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A Key Six Sigma Role " The Champion"

Champions are senior level managers who are assigned to support Six Sigma programs and Black Belts. Champions help remove barriers facing Black Belts, choose projects for them to work on, and ensure gains from improved processes are maintained. Champion training provides an overview of Six Sigma and prepares them to guide and assist Black Belts. Champions also work with process owners to ensure improvements are sustained and regularly report on project progress to senior management. A Champion's support is crucial to establishing a sustainable Six Sigma infrastructure within a company.

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Salvador Peña Ugalde
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100 views1 page

A Key Six Sigma Role " The Champion"

Champions are senior level managers who are assigned to support Six Sigma programs and Black Belts. Champions help remove barriers facing Black Belts, choose projects for them to work on, and ensure gains from improved processes are maintained. Champion training provides an overview of Six Sigma and prepares them to guide and assist Black Belts. Champions also work with process owners to ensure improvements are sustained and regularly report on project progress to senior management. A Champion's support is crucial to establishing a sustainable Six Sigma infrastructure within a company.

Uploaded by

Salvador Peña Ugalde
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A Key Six Sigma Role “ The Champion”

Even the most dedicated Six Sigma Black Belt can’t


function without the backing of a supportive corporate
infrastructure. That’s why many companies that take their
Six Sigma programs seriously also assign and train Six
Sigma Champions.

"Champions are people whose role is to ensure that the


barriers are removed," explained. They’re at a higher
level. Champions are a very important key to your Six
Sigma success! Champions are as important as Black
Belts (maybe more so). Their higher position in the
company, they have the influence, or the ability
to influence, decisions. They smooth the Black Belts’ way by eliminating obstacles
involving capital, support, corporate red tape, and other issues the Black Belts can not
resolve.

Champion training, which typically lasts five days, as compared to the Black Belts’ four
weeks, gives Champions an overview of the Six Sigma problem-solving process and
prepares them for their roles as the Black Belts’ guides, mentors, and assistants.
Usually, Champions are trained before the Black Belts, so that they have a chance to
assess the areas of the company most in need of problem solving, and come up with a
list of projects for the Black Belts to do. Champions choose the projects and get them
approved. One company has this rule – When a Black Belt has a problem with a
project, he has 24 hours to remove the obstacle - after that, the Champion is involved to
remove the barriers.

Another “Key” role where Champions serves Six Sigma well is – It’s the Champion that
works with the “Process Owners” – usually checking (improved processes) to make
sure the gains made by the efforts of the Black Belts are maintained. In well run Six
Sigma programs – The Champions receive reports monthly from Black Belts and
quarterly from process owners. These are reports are forwarded (quarterly) up the line
to senior management on all progress (or lack of it) on Black Belt projects – Starting – in
process – completed – gains made – problems found – etc. etc.

The ASQ approach to developing a sustainable infrastructure utilizes the classic “Six
Sigma Curriculum” while training companies how to deploy Six Sigma throughout their
entire organization. The quality goal of the successful Champions are to use Six Sigma
techniques wisely within an infrastructure that creates products or services that are
improved, less costly, and more timely. Without a Champion or senior management
involved in Six Sigma – it becomes “another game” – I would advise against considering
a Six Sigma Initiative – Unless you have the support of an solid infrastructure.

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