Consider using a pmp simulation program to pass the project management professional exam with minimal study time and effort. There are many ways a candidate preparing to sit for the pmp exam can prepare to pass, but a pmp software program is probably one of the best methods to use. Theres no better way of preparing for the exam then simulating the exact testing environments over and over with questions similar to that which will be given.

As the team completes the project plan, the end result should be in line with customer requirements in the areas of quality, scope and expectations. If a change is required, it can deviate from the scope, budget and risk requirements. A schedule change can make the project run longer or even shorten it. A good example of a schedule change is if the customer needs the project completed before the beginning of the quarter or business cycle.

A change in budget can be both increasing or decreasing money into the project. Scope changes to the project are often requested by the stakeholders and can be addition or decreasing in features. More often than not, the changes to the project include a combination of all 3 parts of the project. The project manager can handle change ways and changes through analyzing change requests and his own personal change control process.

Changes can be discovered by team members which discover new things about the project which can be enhanced or improved, but may increase costs and project length. The type of change requests that a project manager receives daily include customer and project members scope improvements and modifications. The change control system is a process to review all changes through a system that takes into account and review the proposed changes and how the changes will effect the project. The manager should constantly update the baselines of the project to keep them up to date with what is going on currently. The project management information system can automatically keep track of this or the project manger can do this by hand.

Look at all the inputs into the change control plan. The project plan will usually change at some point in the execution plan and the anticipated changes should be prepared and accounted for. Analyze performance reports to measure changes in the baseline and how they may effect the critical issues of the project. The reaction to obvious effects to the plan must be promptly recognized and covered.

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Jacquelyn Donner, PMP

Special
pmp exam simulation offer to help you pass the PMP exam on your first try. http://www.pmsimulation.com

Jacquelyn Donner, PMP

Special
pmp exam simulation offer to help you pass the PMP exam on your first try. http://www.pmsimulation.com

Jacquelyn Donner, PMP

Special
pmp exam simulation offer to help you pass the PMP exam on your first try. http://www.pmsimulation.com

Special
pmp certification offer to help you pass the PMP exam on your first try. http://www.pmsimulation.com

Jacquelyn Donner, PMP

A business tale of what it takes to turn around troubled projects.

The year is 2005 and times are good. The business environment is vibrant and the economy is strong. Large businesses are committing large amounts of capital and resources to implement new strategies, establish new capabilities, and open new markets. It was no different at PintCo, where Jack works as a Director of Customer Relationship Management.

Jack walked into work on Monday morning like any other. He dropped his briefcase in his office, grabbed a cup of coffee and headed down the hall to meet with his boss, Brandon, about one of the company’s troubled projects. Although Jack had substantial experience, he had only recently joined PintCo after being hired away from a chief competitor. He was still learning about some of the nuances of his current employer.

After the typical morning banter, Brandon and Jack got to the topic at hand. “Jack, I’ll get straight to the point. I need to you to take over the Customer Master File project from Paul.” Brandon said. He continued, “We hired you because of your significant project management expertise. I know that you’ve turned around a lot more difficult situations than this.” Over an hour later, Jack emerged from Brandon’s office and set out to learn more about the challenge that Brandon had posed to him.

Jack was an experienced business leader and project manager. He had seen more than his fair share of ugly projects; some he turned around while others had spun hopelessly out of control. He would be able to tell very quickly how this one would go based on the makeup and culture of the project team.

TROUBLED WATERS

Over the course of the next few weeks, Jack took over the Customer Master File project, met with key project team members, and conducted dozens of interviews with key stakeholders. It was only a few weeks since Brandon had handed the keys to him for this troubled project, and now Jack was back in Brandon’s office to give a rather stark update on the situation.

“Brandon, I’ve talked to the project team and to key stakeholders, and I now why this project is in trouble,” Jack started. “If you truly want me to turn this project around, I’ll need your support to make some critical changes.”

Brandon, a 20-year veteran at PintCo, knew what was coming. He had seen too many projects start, flounder, and then fail at the company. He didn’t want to hear that another project was on the brink of failure, but he asked anyway, “What did you find out, Jack, and what can I do to help?”

Jack drew a deep breath and began to explain his findings. “Brandon, as you know this project has been in flight for nearly 6 months now and it is already behind schedule and over budget.” Jack went on, “In talking to the project team and other stakeholders, I don’t see the situation getting better without making some pretty significant changes.”

Jack’s experience helped him to quickly identify a number of critical issues with the project, which he carefully outlined for Brandon:

* “The scope of the project is not well defined,”

* “The IT architects are sitting in their ivory towers and disagree with the project’s direction,”

* “The project team is not functioning as a team,”

* “There is a lack of clear executive sponsorship, and”

* “Steve from Marketing is trying to manipulate this project for his own political gain.”

“I’m not going to sugar coat this for you Brandon,” Jack explained. “I’ve seen this situation far too often in my career, and if we don’t change the situation this project will fail in glorious fashion.”

FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS

Brandon knew that what Jack said was true, and he also knew that changing the situation would be difficult, painful, and potentially costly. He reluctantly agreed with Jack, and together they laid out several key changes.

“Thanks for working with me on this Brandon,” Jack said. “Just to confirm, let me summarize the changes that we agreed to implement:

“First, we’re going to stop the current project and recreate a clear and well-defined scope and get consensus buy-in on the new scope.”

“Second, we’re going end the architectural holy wars by assigning key IT architects to the project on a full time basis.”

“Third, we’re going to co-locate the team and assign members to a full-time basis on the project. No more part-time participation.”

“Fourth, Brandon, you agree to be much more visible and an active participant to drive key decisions for the project, and”

“Finally, Brandon – you are going to have a heart-to-heart with Steve and if necessary his boss – to eliminate any political agendas that could derail the project.”

Brandon and Jack both agreed with the plan. Jack knew that some of these changes would be unpopular, but without them the project would be doomed. He left Brandon’s office with a sense of relief and apprehension. There was still a lot of hard work and heavy lifting yet to be done…

CELEBRATIONS

Six months later, Jack ran into Brandon in the break room as they both were angling for their morning coffee refill. “Jack!”, Brandon shouted while patting Jack on the back. “Congratulations on getting the Customer Master File project into pilot. By all accounts, it has been a resounding success!” Brandon crowed.

“Thank you,” Jack smiled and answered, “but you know it was pretty touch and go after we met in your office to plan the project turnaround. There were a lot of unhappy campers and several of them didn’t like the idea of being assigned 100% to the project if you recall.”

“But we quickly converted them – and now I see a project team that is hitting on all cylinders,” Jack added. “In fact, Sharon told me she was ready to quit six months ago – and now she’s happier than ever and up for promotion.” Jack explained.

“I love it when a plan comes together,” Jack said proudly as he turned to walk away and take on his next big project.

Robert Howard is the Founder and Chief Executive of ClearBrick LLC, a leading provider of customer experience business solutions, research, and online customer experience advice.

Candidates preparing for the PMP exam should consider using a pmp simulation program to prepare. There are many options project managers can consider to use in studying to pass the pmp exam on their first try. Study options include books, cds, seminars, software or just using the plain old PMBOK. You can use just one tool to study or you can combine several to maximize your chances to pass. Each person has their own unique learning style and process information in different ways. The main issue about the pmp exam is that the exam is administered on the computer, so its probably best to study in that same environment. Plan on answering a lot of questions about the project plan when you take the pmp exam because it is an often tested subject. Think about how the project manager must work with the project stakeholders for successful completion of the objectives.

PMI exam questions often involve focus on several knowledge areas that overlap and involve combining strategies of several areas. The project plan is the playbook for your project and will guide your efforts and resources. The project team, stakeholders and management all work together on the plan until successful completion. As changes occur, the project manager will update, add and modify information on the project plan. The plan could begin as a broad overview and as time goes by and things change, the plan could become more detailed. The plan of the project will guide the manager through the project execution and project control groups, for the plan to provide helpful references, there must be an agreement between both the project manager and stakeholders. The project plan maintains control over the entire project and ensures the project stays in line with requirements. The plan provides a documented start to finish reference of everything needed for the project, all involved and the responsibilities of all involved. Everyone involved can easily follow the plan and see where they need to be and follow in a logical order what needs to be started, what is in progress and what has been completed.

What are the quality requirements of the project. These requirements should be clearly laid out in the project plan and in line with the stakeholders expectations, no more, no less. The targets given by the stakeholders should be obtainable, documented and ethical. The organization that the project manager is attached to will have their own set of standards and these also must be taken into account. Standards can involve team members, use of materials and documentation.

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Jacquelyn Donner, PMP

If you are the owner of a hotel, motel or some other type of large commercial building then when it comes time to paint there are some special considerations when you are going to hire a professional commercial painting contractor to complete your painting project. In this article we will look at some of the most important areas.

The first thing that you as the owner should consider is the experience level of the painting contractor that you are considering hiring. Painting a large commercial building is much different than painting smaller structures. This not only includes the various application techniques that painting a commercial building has, but also includes the different safety issues, materials, paints, licensing and proper insurance that the painting contractor will need for a large commercial building. We will look at some of these a little closer.

There are several application techniques for painting a large commercial building. The most basic are of course brushing, rolling and spraying. But there are other techniques used for painting commercial buildings. On many newer buildings today more and more people are opting for using knock-down on interior walls. Basically, knock-down is just joint compound which has been diluted and sprayed directly on walls to give it a stipple effect. Knock-down also has a very nice look and is becoming more and more popular. On the exteriors of commercial buildings the most popular coating is a elastromeric coating. It is a very durable coating which expands and shrinks with the various tempatures and last longer than ordinary paint. It is also very good to use on split faced block because it helps to seal the block from water. Using knock-down on interiors and elastomeric coatings on exteriors are both best done by hiring a painting contractor who has experience in commercial settings using both of these techniques.

