Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The Deployment phase where most activities will happen
The Postdeployment phase where sustainment needs to be accomplished
9.3.1
Predeployment
Predeployment is a phase representing the period of time when a leadership team
lays the groundwork and prepares the company for software Six Sigma design im-
plementation, ensures the alignment of its individual deployment plans, and creates
synergy and heightened performance.
The first step in an effective software DFSS deployment starts with the top leader-
ship of the deployment company. It is at this level that the team tasked with deployment
works with the senior executives in developing a strategy and plan for deployment
that is designed for success. Six Sigma initiative marketing and culture selling should
come from the top. Our observation is that senior leadership benchmark themselves
across corporate America in terms of results, management style, and company aspira-
tions. Six Sigma, in particular DFSS, is no exception. The process usually starts with
a senior leader or a pioneer who begins to research and learn about Six Sigma and the
benefits/results it brings to the culture. The pioneer starts the deployment one step at a
time and begins shaking old paradigms. The old paradigm guards become defensive.
The defense mechanisms begin to fall one after another based on the undisputable
results from several benchmarked deploying companies (GE, 3M, Motorola, Textron,
Allied Signal, Bank of America, etc.). Momentum builds, and a team is formed to be
tasked with deployment. As a first step, it is advisable that select senior leadership
as a team meet jointly with the assigned deployment team offsite (with limited dis-
tractions) that entails a balanced mixture of strategic thinking, Six Sigma high-level
education, interaction, and hands-on planning. On the education side, overviews
of Six Sigma concepts, presentation of successful deployment benchmarking, and
demonstration of Six Sigma statistical methods, improvement measures, and man-
agement controls are very useful. Specifically, the following should be a minimum
set of objectives of this launch meeting:
Understand the philosophy and techniques of software DFSS and Six Sigma, in
general.
Experience the application of some tools during the meeting.
Brainstorm a deployment strategy and a corresponding deployment plan with
high first-time-through capability.
Understand the organizational infrastructure requirements for deployment.
Set financial and cultural goals, targets, and limits for the initiative.
Discuss project pipeline and Black Belt resources in all phases of deployment.
Put a mechanism in place to mitigate deployment risks and failure modes.
Failure modes like the following are indicative of a problematic strategy:
training Black Belts before champions; deploying DFSS without multigener-
ational software plans and software technology road maps; validing data and
Search WWH ::
Custom Search