When Six Sigma is deployed properly, it is more than simply a toolkit for simplifying and improving core processes within a business.  It requires a fundamental change in mindset and behaviour for the people involved in the daily management and execution of those processes – including the “customers” of the outputs/services generated by the activity.

At root, the approach requires the organisation to think “outside in”, using the perspective of the customer (their definition of the value they derive from the outcome/deliverable as well as the total experience of the interaction) to configure, operate and manage their business. 

From this foundation, the approach when implemented requires the leaders of the business to utilise a hard, data-driven management and decision making style that is predicated on the standardisation of performance through the use of strict process measurement and control. 

The critical questions to be addressed when deploying a Six Sigma approach to the development/improvement of a process include:

• Do we have a clear segmentation of the customers of the process in terms of the value they require (in Six Sigma terms, the definition of what is Critical to Quality, or CTQ, for the customer)?  Note that this is not a statement of the features/benefits of a process outcome, but rather the customer’s specification of performance delivery
• Do we have a clearly defined measure of that CTQ (usually expressed in terms of minimum levels of performance on time, accuracy, availability, completeness, etc.)?  Note that these measures are frequently not a part of the ‘normal’ performance dashboard of a business
• Do we have valid historical data of our performance against that CTQ?  This forms a baseline for performance evaluation against the customer requirement, and if no valid measurement against the CTQ exists will require a period of data gathering -  This provides the measure current state process performance (sigma)
• Do we have an agreed “end-to-end” definition of the process under review, with a clear understanding of: a) the key steps of the process, b) the inputs and outputs from those stages and c) the suppliers to and customers of each of those stages?
• [If process improvement] Do we have an accurate mapping of the “as is” process as it is executed (not simply designed in the procedures manuals), with accurate activity levels and associated performance data for the primary stages of the process?
• Can we identify the critical points in the process which contribute to (or impede) the delivery of the customer’s CTQ?  Can we demonstrate/prove the relationship of performance at these points to the overall process performance to ensure that we are addressing ‘root cause’ issues?
• What problem solving tools can we use to develop and test potential solutions to the process performance issues identified? 
• How can we pilot potential solutions to evaluate and compare results with the appropriate levels of rigour and efficacy?
• When potential solutions have been identified and tested, how can we build and implement appropriate controls to monitor performance against CTQ and identify potential areas for further improvement?
• How do we help ‘process owners’ to use the data derived from these controls to manage their business operations to customer requirement? 
• How do we maintain appropriate discipline throughout the process to ensure the identification of the business benefit to be derived net the effort/investment to achieve it?
  
• How do we ensure that the organisation – including the customers of the process – understand the nature of the change/improvement being implemented and are equipped and trained to execute it appropriately?
• Finally, how do we ensure that we keep our understanding of client requirements (CTQs) dynamic and timely, so that our processes do not become locked into a focus on “the wrong targets”?

 While it is not necessary to undertake complete training and certification in Six Sigma tools and skills (a training programme which normally includes 12-20 days of ‘classroom’ time scheduled across 3-6 months and integrated with application/practice of the techniques and skills being acquired on live projects leading to certification as a “Black Belt”) in order to reap benefit from applying the methodology, it is unlikely that exposure to a brief primer introduction will equip  the people involved with sufficient appreciation of the issues to be addressed or the potential techniques which can be brought to bear to accomplish their goals. 

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss these issues more fully with you, and to explore how we might support your efforts to adopt an appropriate process and methodology to enhance and manage your client data collection processes through a combination of training and coaching.