Insurance should also be a concern when you are going to hire a commercial painting contractor. The contractor should carry a minimum of two million dollar liability insurance as well as workers compensation insurance on all of their employees. This is the absolute minimum and may require more according to the size of the job. Also, you should be certain to obtain a certificate of insurance from the painting contractors insurance agent. This is the most common way to verify insurance and the agent can fax you a copy with all of the insurance information that you will need.

Always take at least three bids from commercial painting contractors so that you can see the difference in pricing between the different companies. Make certain that you make the specifications of your job very clear to each contractor and always keep the communication line open in case any of the contractors have questions. You do not want to have someone complain that the bid process was unfair because they never got their question answered.

Always ask for references from every contractor you accept bids from and always check those references. You do not need to check references on every contractor that supplies you with a bid, but you will always need to check the references on the painting contractor that you are planning on awarding the job to.

These are just a few of the most important considerations when hiring a professional commercial painting contractor.

The author is the owner of Pigeon Forge Painting in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and has over twenty five years experience as a professional painting contractor. For more information visit
Pigeon Forge Painting

No two projects are the same but acknowledging these truths of project management might help you deal with the uncontrollable.

1. Your project plan will change

The sooner as a project manager you learn to except that your project plan is not the declaration of independence but rather a living, breathing document open to misinterpretation and change the sooner you can get on with the important business of dealing with those miscommunications and changes.

2. If its not written down, it didn’t happen

This works both ways. Things go wrong and when they do blame has to be dealt. Paper trails can be a useful way of passing the buck but they can also come back and bite you. You wrote the project plan- publish and be damned.

3. Over- runs happen

Over-runs happen. This is exponential. If your project is scheduled at a day, it will take 2. If its scheduled for 6 months it’ll take a year. Ok this may be an exaggeration but the important thing is to make it clear from the outset that a timeline is a plan and when you do overrun remember, you’re not the first, you won’t be the last.

4. What a client doesn’t know can’t hurt them (but what a project manager doesn’t know can only hurt them)

There will be times in your project where the whole picture may not be suitable for the client to see. Problems happen but a panicking client can compound them ten fold. Ask yourself, as a client what would you rather hear:

‘The prototypes a mess, the lead engineer’s eloped with the placement student and I’ve started drinking on my lunch hour’

Or

‘We’re ironing out some kinks in the prototype and are on schedule for next week when Dave’s back from annual leave. I’ve got a lunch meeting and will be back in the office in 3 hours’

5. Your project management software tells you lies

Whether your project management software is a full bells and whistles package with voice activated Gantt Chart generation widgets or a beer mat and biro your project management software will lie to you because even NASA scientists can’t quantify an equation which accounts accurately for incompetence, illness and IT.

6. You are essentially a human dartboard

You may be a skilled project management professional with years of multi-disciplinary experience but the sooner you realise that as project manager your role at least some of the time is to stand in the firing line and take the darts (and worse) that the client or project team fire at one another the sooner you’re skin will become thick enough that you don’t notice.

7. 60% of the time it works every time

If your project relies on technology in any shape or form, which it variably will whether you’re building microchips or sending an email, at some point that technology is going to break or misfire and throw you off track. Because you’re not going to get your project plan signed off with a 2 week buffer because ‘the server melted’ or ‘the email got lost in the post’ you’re better off adding an extra week for ‘testing’.

8. Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition

Fear and surprise are the two weapons which your stakeholders will use against you at some point in the life of the project. Whether it’s a deadline which absolutely needs to be brought forward 2 weeks or a change request which there’s categorically no budget for, the important thing is to realise that such requests will come when you least expect them and when they will cause maximum disruption.

9. There are not 8 hours in the day

OK so your average working week might not reflect this fact but the truth is the modern office environment is not conducive to maximum productivity levels from your project team.

10. Worrying won’t get it done any faster

This might sound like a cliche from the pages of a self help book but its fair to say that time spent worrying is time which could be spent coming up with a solution or at least containing the flames.

Project Management Professional run Prince2, PMI, APM and MSP accredited project management training courses.

Six Sigma’s Contribution to Cutting Costs

Six Sigma has never been a cost cutting tool; however, a proper implementation of the various tools and techniques of Six Sigma can help businesses reduce the costs of operations.

Reduction of Defects and Rejections

A major factor in cutting costs is the reduction of defects. By listening to the appropriate voice of the customer (VOC), the customer requirements can be well understood.

The quality of a product is not perceived from the point of view of the person designing, manufacturing or selling it. Rather, it is determined according by the customer. By making product and process improvements from this point of view, it will lead to reductions in cost incurred due to customer rejection.

This in turn will help cut costs on certain processes that may add a feature to the product that is actually not necessary, or on the absence of a process that is leading to rejection of the product.

