Ambika Sahoo started the following discussion on Yahoo Groups on Thu Dec 4, 2008

Dear all,

I would like to know how to define this project is a GB or BB project...

1. How Can u predict before doing project that this project would be a BB project ?

2. How can u decide improvement target before initiating project...Is there any statistical calculation in it?

Regards.

Ambika P. Sahoo

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FOLLOWING ARE SOME RESPONSES POSTED TO YAHOO GROUPS

Greetings;

it is only by experience you will be able to find out the project is BB or GB; From my experience i say that projects involving simple tools and simple datas cold be taken as GB and savings could be say rs 10 lacs Anything beyond this with more detailed data and Statistical analysis can be considered a BB project and savings could be much higher per annum Let me tell you one thing it is not necessary to investigte whether it is GB or BB project and what is important focus shall be the project savings!!!!!

with regards

T. M. Venkatesan

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Hi Ambika,

I have attempted to answer you questions as below:

How Can u predict before doing project that this project would be a BB project ?

Response:

A GB project typically runs for a period upto 3 months. A BB project runs over a period of 6 - 9 months. The time difference primarily exists due to the nature of the projects undertaken.

A GB project focuses on within- process improvements, a BB project focuses on cross-department projects.

A GB project focuses on qualititative improvements in the process which may or may not be monetarily quantified. A BB project quantifies monetary gains for the company which is upto a minimum of 10 lakhs or 1

million.

A GB project should be primarily identified on the basis on less effort - low risk model (low lying fruits), A BB project could be the one with medium - high efforts with equal magnitude of risk involved

2. How can u decide improvement target before initiating project...Is there any statistical calculation in it?

Response:

The improvement target can be defined on the nature of the assignment/ project undertaken, historical trends, dependencies, VOB, VOC, SLAs, Company's future vision, etc.. for eg: If I undertake a project to reduce the cycle time of the resolutions to be provided to the customers by focusing on eliminating dependencies / handoffs from 10% to 5%, I would analyze the historical data for the last, say, 3 months to see the kind the work that can be handled by my team and then I would arrive at this figure of 5% which I know is an achievable signal.

Statistics according to me plays a literal role only and simple athematics mostly helps in breaking bigger barriers. Moreover, let the softwares like Q1 macros, Minitab, SPSS do the statistics for you as long as you have the data you want to analyze.

Please feel free to connect if you have any questions.

Regards,

Tina

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While it is nice to see large scale interaction, we must remember that Six Sigma permits the thinking process and the more we think the more oppurtunities we discover to put six sigma methodology to a customized and better use

However, basic common sense questions, when we post here, are we not sending across the signal that we are looking for everything readymade and thereby our dependency on answers from others would one day defeat the very purpose of being six sigma trained and certified, since the moment you say you are with a six sigma background, it is understood that your analyzing part of the brain is active and the very basic thing required for analysis is TO THINK.

Think about it.

Regards

Nataraj Venkataraman

PMP,ITIL, Six Sigma, CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ Professional

Service Delivery Manager

I T Services Industry

Some interesting responses to the question there. I have the following questions:

1. Is the GB/BB distinction based only on the number of primary CTQs and the nature of CTQs (intra-functional or cross functional)?

2. As someone has suggested above, is time taken for the project to play any role? I remember VK explaining the project selection - as strictly being a process where CTQs are adhered to (so that GB projects may in some cases be longer than BB projects)

3. In the early stages of an SS deployment, is it wise to have Black Belts perform all project activities, so that problems can be accurately scoped and so that scope creep, cross-functionality of projects and such organizational aspects do not become a problem?

Well Rajesh......to my understanding it appears that the said approach may not yield wanton results and certainly not a long term solution, because basically Six Sigma is a culture to be embraced by the whole organisation, which thus doesn't rest upon learning some problem solving tools alone but is a transformation of mindset. Hence one or few black belts may not be able to cut the ice if at first the attitudinal change is not brought about and people start feeling the merits of such a change. Hence it may not be wise for the BBs alone to shoulder every step of process but to involve the stakeholders along the hierarchy too and hold them equally responsible.

Srikanth, thanks for the reply. Indeed, stakeholder involvement is essential to ensure smooth functioning of the project team, a dedication of resource time from the departments and of course, to close out projects and ensure that control methods implemented are adhered to.

I would like to add here that Six sigma indeed is a culture that needs to be adopted by the organization as a whole. Organization as a whole needs to be aware of six sigma and its benefits.To develop this culture , stake holder's support  to the projects can be a wise idea but the culture needs to flow down.Eventually every project needs team work so black belts and  stake holders can sure initiate this positive change of mindset and involve and educate the other members about the same.The organization needs to identify its critical projects and processes and departments involved with the same. Beginning with these critical projects can be a good idea to begin with and then gradually upgrade the rest of departments, projects or processes as per requirement .