When Six Sigma is implemented into the operations of an organization, it brings about great improvement. However, after completion of the project, it is necessary for ongoing improvement steps to be taken to assure the company is able to maintain a competitive edge. The tough business conditions of today mandate that companies stay on their toes or else they’ll fall behind. Though Six Sigma brings improvement, the final results are not always as good as expected in terms of customer satisfaction and employee morale. This brings to the fore that there are issues and conditions that need to be inspected in order for there to be a continued success of the program.

For Six Sigma to be successful, there must be a strong foundation of support among all employees and management. All team members must understand the clear goals of the business as well as its current state. A common mistake made during implementation is the setting of timeframes and schedules which are not feasible. The result is that the time schedules are honored, but certain activities and processes which must be completed correctly and carefully are overlooked. This produces a result that seems like a speedy job, but the greater goals have not been achieved.

For the Six Sigma project deployment to be successful in a real sense, the aim should be to achieve a common objective shared by all. A team cannot bring about change in a short timespan. They have to communicate well to get the support of everyone involved. Further, they need to ensure that the pace of improvement activities is maintained. The entire workforce has to be galvanized to come together to achieve progress. If the systemic constraints that limited progress in the older system are not eliminated, new roadmaps, tools and techniques cannot make miracles. This would be a case of new vision with old constraints – making it difficult to achieve anything. Such roadblocks should be addressed in the beginning of the project, which will help boost morale and provide momentum to overcome all types of hurdles throughout the organization.

Any time an initiative is undertaken, it must produce a measurable benefit economically. Careful attention must be paid to assure that the metrics of the program are directly related to bottom line results. A sure plan for success of any project incorporates the dividing of the project into smaller projects. This will allow short term goals to be defined and achieved, boosting the confidence and morale of the team.

Strong leadership in an organization is important as well, and is not defined by quantity, but quality. If change is to come to the company, each project needs to have leaders who can stimulate breakthroughs and transform cultures. Minimizing risk and bringing efficient change must be the goal. Upper management must understand and addresse these issues if expected results are to be achieved by the Six Sigma deployment.