Process Stabilization

Six Sigma brings about stability in processes (i.e., it aims at reducing variations). In a manufacturing unit, reduction in variations saves a lot of costs incurred on the incorrect conversion of raw material. Variations lead to rejection. Rejection leads to rework on the material or scrapping of the same.

These costs would be saved when there is a standard process and controls in place to ensure that the variations are minimal. In spite of personnel changes in manufacturing the product, the standard process will ensure continuity in production.

This is true for the service industry as well. Additionally, moving on to achieve a sigma level of 3 to 4 or higher means even more savings by achieving almost zero rejections.

Risk Management

Six Sigma teams can devise better risk management plans through early identification of risk factors. Using FMEA and other tools, the risk of failures can be identified on time and plans can be prepared to mitigate such risk before they become causes for higher cost levels.

This helps prioritize processes that need action to improve a given situation. The teams work towards achievement of the intended quality in processes and product designs.
For example, in a healthcare scenario, by combining FMEA and Six Sigma, safer environments are ensured for patients. Improvement in efficiency is also achieved, and this leads to reduction in costs.

Cost cutting is not achieved immediately after implementing a Six Sigma initiative. It takes some time to bring about a change in organizational culture. The efficient utilization of the tools and techniques of Six Sigma means the businesses can realize a good return on investment.

Investments will be costs incurred on the entire change process, teams and so on. However, over a period of time and with the utilization of appropriate controls, significant cost savings can be achieved.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Now, arguing against the role played by Six Sigma professionals would certainly tantamount to undermining the importance of their skills sets and knowledge, but you should never forget that there are other factors as well that play an equally important role in determining the success of Six Sigma implementations.

One such crucial role is played by advanced software systems, which have now become an inseparable part of each and every Six Sigma deployment. However, they fail to share the limelight – obviously because they are not human enough to do so.

So, How Exactly Do Software Systems Help?

Well, it may all seem too good to be true, but the reality is that software systems are utilized at every stage of Six Sigma implementations.

From the initial stages wherein data is collected, summarized, classified and analyzed to advanced stages wherein crucial decisions such as those related to process improvement changes are taken, software systems work tirelessly to ensure that everything gets done most accurately and most efficiently.

All this helps because when critical quality improvement decisions are backed by accurate and reliable data, it significantly reduces the probability of errors and inaccuracies. In effect, it basically paves the way for the perfect amalgamation of professional skills with critical data and information such as those related to business processes and customer needs, requirements and expectations.

Growing Importance of Software Systems

As compared to earlier times, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that as far as Six Sigma implementations are concerned, software systems have managed to increase their clout quite significantly in recent years. However, this hardly comes as a surprise because it was inevitable.

As processes became more and more complex, it was only natural for them to generate even greater amounts of data. And since Six Sigma is largely a statistical approach to quality improvement, it automatically necessitated the use of advanced software systems having virtually unlimited data crunching capabilities.

Advanced software systems made it easier for Six Sigma professionals to carry out even the most complex of calculations in just a few seconds, thereby enabling them to take the most critical of quality improvement decisions in the shortest timeframe.

Anticipated Future Trends

As with all quality improvement tools and techniques, Six Sigma implementations are also most likely to witness increasing reliance on advanced software systems. They may or may not share the limelight, but one thing is for certain; as long as business processes continue to become more and more complex in nature, the use of software systems will become even more integrated with Six Sigma implementations.

That’s the most likely scenario to emerge in the near future.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Well, if not then read on.

To start with, you need to know that Six Sigma basically signifies near-perfect business processes that do not generate more than 3.4 defects per million defect-free units of a manufactured product or delivered service.

When such near-perfect business processes are achieved, it automatically results in substantial cost savings and improved efficiencies. This is the reason why Six Sigma has now become the preferred choice of businesses worldwide.

The Tools and Techniques Used

Six Sigma relies heavily on factual data and information for taking critical process improvement decisions. This automatically eliminates the probability of errors and inaccuracies, thereby paving the way for successful process improvements.

For collecting, categorizing, processing and analyzing data and information in the most accurate and efficient manner, Six Sigma makes use of a wide range of statistical tools and techniques that include everything from Fishbone Diagrams to Ishikawa Diagrams, Design of experiments (DOE), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Process Flow Diagrams and Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (R&R) studies.

Other tools and techniques that are commonly utilized include Control Charts, Defect Measurement Matrices, Pareto Diagram, Process Mapping, Root-Cause Analysis, and Statistical Process Control.

Concepts and Methodologies

The above tools and techniques just aid the Six Sigma implementations – and as such, they cannot be classified as complete business solutions. What they do stand for are the nuts and bolts of commonly used Six Sigma concepts and methodologies such as DMAIC and DMADV.

The first thing you need to know about two of these most commonly used Six Sigma methodologies is that DMAIC is short for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control whereas DMAIC is short for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design and Verify. They may appear to be the same, but you will be surprised to know that they are, in fact, a world apart.

The most basic difference is that whereas DMAIC is used exclusively for making improvements in existing business processes, DMADV is used exclusively for designing and developing completely new products or services from scratch.

