Sigma methodology favors action. Project teams constantly gather, evaluate, rank, compile, analyze, and improve. However, the first step in the DMAIC process requires that teams clearly define the important elements of a project before they spring into motion. Project teams that apply Six Sigma principles well produce a clear written definition of the project’s scope, goals, team members, sponsors, its schedule and deliverables.
Anyone who views the define phase of DMAIC as perfunctory red tape that interferes with the “real” work of eliminating errors and improving process, puts the project in danger. A clearly written project charter helps project teams avoid costly mistakes, like:
- Focusing on unimportant issues
- Conflicting with other project teams
- Targeting an obsolete process
- Using a project scope that is poorly defined or too large
- Studying symptoms instead of the root cause
- Pursuing poorly defined deliverables
- Neglecting to obtain management authority
A Six Sigma project charter contains several sections that require project teams to clearly map out the project before they dive into the work of fixing it.
Project Purpose – This is a simple statement that describes the project’s intent. It is usually expressed in terms of key metrics such as financial benefit, cycle time and defects per million.
Business Need – This should state the business case for funding the project. Ideally the project objective will be connected with the strategic goals of the organization.
Problem Statement – The team summarizes the problem that it’s attempting to solve. It should state the current or historical condition of the problem in clear quantifiable terms. For example, product cycle time is over 30 days.
Objective – Once the problem has been identified in quantifiable terms, state the desired outcome the same way. For example, decrease product cycle time to 15 days.
Scope – Decide what the project team will and will not focus on before the project begins. Working to establish the project scope helps the team to avoid unattainable goals and helps to ensure that company resources are used wisely.
Roles – This segment identifies the departments and customers most impacted by the project, the stakeholders. It also identifies the individual members of the team and the team’s sponsor.
Deliverables – Selecting the measurable benefits that the project must produce helps the team know when the project has been successfully completed.
So much of what a project team accomplishes is determined by the focus that it creates during the define phase. Anyone who doubts the power of this phase needs only to remember how a definition caused an entire planet to vanish in the blink of an eye.
