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Six Sigma: How the Define Phase Correlates to PMBOK® Guide

Tuesday, 25 July 2023 | Du Toit, Malani

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Six Sigma: How the Define Phase correlates to the Project Management Institute (PMI) Process Groups: A Practice Guide and A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) - Malani du Toit - Consultant @ pm.ideas 

In my previous article, “Six Sigma Application in Project Management”, I concluded that Six Sigma is a methodology of choice to deliver a project using the predictive / plan driven approach. The generally accepted method for managing Six Sigma projects includes the following phases:

• The objectives and scope of the project are defined. Relevant information about the process and customer are collected.
• Data on the current situation and process metrics are collected.
• Collected data are analysed to find the root cause(s) of the problem.
• The solution (s) to the problem is developed and implemented.
• The implemented solution(s) are evaluated, and the mechanisms are implemented to hold the gains, which may include standardisation.

In this article, I am drilling down into the Define phase and comparing the activities in this phase to the Project Management Institute (PMI) Process Groups: A Practice Guide and foundational standard, the PMBOK® Guide. This important companion to A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), offers useful and practical guidance for a predictive approach to project management practices. It provides a process-based project management approach for guiding your projects, aligning methodologies, and evaluating project management capabilities.

The Define phase is the first phase in the Six Sigma methodology; a systematic process improvement and problem-solving approach. This phase sets the foundation for the entire Six Sigma project and focuses on clearly defining the problem, project goals, and scope. The main objective of the Define phase is to ensure a thorough understanding of the current state and establish a solid baseline for measuring improvement.

During the Define phase, several vital activities are undertaken:

1. Selecting the project: The Define phase begins with identifying and selecting a project that aligns with the organisation‘s strategic goals. Projects are typically chosen based on their potential impact on customer satisfaction, cost reduction, cycle time reduction, and other critical performance metrics.
2. Creating a project charter: A project charter is developed to document the project‘s purpose, objectives, scope, deliverables, stakeholders, and team members. It serves as a roadmap for the project and helps gain critical stakeholders‘ support and commitment.
3. Defining the problem or opportunity: This step clearly defines and articulates the problem or opportunity. It involves gathering relevant data, analysing process performance, and detecting the gap between the current and desired states. The problem statement should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
4. Establishing project goals and objectives: Clear and measurable goals address the identified problem or opportunity. These goals should be associated with the organisation‘s strategic objectives and be achievable within the defined project scope.
5. Mapping the process: Process mapping techniques, such as value stream mapping or flowcharting, are employed to visualise the current process flow and identify bottlenecks, waste, and inefficiencies. This helps in understanding the process in detail and identifying areas for improvement.
6. Identifying stakeholders: All the stakeholders who are affected by or have an impact on the project are identified. This includes customers, suppliers, employees, and management. Engaging and involving the right stakeholders throughout the project is essential for success.
7. Forming the project team: A cross-functional team is assembled to work on the project. The team comprises individuals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and authority to drive the project forward. Team roles and responsibilities are defined, and communication channels are established.
8. Conducting a high-level process analysis: A high-level analysis of the process is performed to estimate its current performance, identify critical process inputs and outputs, and establish baseline metrics. This helps in prioritising improvement opportunities and setting targets for improvement.
9. Securing resources: Adequate resources, including personnel, tools, data, and budget, are reserved to support the project. The availability of resources is crucial for executing the project effectively.
10. Obtaining management support: Senior management support and commitment are sought to ensure the necessary authority, resources, and organisational support are available throughout the project lifecycle. This helps in removing potential roadblocks and ensuring the project‘s success.

By the end of the Define phase, the project team should clearly understand the problem, project goals, and scope. They should have identified the key stakeholders and established a project charter that outlines the project‘s purpose, objectives, and timeline. The team is now ready to move into the next phase, Measure, where they will collect data to further analyse the current process performance.

The Define phase of Six Sigma correlates with the PMI Process Groups: A Practice Guide - Initiating Process Group. The Initiating Process Group includes those processes executed to identify a new project or a new phase of an existing project. The primary purpose of the Initiating Process Group is to align the project with the organisation‘s strategic objectives and obtain authorisation to start or continue with the project.

Tabled below is the correlation of how the Six Sigma‘s Define phase and the PMI Process Groups: A Practice Guide Initiating Process Group.

While the PMI Process Groups: A Practice Guide, provides a process-based project management approach for guiding your projects, aligning methodologies, and evaluating project management capabilities, Six Sigma is a specialised methodology focused on process improvement. However, there are significant overlaps in the initial steps in defining the project‘s purpose, objectives, and scope and obtaining the necessary approvals and resources to begin the project. Proving again that Six Sigma should not be limited to a process improvement methodology but applied as a project management method.