Six Sigma improvement projects can succeed only when organizational roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and aligned. The trained Black Belts and Green Belts can work well, but if the Champions and Master Black Belts lack training, they will not contribute to the project. The Champion has to play an active role in the Six Sigma project right from project selection to implementation. They are the key members for successful Six Sigma deployments. Champions have to undertake various responsibilities, from providing guidance to the Master Black Belts and other members to eliminating roadblocks that may arise at different stages of the project. The Champions play an important role of defusing any issues that arise between Black Belts and other members of the organization. Overall, they have to be the buffer that keeps the Black Belts from confrontation with top management. Black Belts can thus focus on their activities, and the Champion can tackle the issues that are roadblocks to project success.
The project selection process includes the aligning of the Six Sigma projects with the organization’s goals and objectives. This is a task handled by the Champion. It is important to ensure the projects and goals are in sync with one another and prioritized. The Champion will then allocate tasks and assist Black Belts with the projects. Often, the project selection activity is perceived as a career limiting step by the Champion, when in reality it is a simple but important part of the Six Sigma initiative.
The Champion should be able to guide other members of the team in the usage of Six Sigma tools and techniques. They should be familiar with the technology used in processes. This helps them ensure that the operational level projects are aligned with strategic level business objectives. However, they should not intrude into the process undertaken by the Black Belts. They should conduct project reviews to ensure that the project is progressing as planned and that the results are aligned to the needs of the organization.
Pace mediation is handled by the Six Sigma Champions. Timetables are set at the beginning of the process and they are tied to the achievement of the customer’s goals. A common mistake occurs when the team members concentrate on adhering to the timetable without proper attention paid to achieving customer satisfaction goals. The Champion will assess the situation and realign the team, getting the process back on track.
Six Sigma is a results oriented discipline and if proper results aren’t achieved, then Six Sigma may not be considered a success. The Black Belts are the team members who act as the change agents by managing the various projects. But it is the job of the Champions who must make sure the projects are implemented successfully with no negative effect to the business. The Champion also must monitor savings at every step, as well as being responsible for keeping things running smoothly in the process. If the Six Sigma deployment does not have a highly trained Champion, the project may not be as successful as it otherwise could be.
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