Critical Success Factors (CSF) for Implementing Six Sigma

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The adoption and implementation of QM approaches by small medium enterprises such as Six Sigma are slow. For growing adoption and implementation of such approaches need to identify critical success factors. 

Small and medium enterprises can implement Six Sigma methodology more successfully than large enterprises, if top management is fully committed and involved. 

CSFs are those factors that are significant to the success of any organizations.

The published literature highlights numerous critical success factors, such as communication, cultural change, fact-based decision making and leadership, as most critical for implementing Six Sigma in organizations.

The most critical five CSFs commonly most prominent were linking Six Sigma to customers, management involvement and commitment, cultural change, vision & plan and education, training and quality culture.

Summaring most commonly Identified Critical Success Factors (Source: EVALUATION OF CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR SIX SIGMA IMPLEMENTATION IN INDIAN MANUFACTURING SMES DHARMENDRA TYAGI, V. K. SONI & V. K. KHARE)

• Management commitment, involvement and participation
• Project prioritization and selection 
• Project management skills 
• Leadership 
• Linking Six Sigma to business strategy 
• Fact based decision making 
• Strategic vision 
• Organizational infrastructure
• Specialized team for Six Sigma
• Communication 
• Cultural change 
• Employees’ commitment 
• Linking Six Sigma to employees 
• Integrating Six Sigma with the financial infrastructure 
• Process documentation 
• Make proper investment in resources 
• Regular audits 
• Uses of innovative techniques
• Understanding of six sigma methodology 
• Knowledge Sharing
• Understanding of six sigma tools and techniques
• Education and training 
• Suppliers involvement 
• Linking Six Sigma to customers 
• Linking Six Sigma to suppliers 
• Customers satisfaction 
• Customers involvement 

Methodologies used for Implementing Six Sigma 

Researchers all over the globe suggest two key strategy for implementing Six Sigma: DMAIC and DFSS. 

• DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control and 
• DFSS stands, for Design for Six Sigma, the major intention of both methods are special or different. 

Initially Six Sigma were effectively implemented by these methods and later on a few modifications were exist such as: DMADV and DCOV, DMADV stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design and Verify and DCOV stands for Design, Characterize, Optimize and Verify.

Five CSFs were  commonly found most important. They are:

- Leadership, 

- Linking Six Sigma to suppliers, 

- Customers satisfaction, 

- Fact based decision making and 

- Linking Six Sigma to business strategy.

Then, has your company aligned with these CSFs to enhance its 6Sigma projects?