The other prominent difference is that whereas DMAIC does not have variations, DMADV has quite a lot of them, such as DMADOV (define, measure, analyze, design, optimize, verify), DCCDI (Define, Customer Concept, Design and Implement), IDOV (Identify, Design, Optimize and Validate), and DMEDI (design, measure, explore, develop, and implement).

All these tools, techniques, concepts and methodologies have their own specific use and importance – but when it comes to ensuring the success of Six Sigma implementation projects, it becomes necessary for businesses to make the right choice from all available options.

Businesses that fail to do so will not be able to conclude their Six Sigma implementations; and as such, they may be deprived of the wide ranging benefits associated with successful Six Sigma implementations.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Using Six Sigma quality management systems, Motorola became the first company to achieve near-perfect business processes that did not have more than 3.4 defects per million events that potentially existed for such defects to occur.

What is worth mentioning is that Motorola developed such systems for use in the manufacturing sector; and at that time, nobody in the company ever thought that these systems will one day play an equally important role in the services sector as well.

With the development of new concepts and techniques, Six Sigma quality management systems are now being used widely in the services sector that includes everything from healthcare to Information Technology, Telecommunications and many others.

All this is enough to prove the versatility and compatibility of the Six Sigma quality methodology.

The Changing Face Of Six Sigma Quality Management Systems

As far as the basic concepts are concerned, not much has actually changed over the years. Significant changes have however happened in the way these systems are utilized. From being used as a standalone quality improvement technique in their early years, these systems are now being increasingly integrated with the overall management framework that might exist in an organization.

What this basically means is that these systems can now easily be deployed across all the functional departments of an organization, which may include everything from sales to purchase, production, inventory, accounts, and others.

Quite a lot of businesses have already achieved this feat, and the wide ranging benefits that they have derived and are deriving are enough to prove the reliability of such systems.

The Deployment Process

The deployment process starts with an assessment of the existing quality levels in an organization. Existing quality levels are described in terms of Six Sigma quality levels that can be anywhere between sigma 1 and sigma 6 depending on the organization.

Whatever the existing level, the main objective is to move on from there and gradually achieve the highest quality level, i.e. Six Sigma. It may seem as if the deployment process ends at Six Sigma quality levels, but it is not so because Six Sigma quality levels just signify the near-perfect defect rate of 3.4.

Other important objectives such as cost reductions and operational efficiency improvements have no such limitations – and this is why the deployment process never actually ends, even though it may seem so.

Apart from cost and defect rate reductions, the Six Sigma methodology also aims at reducing the work load of employees and improving their immediate work environment. It does so by stressing the use of advanced IT tools and techniques and by standardizing work processes.

All this helps in creating a motivated and dedicated workforce, which is essential for ensuring the long-term success of any organization.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

In effect, it means that Six Sigma also has its risks, even though it has successfully delivered on many loftier goals and objectives, such as bringing down the defect rate to not more than 3.4 per million opportunities that might exist for such defects to occur.

So, what exactly can businesses do for reducing the quantum of risks associated with Six Sigma implementations? Well, for the right answer, you simply have to look at the existing trends in the business world, which is increasingly making its preferences felt in Pilot Six Sigma projects.

Defining Pilot Six Sigma Projects

To start with, you need to know that Pilot Six Sigma projects are nothing but toned- down versions of full-scale Six Sigma implementation projects. You can compare them with the clinical trials of an experimental vaccine, medicine or diagnostic tool that has not yet been cleared for commercial production.

In effect, Six Sigma Pilot projects are basically experimentations that a business conducts in order to check for compatibility and to get a hang of the real thing. The best thing about Six Sigma Pilot projects is that the business benefits, irrespective of the success or failure of the Pilot project.

If the project succeeds, the business gains because it then becomes eligible for full scale Six Sigma implementations. And it gains even in the event of a failure, because a failed Pilot project provides a good opportunity to identify the latent shortcomings of the business that may be difficult to point out in the due course.

Who Are The Most Prominent Beneficiaries?

Over the years, Six Sigma Pilot projects have been carried out by almost all types of businesses, large and small. Benefits, it seems, have also been distributed equally, irrespective of the size or nature of the business.

However, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that it’s the small businesses that have benefited the most, obviously because they are the ones who often do not have the financial muscle to sustain the grave business risks that can easily become a possibility during full-scale Six Sigma implementations.

Six Sigma Pilot projects have helped these businesses in reducing risks associated with full-scale Six Sigma implementations. Large businesses may be doing the same, but since they often have many other options to choose from, they are not completely dependent on Six Sigma Pilot projects.

Small businesses, on the other hand, hardly have any other option – and this is why they are the ones who stand to gain the most from Six Sigma Pilot implementation projects.

For deriving the best possible benefits from Six Sigma Pilot projects, businesses should make an effort to identify processes that have comparatively lesser risks associated with them.

