If Six Sigma implementation projects are to be successful, all roles and responsibilities must be clearly mapped out and defined. The trained Black, Green and Yellow Belts can perform well, but it is the Master Black Belt and ultimately the Champion who must perform flawlessly. The Champion must be well trained because that's the person who oversees the entire project. It is the job of the Champion to act a a buffer between top management and Black Belts, primarily as a choreographer of the entire deployment process.
There are several necessary proficiency areas for Champions and project selection is one of them. The Champion must analyze the goals and objectives of the organization and align the Six Sigma projects with them. This synchronization is an important step in the process because it determines how things will flow later during the implementation.
The Champion should be able to guide other members of the team in the usage of Six Sigma tools and techniques. They should be familiar with the technology used in processes. This helps them ensure that the operational level projects are aligned with strategic level business objectives. However, they should not intrude into the process undertaken by the Black Belts. They should conduct project reviews to ensure that the project is progressing as planned and that the results are aligned to the needs of the organization.
Six Sigma Champions have to ensure that projects undertaken are implemented successfully. Often, they will have to be alert to the Six Sigma teams priorities. If a Six Sigma provider's only aim is to complete the project on time without it being anywhere near the goal, without being properly aligned or with no attention to customer satisfaction, then Champions should ensure that the Six Sigma project is brought back on track and the progress is in the real sense (i.e. actual improvements and not just timely project completion).
The ultimate goal of Six Sigma is to achieve desired results. The Black Belts are the agents of change, and they make sure the goals are achieved. But it is the Champions who must ensure that the projects are deployed successfully with no adverse effect to the organization. They are accountable for monitoring savings as well as removing roadblocks along the way. If the Champion is not well trained, the project could fail in spite of the efforts of the rest of the team.
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