Six Sigma Implementation Challenges

Many employees, experts, and executives from organizations across the world express their satisfaction with the continuous process improvements that they have achieved with Six Sigma. Many organizations following Six Sigma practices have started experiencing improvement in their processes, services, and products. With this methodology, they are able to reduce errors. In turn, they are able to increase productivity with quality as a key aspect. As a result, they are able to improve profitability and, most importantly, customer satisfaction.

Indeed, many organizations praise the worth of Six Sigma practices. But, something that many do not reveal is the challenges they faced when implementing Six Sigma. If you plan to implement this methodology, being aware of the Six Sigma implementation challenges is better. Not only the challenges but you can get to know how to address them here:

Common Challenges Encountered During Six Sigma Implementation:

1. Challenges with People:

As you know, Six Sigma is a collection of techniques and tools. These tools and techniques have proven effective for organizations. If you doubt the efficiency of these techniques and tools, you can understand it by knowing the names of organizations that have implemented them. Yes, giants in different fields like General Electric, IBM, Toyota, and Motorola follow Six Sigma Practices. 

When applied rightly, Six Sigma, without any doubt, can make processes more efficient. Any process will improve when it is rightly evaluated and wastes and defects are identified at the right time. Apart from eliminating the defects found, a plan should be framed to sustain the changes. Six Sigma processes and practices are already in place theoretically. But, its implementation comes into the hands of people. People turn out to be one of the biggest Six Sigma implementation challenges. Here is how people contribute to these challenges in implementing Six Sigma:

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Lack of Information:

The biggest problem with implementing Six Sigma or any other new technique or process is that some people do not learn the rules completely. They just start applying them without a thorough understanding. When the people involved in implementing Six Sigma practices do not have at least fundamental knowledge and training, it will not work properly.

How to Overcome?

The best way to overcome this challenge is to engage people in implementing Six Sigma methodologies only after one or two training sessions. You can enroll your team in a training session with a reputed institution. Nowadays, you can even find Six Sigma taught online.

2. Resistance to Change:

So, you can prevent improper implementation by training your team on Six Sigma practices. But, you plan to implement Six Sigma practices, encompassing a new set of rules and processes. As a human tendency, all of us would like to stick to the process and rules that we have been following for a long. The reason is that we are comfortable with the old method and we are able to complete our work early. When implementing new processes, it takes some time to get used. So, not only employees but managers are also resistant to changing the processes they have been following for a long time. 

This Six Sigma implementation challenge is an emotional response, not a logical response. In some instances, employees fear the loss of a job when implementing a new process because they fear things will go wrong. In fact, this is one of the myths surrounding Six Sigma implementation or implementing any new process. 

How to Overcome?

Communicate with your employees that Six Sigma practices are not for job elimination but are all about eliminating defects. Assure them that you will stay by their side when they follow Six Sigma Principles. Once they learn, they can achieve better work efficiency and job satisfaction. Keep them motivated to practice the new techniques.

3. No Management Support:

Among the Six Sigma implementation challenges, lack or no management support holds a key position. Some teams fail to implement Six Sigma practices due to the organization's lack of support and commitment. When the organization does not support, teams lose interest in implementing a new process. 

How to Overcome?

Organizations do not support it because they cannot realize its benefits immediately. If you are particular about implementing Six Sigma practices in your project, as a project manager, explain the benefits of Six Sigma implementation to your management. Your goal when explaining should be to gain the required support from your top management. Show the examples of top organizations that are benefiting a lot by following Six Sigma approaches so that you can gain better support.

Other Challenges:

Now, you know how to overcome Six Sigma implementation challenges caused by people. People and other factors contribute to the difficulties in implementing Six Sigma. Here are a few of them with ideas to overcome them:

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4.Poor Execution:

Another critical factor that will ensure the success of Six Sigma practices is proper execution. At times, despite expert guidance from Master black belts and project champions, quality improvement projects that follow Six Sigma practices fail due to poor execution. This can happen when the improvement measures are not aligned with of the organizational goals. When the processes focus solely on solving issues by overlooking organizational goals, there is a chance of failure. When executed, the focus of some teams is entirely on the output and not on the input. Even this can lead to failure.

How to Overcome?

Of course, Six Sigma methodologies are intended to function in a vacuum. Nevertheless, they work best when they are properly aligned with the objectives of the business as a whole.

If your organization finds that it is not getting the monetary savings and productivity gains that management expected when implementing Six Sigma, it should not be disappointed with the technique's inefficiency. Rather, it should be disappointed with the improper management and leadership, which is the reason for the failure.

When leadership is committed to applying this methodology to a project, it should assign top talents and put the project through a formal selection and review process. When this is done, the organization can stay confident about proper execution. In turn, the probability of succeeding with Six Sigma will increase manifold.

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5. Incorrect Scope:

One of the typical Six Sigma implementation challenges is not identifying the right scope. The project scope is a crucial factor that defines the key objective of the project. It even offers the set parameters for moving the project forward. Nevertheless, once a project begins, scope creep can occur. In turn, teams can start working on unnecessary tasks that do not make any valuable contribution to achieving the overall project goal. When scope creep gets in, the teams cannot know the actual scope of the project as things start to deviate. 

How to Handle?

To handle this challenge, project progress should be closely monitored. This rule applies not only to the Six Sigma project but also to any other project that an organization is working on. The teams should be reminded of the project scope and kept motivated to achieve the project goals.

During weekly meetings, project deviations should be identified, and appropriate measures should be taken to correct them. Team members should be motivated to develop their issues and queries about the project. Only then can deviations be identified and corrected then and there.

How to Overcome The Roadblocks in Successful Six Sigma Implementation?

Irrespective of the Six Sigma implementation challenges your organization faces, it is possible to address them with the following tips:

Management Support:

As mentioned earlier, your management's support is important. So, convince the top management about the return on investment from Six Sigma implementation. 

Explain the RoI based on productivity efficiency and operating costs. Also, show your management some useful graphs to explain the simplicity of its implementation so that success statistics are not overlooked. 

Employee Support:

Not only management support but also employee support is equally important. Tell your employees that no one will be out of their jobs. Rather, tell them that when Six Sigma is implemented successfully, they will start getting rewards in the form of financial bonuses. These incentives are because their productivity and performance will improve with Six Sigma practices.

Team Selection:

To handle Six Sigma implementation challenges coming in the way, you need the best team. So, make sure to choose a qualified and best team in the organization. Also, the team should be properly trained and mentored so that they can become Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt holders.

Standard Operating Procedure:

When the employees are trained in Six Sigma practices, a proper standard operating procedure should be in place. Make sure that the training manuals are easy to understand. When the training provides the trainees with day-to-day life examples, they can easily relate to themselves and can remember the concepts for a long. 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the right planning makes smoothing implementation of Six Sigma practices possible. It should start with training and contribute to achieving organizational goals. Implementing Six Sigma methodologies presents challenges predominantly centered around people, resistance to change, and lack of management support. However, by addressing these challenges head-on and employing strategic solutions, organizations can pave the way for successful Six Sigma adoption and reap its substantial benefits.

At Simpliaxis, we offer the highest-quality Six Sigma courses and tailored solutions to overcome these challenges. Our comprehensive training programs equip your teams with the knowledge and skills necessary to apply Six Sigma methodologies effectively. Additionally, our dedicated support ensures that management is fully engaged and committed to the process, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.

With Simpliaxis by your side, you can confidently navigate the complexities of Six Sigma implementation, achieving tangible results and driving sustainable growth for your organization. Let us partner to unlock Six Sigma's full potential and propel your business toward success.