This way, the day to day functioning of the business will not get affected even if the Pilot project fails to take off. This is applicable for all types of businesses, large and small.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

This, however, became a possibility only after the development of advanced quality improvement concepts and methodologies such as Six Sigma. Six Sigma started out as a means to deliver quality improvements in existing business processes, but over the years many new branches were added to it – one of the most noteworthy being DFSS, short for Design For Six Sigma.

Since its inception, DFSS has catered specifically to the design and development of new products and services and still continues to do the same, albeit much more successfully than earlier.

What Exactly Is DFSS?

DFSS is quite similar to other popular Six Sigma methodologies, with the only difference that it is deployed only when there is a need for the design and development of a new product or service.

In effect, we can say that DFSS treats the design and development of a new product or service as a business process and tries to make improvements in that process using Six Sigma concepts and methodologies.

DFSS has been quite successful, probably because it stresses understanding customer needs and expectations prior to the actual development of a product or service. This helps a lot-, obviously because when customer needs, requirements, and expectations are integrated into a new product or service, it significantly reduces the probability that the product or service will fail to generate the requisite interest among the target audience.

This is why many products and services backed by DFSS have turned out to be huge successes.

Explaining the DFSS Process

The DFSS process starts with the collection of critical data and information related to customer needs and expectations as applicable to the basic design or nature of a given product or service.

The data, most of which is usually based on human emotions, is then classified, analyzed, processed and quantified in order to make it usable for the design and development of the targeted product or service. The thing to remember here is that only the most comprehensive of needs and expectations are targeted, obviously because there can never be a product or service that can suit all the varying tastes and preferences of potential customers.

Once comprehensive needs and expectations have been identified, DFSS then tries to integrate those in the targeted product or service design.

Just like other Six Sigma methodologies, DFSS is also a continuous process. It happens to be continuous because customer needs, requirements and expectations are things that keep changing with time.

In effect, we can say that the DFSS process stops only when a new product or service achieves its targeted goals – and when it may not be possible to make any more productive quality improvements.

That’s the stage when the search for a completely new product or service starts all over again, resulting in the need for DFSS.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

You see, Six Sigma implementations are basically the domain of Black Belts and Master Black Belts who certainly have far better skills and talents as compared to Green Belts who mostly play a supportive role during Six Sigma implementations.

This may tilt the balance against the Green Belts, but there is an opposing view which states that given the right training and motivation, Green Belts may manage to acquire the right skills and knowledge that are necessary for ensuring the success of Six Sigma implementations.

Both views are equally potent, and it all depends how well an organization goes about converting these views into reality.

But Why Opt For Green Belts In The First Place?

Well, this one is not all that difficult to answer obviously because everyone in the industry knows that Six Sigma professionals such as Black Belts and Master Black Belts charge top dollar for their services.

Hiring the costly services of Black Belts may not be a problem for large businesses, but as far as small businesses are concerned, it certainly becomes a big issue for them. Small businesses do not have deep pockets like their larger counterparts, and this is the main reason these businesses try to improvise.

The thought of replacing Black Belts with Green Belts is the direct result of such improvisations; and considering the fair amount of success achieved in this direction, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that if used properly, such improvisations can deliver very good results.

Providing the Right Training to Green Belts

Businesses that are planning to go all Green should first ensure that their Green Belts get the right Six Sigma training. Training should include both theoretical and practical training and should cover all the various topics that are generally a part of Black Belt training.

For best results, Green Belts should be allowed to choose their own area of expertise. This will make it easier for them to learn new concepts and techniques that they might be taught during the training period.

It will also keep them motivated and as a result they will not feel burdened by the additional responsibilities that they might have to shoulder in their new role.

Starting Small

To avoid risking it all on untested Green Belts, what businesses can do is start on a small scale initially. The best option would be to start with Pilot projects having limited liabilities. This way, the core business will remain unaffected even if something goes terribly wrong with the all Green Six Sigma implementation.

If however, the Green implementation turns out to be a success, it will prove to be a turning point for the business. The business can then opt for full scale Green Six Sigma implementations.

So, we can conclude that all Green Six Sigma implementations are certainly possible if the prescribed guidelines are followed. Now it’s up to businesses as to how they plan to achieve the same.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Well, although it seems magical, there is certainly no magic involved. It’s just that Six Sigma happens to have some advanced weaponry in its arsenal – technically referred to as Six Sigma methodologies.

Among many, the two methodologies that are most commonly used include the DMAIC and the DMADV methodologies. For better understanding, we’ll compare these two methodologies.

The DMAIC Six Sigma Methodology

Starting with DMAIC Six Sigma methodology, the first thing you need to know is that it stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. These terms are nothing but the different stages of the DMAIC process – in that particular order.

Before you delve deeper into the various stages, you also need to know that the DMAIC process deals exclusively with business processes that are already there. It does not cater to business processes that are in the design and development phase.

