This is idea of combining both Six Sigma and PMP came to me after working for nearly 5 years in Quality and Manufacturing functions of a balanced matrix organization(PMBOK). I always see Project Management not as something of future but present. So what is next, we have seen how Six Sigma brings a giant leap in quality but the problem with Six Sigma is that it is am operational tool for quality improvement. How to bring this provem concept into a project was a big challenge. We know project is a one time activity and so we can say for design of product (DFSS), I tried to relate DFSS (Design for six sigma) with a projectized approach. And this was what I was able make. Its like a fusion, I thought this will be intresting and hence thought of sharing this “Theory” with you.

1.
Six Sigma and PMP
How can they help you togethere?
ASHISH JUDE MICHAEL, Executive MBA, Indian Institute
Of Management, Shillong

2. 2
1. Introduction
about
Six
Sigma
2. Introduction
about
PMP
3. Similarities
and
Differences
between
Six
Sigma
and
PMP
4. How
to
use
both
of
these
to
make
most?
5. Conclusion
About
Author

3.
3
Introduction
about
Six
Sigma
We
can
define
by
DMAIC
model
which
itself
is
an
refined
version
of
PDCA
(Plan-­‐Do-­‐Study-­‐Act)
.
Six
Sigma
as
we
know
controls
Product
Variation
by
controling
the
process
and
its
parameters.
It
aims
to
bring
the
defect
rate
below
3.4
DPMO
(Defect
per
million
Opportunities).
D
Define
the
customer,
Critical
to
Quality
issues,
business
process.
M
Measure
the
performance
of
business
of
the
business
process.
A
Analyze
to
determine
the
root
cause
and
opportunities
for
improvement.
I
Improve
the
process,
develop
and
deploy
implementation
plan.
C
Control
the
improvement
to
keep
on
new
course.
There
is
a
concept
known
as
DFSS
(Design
For
Six
Sigma).
This
methodology
brings
six
sigma
at
a
much
earlier
phase
of
a
product
life
cycle,
the
design
phase.
By
using
DFSS
we
can
design
a
product
in
such
a
way
that
it
can
be
defined
by
DMAIV
instead
of
DMIAC
of
convectional
Six
Sigma
aproach.
D
Define
the
project
goals
and
customer
(internal
and
external)
requirements.
M
Measure
and
determine
customer
needs
and
specifications;
benchmark
competitors
and
industry.
A
Analyze
the
process
options
to
meet
the
customer
needs.
D
Design
(detailed)
the
process
to
meet
the
customer
needs.
V
Verify
the
design
performance
and
ability
to
meet
customer
needs.
In
todays
world
where
we
talk
not
about
Mass
Manufacturing
but
Mass
Customization
this
approach
help
us
learn
which
parameter
of
the
process
is
controling
which
parameter
of
product
and
how
altering
that
will
bring
change
in
final
product
and
that
too
at
design
phase.
Thus
DFSS
can
help
us
develop
us

4. 4
products
which
can
comply
the
requirements
of
mass
customization
for
each
customer
as
per
his/her
requirements.
Let
us
understand
,
a
customer
dosen’t
always
knows
what
he/she
needs
their
explanation
of
a
requirement
of
a
particular
requirement
can
be
very
vague.
Step
1:
We
should
clarify
and
verify
it
from
customers
at
various
stages
of
designing
and
prototyping
itself.
Stap
2:
Once
customer
is
happy
we
should
try
to
measure
and
bench
mark
the
specifications
as
per
competatiors
and
industry.
Step
3:
We
should
further
analyze
the
process
which
will
be
most
efficient
and
effective
to
make
the
product.
Also
identify
the
stages
where
we
can
introduce
customization
and
when,
how
and
how
much
change
in
the
process
parameter
will
being
which
type
of
change
in
the
final
product.
Step
4:
Finally
freeze
the
design.
Step
5:
Verify
the
design
by
using
prototype
or
simulation
or
any
other
Qualification
method.
The
figure
below
shows
the
steps
of
DFSS
*
Courtsey:
http://www.alefulcrum.com/methods/dfss/postage_stamp.html

