Where can Six Sigma in an organization be used?

Where can Six Sigma in an organization be used?

Across industry there prevails a misconception that six sigma certified practitioners are meant to tackle specific improvement initiatives related to quality. But the reality is completely different. Six sigma can and must be used across different domains of an organization to achieve velocity in the business process.

Six sigma black belt application is not only limited to capturing VOC (voice of customer), converting it to CTQ (Critical to Quality) and initiating a project for the business operational process but also for support functions such as HR, sales and post sales services, customer service, business development, new product development, marketing etc.

To be a fruitful six sigma black belt practitioner, one must be capable of not only solving problems in an efficient manner but also in many other domains such as –

Managing Change – Six sigma black belt practitioners must equip themselves for the battle against change they are about to bring in a business process. These changes can be strategic, technological or functional. Unless these changes are managed efficiently, it is very unlikely that the project will succeed as was expected.

Managing People – People management is the most vital section of improvement. It is human tendency to resist the change offered. If this is not addressed, project might lose its way before it starts giving results.

Acting as a Knowledge Database and Innovators – There will come a time when six sigma black belt practitioners will have to collaborate between teams to share subject knowledge, ideas and then channel them to something innovatively new. This is where six sigma black belt practitioners will have to use their existing knowledge and come up with ideas which might play a major role in improving a problem.

Six Sigma Black Belts` role is certainly not confined to only operational business excellence but they also play a very vital role from idea formation, to analysis, to implementation and even in monitoring the improvement projects of non-business process