Moving along to the various stages of the DMAIC process, you need to know that the first stage (i.e., the Define stage) deals with the identification of problems that might be affecting the efficiency of the targeted business process. In the second phase, the Measure stage, the overall affect of each of the identified problems is measured; based on which they are classified into different categories, ranging from the most severe of problems to the least severe.

After this comes the Analyze stage, where the most severe of identified problems are analyzed in detail so as to devise effective solutions that can take care of those problems. The solutions so devised are implemented in the Improve stage and their effects are studied in the last stage – the Control stage.

If the results are satisfactory, the process ends there; but if not, it is referred back to the start of the DMAIC process (i.e., the Define stage).

The DMADV Six Sigma Methodology

The DMADV Six Sigma methodology stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design and Verify. The first thing you need to know about this methodology is that it deals exclusively with the design and development of completely new products or services.

The first three stages are basically the same as DMAIC, with the only difference that here process related problems get replaced by customer needs, requirements and expectations. So, after customer needs and requirements have been properly ascertained during the first three stages, the same are integrated into the basic design of the targeted product or service in the fourth stage, the Design stage.

After this comes the Verify stage, in which actual results are compared to set standards. Here also the process ends if results are satisfactory, but if not, it is referred back either to the DMADV process or to the DMAIC process, depending on the situation.

By now, you should have developed a basic understanding of the two most commonly used Six Sigma methodologies. However, there’s plenty more to these two methodologies; and as such, you may have to learn a lot more, especially if you are planning to make a career in Six Sigma quality management.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

When projects need a strong dose of strategy & direction, leaning solely on requirements just won’t cut it anymore.

If you’ve been a part of any business project during your professional career, you’ve seen the basic formula before: Project teams analyze the current state, identify requirements, and then implement a solution that best meets the requirements. Once the solution is implemented, management turns its attention elsewhere – never to think about that specific area of the business again. This “check the box” thinking can be risky business in an environment where new competitive threats can appear anywhere and anytime.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, businesses need a performance framework that can grow over time, be benchmarked against the competition, and stretch the imagination of employees and stakeholders. Although requirements development will always be a mainstay for any project management discipline, the incorporation of capabilities and maturity models can better position your business for future competition and unforeseen threats and opportunities.

Business requirements will always be a critical element in any project development lifecycle. But they can only take you so far. Requirements – to be effective – must be relatively static and defined to the lowest level possible. When the business solution is ultimately implemented, the determination whether it met the individual requirements is answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ with little room for interpretation or improvement.

When project teams are attempting to identify requirements, whether they realize it or not, they are typically simply restating how business currently gets done. New and forward thinking requirements are difficult to identify without some external influence, benchmark, or reference point. This is hardly an effective approach for identifying provocative strategies that will position the business to win in the long term.

Leading businesses and project managers are discovering a new approach to developing – and maintaining – provocative business strategies and solutions that can grow and change over time. They utilize a capability maturity framework that serves as a blueprint and yardstick for continuous improvement. Perhaps one of the best-known and well-established capability maturity models is the Software Engineering Institute’s Capability Maturity Model, which is often referred to as the SEI-CMM or SE-CMM.

The Software Engineering Capability Maturity Model serves the Information Technology function and outlines in clear and specific terms how the software development ‘capability’ can grow and mature over time. The SE-CMM defines maturity for the capability in five distinct levels – with level 5 being the highest or most mature capability.

The capability maturity model provides three important benefits:

1. Capability Maturity Models establish a tangible yardstick for a specific business capability (such as software development) that businesses can measure themselves against. By doing so, businesses can more honestly and accurately identify their current level of abilities.
2. Maturity models identify a specific best practice level for the capability that businesses can strive to achieve. By establishing a tangible continuum, the capability maturity model allows businesses to more clearly gauge the gap between their current and desired capability levels.
3. For standard capability definitions that are widely adopted across businesses and industries, businesses can benchmark themselves against key competition.

Utilizing capabilities as a tool in your project management portfolio has other significant advantages as well. Capabilities provide a framework that can help spur innovative thinking and challenge project teams to think beyond current state requirements. Capabilities, if well defined, can also help project teams to frame out high level requirements more quickly and efficiently than the traditional blank-slate requirements definition effort. Finally, and most importantly, capability maturity models provide a framework for continual improvement; if utilized as a management tool, capability maturity models can measure progress over time and challenge employees and stakeholders to get to the next level.

While simple business requirements development has been a tried and true approach for decades, simple and static requirements can only take you so far. Leading businesses and project managers are discovering that capability maturity models can contribute to developing – and maintaining – provocative business strategies and solutions that can grow and be continually improved over time.

While capability maturity models are best known in the software engineering area, business professionals specializing in areas such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) are developing and utilizing the CMM frameworks to define, develop, and measure their solutions and strategies.

It’s about time. Businesses have been relying on a simplistic model of requirements definition for decades. While this model has served them well, requirements alone can be static, difficult to measure, and often represent only the current state of business. Capability models, on the other hand, can provide businesses with a blueprint and yardstick that can identify tangible long-term goals and measure progress along the way.

