Role of a Project Lead in a Six Sigma Project

The Project lead is the second most important person in the entire Six Sigma project exercise. The Project lead reports to the Project Champion. The Project Lead is also selected by the Project Champion to execute a given Six Sigma project. The role and responsibility of a Six Sigma project lead have been listed below:

Stage at Which Required

The Project Lead is required throughout the Project. However, the most important work of planning the Six Sigma project has to be done by the lead in the first stage of the DMAIC/DMADV process. This is when the Project Lead is planning and organizing. Later, the project lead delegates work to the other members of the Six Sigma team. The role of the Project lead then shifts from being actively involved in work to passively managing work and controlling the outcomes.

Job Description

The duties that a Project Lead is expected to fulfil are as follows:

• The Project Lead must first identify the stakeholders of the project. This may involve people internal as well as external to the organization. They must be kept informed about the Six Sigma project and a positive atmosphere for change have to be built by the Project lead.

• The Project Lead identifies the requirements of the projects in terms of technology, manpower, expertise, materials etc

• The Project Lead then creates a list of resources required for the project and submits it to the Project Champion and assists the Project Champion in bargaining for resources.

• The Project Lead must then zero down on the human resources available in the organization. He must create a team in such a manner that the normal operations of the organization are not disrupted, however the goals of the Six Sigma project are met

• The Project lead then has to create the Project Charter complete with information about the objectives of each stage, the schedule decided to meet the objectives and the tollgate deliverables

• The Project Lead needs to take dynamic action to counter issues as and when they arrive. The purpose should be to complete the Six Sigma project on team regardless of the roadblocks that may come in the way

• The Project Lead conducts the preliminary review for tollgate deliverables. Only one he/she is satisfied that the deliverables are being met do the escalate the issue to Project Champion and convene the meeting.

Job Specification

• The Project lead must have good people skills. This is because they have the job to communicate between stakeholders, Project Champion and the Project team and many more people. Developing a favourable climate of change is of utmost importance for a Six Sigma project and a Project Lead is accountable for the same

• The Project Lead must have critical thinking skills. They will be required in planning the project and creating a schedule that needs to be followed

• The Project Lead must have good decision making skills. This is because although the Project Champion is present to help the Project lead, the final decision lies on the lead. It is the Project Lead that will navigate the challenges to the project as and when they come by. Only few challenges will be escalated to the Project Champion.

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