Sponsors and Champions
They are the senior-level leaders who oversee projects at the highest level. They are the liaison between the team and the leadership council. As the senior leader, the champion or sponsor is also responsible for assisting the team with obtaining funds and resources to ensure project success.
Some additional duties within this role include:
- Coaching the team, particularly at the project charter stage. The sponsor often provides input into what is in scope on a project and who might be included on a team.
- Locating resources for the team, including support from other departments money, equipment, time, and labor hours
- Handling matters of politics within a corporate structure so the team doesn’t have to.
- Working with other managers within the organization to help the team succeed in improving a process or transitioning improvements to a daily work environment.
Business or Process Owners
The business or process owner is usually someone who is directly responsible for the process in a leadership capacity. Usually, the person who is going to “receive” a solution implemented by a Six Sigma team once that solution is ready to be rolled out to all team members or used on a daily basis. They are responsible for maintaining and monitoring those controls once the process is transitioned from a team environment to day-to-day operation.
A process owner usually also acts as a process expert on a Six Sigma team. But that is not always true as some of the process owner might not run the day-to-day operation of the process that they owned.
Note:
When leading or managing a Six Sigma team, Black Belts and others do have to be wary of process owners who are resistant to change or who believe they have all the answers. Black Belts and project leaders must work tactfully with champions, sponsors and process managers to resolve such issues.
Six Sigma Leaders
Six Sigma projects are usually led by certified Black Belts, although some organizations do allow Green Belts to act as leaders on small initiatives. In most organization, the Black Belts holds the primary responsibility for the regular work performed by a team and usually only works with one team or project at a time.
Black Belts project leaders often work to:
- Help create a rationale for a project
- Provide input for the selection of project team members
- Lead teams throughout all the phases of DMAIC
- Educate and support team members as they learn about and use Six Sigma tools.
- Provide oversight through time management, decision making, and planning.
- Maintain schedules and timelines, sometimes in conjunction with a certified Project Manager
- Provide expertise in the form of statistical analysis or guidance with analysis.
- Assist with project transition
- Report to sponsor or champion on a regular basis.
- Provide documentation at the end of the project
Note:
Master Black Belts play an overall role in leading multiple Six Sigma projects. Master Black Belts provide continuing education to both Black and Green Belts.
Project Managers
Some organizations use traditional project management techniques alongside Six Sigma improvement methodologies. In these organizations, a project manager is usually assigned to a Six Sigma project.
While structures vary by organization, the project manager does not usually lead the team. Instead, the PM offers leader support to the Black Belt by keeping up with documentation and timelines, helping keep meetings on track, and ensuring items are followed up on after meetings.
Timekeeper
Not all Six Sigma teams use timekeepers, but they can help keep meetings on track, reduce the chance of scope creep, and increase overall productivity.
The timekeeper shouldn’t police time in a such a rigid fashion that the benefits of fluid discussion and brainstorming are lost, but he or she should gently steer teams toward following agenda schedules or provide the project leader with an indication that time is up for the topic at hand.
Minute-Takers
While everyone can take notes, the team leader should appoint one person as the official scribe for the team. Sometimes, that person is the project manager working in conjunction with a Six Sigma team leader. Other times, it is a member of the team who is seen as detailed and organized.
Team Members
Team members in a Six Sigma team are usually comprised of one to three other regular team members other than Project Leader, Process Owner and Process Expert. They can be regular, ad hoc and resource team members. They normally:
- Participate in brainstorming sessions, discussions, and other team activities
- Collect data and perform analysis under the direction of the Black Belt. Often, team members performing these functions are Green Belts
- Perform work between meetings as required by the project leader
- Report the results of and progress on individual assignments to the team