Integrating Project Management Principles into a Six Sigma Project System

  Manufacturing   Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)   Knowledge Shelf  

Manufacturers and transactional firms share a drive to lower costs, reduce cycle time, and offer a diverse product mix as they pursue higher profit and increased market share in an ever growing global environment. Consumers (those paying for the end product) want products that are cheaper, readily available, and of a quality that meets their expectations. Contemporary firms look for ways to reduce costs as a method to becoming more efficient and competing in today’s marketplace. Each firm needs to maintain a balanced project portfolio: projects that will create revenue and reduce costs.

Systems like TQM (total quality management), TPM (total product management), TQC (total quality control), SSS (Six Sigma system), and CTQ (critical to quality) are implemented to address an organization’s efficiency by focusing on reducing the costs of the process or improving the manufacturability of the product line. These systems rely on teams of people to identify the voice of the customer (both internal and external), taking into account the organization’s competencies.

 Systems are developed to help guide the efforts of creating new products; reducing product costs, improving manufacturing or organizational capabilities; realizing new market share; or entering new markets. Focusing on the gaps between what organizations are doing and what the customer …

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