Leaning solely on requirements just won’t cut it anymore.

Robert Howard is the Founder and Chief Executive of ClearBrick LLC, a leading provider of customer experience business solutions, research, and advice.

Improve your customer experience with pragmatic solutions, strategies and advice.

In recent times, one of the most notable offshoots has been none other than Lean Six Sigma – it is already being touted as the next big thing in the world of quality improvement concepts, methodologies and systems.

It would not be wrong to say that Lean Six Sigma Training is an advanced version of older variations of Six Sigma Training, because wherever possible it not only helps in reducing the defect rate but also helps in improving overall efficiency business processes by identifying and eliminating unnecessary subprocesses.

For this, Lean Six Sigma depends on a wide variety of tools and techniques, some of which are described below.

Statistical Lean Six Sigma Training Tools and Techniques

There are many Lean tools available under this category, but the one that is most commonly used is the CPM, short for Critical Path Method. Speaking of CPM, it is be worth mentioning that this tool was never designed specifically for Lean Six Sigma.

CPM was in use even before Lean concepts came into existence, but experts categorize it as a Lean tool because its full potential was realized only when it was used during Lean Six Sigma implementations. CPM helps by scheduling the initialization and completion of each and every sub-process, something that makes it easier for Six Sigma professionals to keep track of ongoing Lean process improvement projects.

Other Lean statistical tools that play an equally important role include FMEA (Failure mode and Effects Analysis), used for identifying and eliminating potential problems and issues, VOC Requirements Translation and Kano Analysis, both of which are utilized for quantifying vague customer input and feedback into measurable terms.

Lean Six Sigma Software Tools

Lean Six Sigma software tools use the very same concepts and techniques as described above, with the only difference that achieving the desired objectives becomes a lot easier and faster with them.

This automatically improves efficiency, one of the primary objectives of Lean Six Sigma. Some of the most commonly deployed Lean software tools include MiniTab, SixNet Intelligence, Six Sigma Calculator and RapAnalyst, which is used alongside Design of Experiments (DOE) and data mining projects.

Judgmental Lean Tools and Techniques

If Lean Six Sigma is described as a human body, then judgmental Lean tools and techniques would certainly be described as its backbone. This is so because these tools play an important part in the decision-making process, wherein Six Sigma professionals are required to identify reasons for common problems and also to devise effective solutions for identified issues.

Some of the most common judgmental Lean tools and techniques used by Six Sigma professionals include the Ishikawa Root Cause Analysis Diagram (Fishbone diagram), Thought Maps, Regulation Diagrams, and Brain Storming & Affinity Group Tool.

For achieving the desired Lean Six Sigma goals and objectives, all the above described tools are usually deployed simultaneously. However, it may vary depending on the type of Lean Six Sigma implementation project and the preferences of Six Sigma professionals.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Effective communication is key to the success of an IT project. Communication barriers can cause serious problems for outsourcers and should be addressed at the beginning of the outsourcing relationship. Communication encompasses more than just language. Outsourcing companies must discover ways to manage the different time zones, distance and multiple locations.

Too many outsourcers fail to place a high priority on communication. Cultural differences are often blamed when communication goes wrong. However, usually there are more factors involved than just cultural differences. Information must be communicated to the correct people, at the right time, to avoid a project being delayed or not properly developed. Outsourcers should create a communication plan, before sending work to an offshore vendor. The plan must address how and when communication will take place.

Create a communication infrastructure. Outsourcers and vendors should decide on how correspondence will take place, whether by telephone or email. High quality digital communication lines can ensure a clear connection and should be utilized by the outsourcing company. Some outsourcing companies have also found it beneficial to create a toll free number that can be used for team members. The point of contact should be identified so that the right person receives the necessary information. Direct telephone numbers and extensions, plus email addresses should be exchanged among those involved in the project.

Set the frequency of communication. Some of the questions that should be considered are – how often will communication occur and who will be involved? As the outsourcer and vendor collaborate, it is important to set a regular communication schedule to go over the project status, answer questions and address any potential problems. The frequency of these meetings should be set ahead of time to avoid complications or schedule conflicts. By taking part in interactive communication, pertinent information will be shared with those involved in the project. A follow up report should be distributed to the appropriate employees after a team meeting.

Establish communication methods. Methods used in communication may include status reports, newsletters and Intranets, which are all helpful tools for team members. A dedicated Intranet can be utilized to reiterate project goals and expectations to ensure the success of IT development. Managers must relay the importance of these communication methods to employees to make sure the information is being read. Even though a lot of effort may be put into creating great information, if it is not read, it is useless.

Communication barriers can be overcome if preemptive measures are taken by the outsourcing company and the vendor. An efficient communication plan can play an important role in the development of an outsourced project.

A&E Consulting is a full service consulting firm that has been successfully helping clients with their global needs. Visit http://www.globalsourceyourit.com or call 818-572-8399 for more information.