Prerequisites | Lean Sigma: A Practitioners Guide

This book is specifically aimed at a project-based approach to process improvement. In order to ensure a usable text, it will be necessary to make some basic assumptions before leading up to the projectin particular, the existence of the following:

A clear business reason to do the project.^[1]
^[1] The chapters on Project Identification and Selection in Stephen A. Zinkgraf's book, Six SigmaThe First 90 Days, will certainly help set the stage here (Prentice Hall PTR, ISBN: 0131687409).
A Project Leader (usually referred to as a Black Belt or Green Belt, depending on the level of training) to lead the project. It is usually best to have a Belt that is not from the functional groups impacted by the project if at all possiblethat way, the Belt has no preconceived notions of solution and can be relied upon to look at the process with a fresh set of eyes.
A Team comprised of people who live and breathe the process every day. Lean Sigma is certainly a team sport and should not be viewed as a "gladiator" undertaking. There should be no hero mentality to solution of process problems.
A committed Champion to remove potential roadblocks.^[2]
^[2] The role of the Champion is clearly outlined in Chapter 8, "Defining the Six Sigma Infrastructure" in Stephen A.Zinkgraf's book, Six SigmaThe First 90 Days.
Time made available for the Team to complete the project, both for the Belt and the Team. If this is not the case, failure is just a few short weeks away.

These elements are absolutely necessary, but in this book I will not spend any more time on them because the focus here will be on the problem-solving roadmap itself and the tools therein.

Another significant assumption here is that the Project Leader will have gone through some basic Lean Sigma or Six Sigma training to at least Green Belt level. It is possible to complete a project just on this text alone, but the intent is for this book to be a practical support guide as opposed to a technical teaching guide. I will endeavor to reference key technical texts throughout.