5.
5
Introduction
about
PM
(Project
Management)
PMP
(Project
Management
Professionals)
who
are
well
averse
in
Project
Management
methodology.
Project
can
be
defined
as
a
one
time
activity
which
has
defined
scope,
Quality
of
result,
time
and
resources
required
and
Project
Manager
has
to
achieve
result
in
defined
scope
with
required
Quality
within
specified
time
and
cost.
Project
management
has
become
one
of
the
most
preffered
skills
by
employers.
One
of
the
reasons
PM
(Project
Management)
is
highly
requirement
in
today’s
customer
orinted
world
when
technology
is
changing
day
by
day
at
a
rapid
pace.
PM
earlier
was
considered
to
be
related
to
infrastructure
or
IT
sectors
but
now
even
it
is
requirement
of
Manufacturing
organization.
The
launch
or
upgradation
of
a
product
can
itself
be
termed
as
a
Project,
and
if
we
are
able
implement
Project
Management
concepts
in
proceding
with
these
activities
we
can
be
more
efficient
and
effective.
For
example
if
I
am
working
on
a
greenfeild
project
for
implementing
,
lets
say,
AS9100
Rev
C
certification.We
can
define
scope,
time
and
resource
on
which
it
will
be
dependent.
Then
we
can
constitute
a
team
,
make
a
project
manager
and
give
further
responsiblities
will
be
taken
by
them.
I
will
not
be
describing
PM
in
detail
but
still
on
a
cursory
note
we
can
say
that
A
project
is
temporary
in
that
it
has
a
defined
beginning
and
end
in
time,
and
therefore
defined
scope
and
resources.
And
a
project
is
unique
in
that
it
is
not
a
routine
operation,
but
a
specific
set
of
operations
designed
to
accomplish
a
singular
goal.
So
a
project
team
often
includes
people
who
don’t
usually
work
together
–
sometimes
from
different
organizations
and
across
multiple
geographies.
Project
management
(PM),
is
the
application
of
knowledge,
skills
and
techniques
to
execute
projects
effectively
and
efficiently.
It’s
a
strategic
competency
for
organizations,
enabling
them
to
tie
project
results
to
business
goals
—
and
thus,
better
compete
in
their
markets.
(As
quoted
from
PMI)
The
purpose
document
is
to
show
how
Six
Sigma
and
PMP
togethere
complement
each
other
and
can
do
wonders
for
organization.
The
figure
given
below
explains
in
brief
the
concept
of
Project
Management.

6. 6
Similarities
and
Differences
between
Six
Sigma
and
PMP
Differences
Six
Sigma
PMP
Phases
Define
Initiate
Measure
Plan
Analyze
Execute
Design/Improve
Monitor
&
Control
Verify/Control
Close

7.
7
We
can
also
say
that
Six
Sigma
is
mostly
a
process
level
approach
making
it
a
operational
level
strategy
tool
and
PMP
is
a
project
level
approach
making
it
a
Tactical
level
strategy
tool.
Also
Six
Sigma
is
more
stastical
based
where
else
PMP
is
more
planning
and
execution.
Six
Sigma
is
more
about
effciency
where
else
PMP
is
more
about
effectiveness.
Similarities
When
it
come
to
similiraties
we
can
say
they
seemed
to
have
following
dsimilarities:
1. Both
define
the
the
problem
as
first
step.
2. Both
bring
financial
savings
for
organization.
3. Once
they
are
completed
both
are
closed
and
recorded
so
that
it
can
be
used
for
future
learning.
How
to
use
both
of
these
to
make
most
?
The
propose
is
to
use
both
Six
Sigma
and
PMP
philosphy
togethere
amd
utlize
them
to
achieve
effectiveness
and
effciency
for
organization.
But
how
to
do
so?
The
era
of
Mass
Maufacturing
is
gone,
now
is
all
about
mass
customization.
Its
all
about
understanding
the
process
,
the
process
parameters
and
how
those
parameters
effect
the
product.
Consider
the
following
stemps
which
can
be
included
in
a
project.
We
can
see
that
we
are
giving
special
emphesis
on
planning.
This
is
because
the
change
done
in
planning
stage
are
more
easier
and
economical
than
during
later
stage
or
execution.
“Give
me
six
hours
to
chop
down
a
tree
and
I
will
spend
the
first
four
sharpening
the
axe.”
Abraham
Lincoln.
If
cutting
the
tree
is
can
be
consider
a
project
then
sharpening
the
axe
is
planning
and
cutting
the
tree
is
execution,
monitoring
&
control
and
closure.

8. 8
In
this
given
table
we
can
see
the
steps,
which
I
suggest,
can
be
taken
during
a
project.
A
brief
description
is
stated
for
each
step.
Six
Sigma+Project
Management
Define/Initiate
Plan
Analyze-­‐Plan
Improve-­‐Plan
Validate-­‐Plan
Execute-­‐As
planed
Monitor-­‐
The
Progress
(Measure)
Control-­‐By
Validation
&
Improvisation
(Analyze
&
Improve
)
Closure
Step
1:
After
selecting
the
project
through
feasiblity
and
cost
benefit
anslysis,
Define
the
scope
of
project
and
Initiate
it.
Then
form
a
team,
assig
Project
Manager
and
then
further
formulate
a
project
charter.
Step
2:
Plan
here
we
can
use
Project
Priority
Matrix
(PPM)
to
define
importance
of
Performance,
Time
and
Cost.
Plan
for
three
senarios
such
as
Ideal,
Most
likely
and
Worst.
Use
critical
chain
project
method
(CCPM).
We
are
laying
special
stress
on
planing
as
if
planing
is
good
execution
will
be
smooth.
Make
the
initial
plans.
Step
3:
Analyze
–Plan
Analyze
the
plan
with
team,
stakeholders
and
if
required
a
specialist
or
consultant.
Its
important
we
catch
the
loops
and
shortcommings
of
a
plan
now
rather
than
discovering
them
during
execution
phase.
Step
4:
Improve-­‐Plan
take
everyone’s
feedback
,
make
necessary
changes
the
final
decision
power
to
weather
to
accept
the
change
in
the
plan
rests
on
Project

9.
9
Manager.
Change
request
can
be
raised
by
team
members
as
per
the
feedback
but
they
need
to
be
approved
by
Project
Manager
to
make
necessary
changes.
Step
5:
Validate-­‐Plan
Check
if
there
is
still
any
scope
of
improvement
in
project
plan?
Ensure
that
the
changes
made
will
not
be
harming
any
other
requirement
of
project.
Discuss
with
project
team,
consultant
and
stakeholders
and
if
all
agree
validate
the
plan
and
move
to
execution
phase.
Step
6:
Execute
the
final
plan
(Most
Likely
Senario)
on
the
basis
of
responsibility
matrix,
Gantt
Chart
and
a
detail
project
plan
using
any
Project
Management
Software
such
as
MS
Project
etc.
This
phase
will
be
the
longest
and
maximum
resources
are
utlized
during
this
phase.
Step
7:
Monitor-­‐The
progress
(Measure)
this
is
done
in
terms
of
milestones
covered,
resources
(actual)
vs
progress
wrt
resources
(planed).
Tools
such
as
S
curve
,
budget
costing,
Earned
Value
Milestone
(EVM).
To
check
if
we
are
ahead
or
behind
schedule,
if
we
are
over
or
under
budget
or
if
we
are
meeting
the
scope
of
project
and
its
requirements.
Step
8:
Control
–
by
validation
and
improvisation
its
useless
to
just
keep
on
monitoring
and
not
acting
on
the
results.
Check
the
results
we
get
from
monitoring
if
they
are
doubtful
re-­‐confirm
them
and
analyze
the
root
cause
of
the
problem
causing
this
and
solve
the
problem.
Improvise
the
execution
plan
(
We
have
3
senario’s
Ideal,
Most
likely
and
Worst)
choose
the
related
situation
and
work
upon
it
to
suit
the
requirement.
Step
9:
Closure
after
the
project
is
completed
it
should
be
closed
as
per
contract.
If
a
final
closure
report
has
to
be
approved
by
customer
than
it
has
to
be
done.
But
for
internal
purposes
closure
should
be
documented
properly
all
the
problems
faced,
lessons
learned
improvisations
done
should
be
documented
as
per
Project
Management
procedures.

10. 10
Conclusion
This
is
idea
of
combining
both
Six
Sigma
and
PMP
came
to
me
after
working
for
nearly
5
years
in
Quality
and
Manufacturing
functions
of
a
balanced
matrix
organization(PMBOK).
I
always
see
Project
Management
not
as
something
of
future
but
present.
So
what
is
next,
we
have
seen
how
Six
Sigma
brings
a
giant
leap
in
quality
but
the
problem
with
Six
Sigma
is
that
it
is
am
operational
tool
for
quality
improvement.
How
to
bring
this
provem
concept
into
a
project
was
a
big
challenge.
We
know
project
is
a
one
time
activity
and
so
we
can
say
for
design
of
product
(DFSS),
I
tried
to
relate
DFSS
(Design
for
six
sigma)
with
a
projectized
approach.
And
this
was
what
I
was
able
make.
Its
like
a
fusion,
I
thought
this
will
be
intresting
and
hence
thought
of
sharing
this
“Theory”
with
you.
Thanks
for
taking
your
time
out
and
reading
through
it.
If
you
have
any
suggestions
or
feedback
feel
free
to
send
me.
About
Author: