See https://www.isixsigma.com/implementation/basics/maturity-model-describes-stages-six-sigma-evolution/
The five levels:
- Level 1: Launch. 3-9 months.
- This is the starting point – wherein an initial few visionaries in the organization launch Six Sigma, training is initiated and projects are begun.
- Key challenge: Ensure that the initial team executing the Six Sigma effort has the necessary support in the organization, and to ensure proper project selection in order to drive successes at the next level.
- Level 2: Early Success. 6-18 months.
- The initial projects are yielding results and early successes are being achieved.
- Key challenge: Ensure that projects are completed in a reasonable time and that they have meaningful financial impact on the business.
- Level 3: Scale and Replication. 12-36 months.
- The early success has led to other parts of the organization buying in to Six Sigma and a broader launch of projects is under way.
- Key challenge: Ensure that the methodology is consistently applied in other parts of the company, and to ensure that financial impact and results are replicated.
- Level 4: Institutionalization. 24-48+ months.
- Throughout many parts of the company, projects are yielding broad-based financial impact.
- Key challenge: Set up consistent processes for Six Sigma execution, while allowing for controlled variation in different parts of the company.
- Level 5: Culture Transformation. 48+ months.
- Six Sigma is part of the organizational DNA, financial impact is sustained and the Six Sigma culture is pervasive – even beyond the Six Sigma practitioners and beyond the company boundaries.
- Key challenge: Keep Six Sigma fresh, and innovate in the new areas where it can be applied as the company inevitably goes through natural business cycles of growth, threat, acquisitions, etc.
| Level 1: Launch |
Level 2: Early Success |
Level 3: Scale/Replication |
Level 4: Institutionalization |
Level 5: Culture Transformation |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culture Change | - | - | - | - | DNA of Org.: Entire organization operates at a higher performance level; Six Sigma embedded in culture; extends to customers, vendors, supply chain, distribution chain |
| Beyond DMAC | - | - | - | DFS, Lean: DMAIC is mastered; but DFSS, Lean, Kaizen, etc. also are integral parts of the organization | IT, Product Dev: Six Sigma is being applied in spirit to all project portfolios – new products, IT projects |
| Strategy Maturing | - | - | Map, Goals: Creation of strategy maps to ensure that the mass of projects under way are aligned with corporate and organizational priorities | Project Roll-up: Strategy maps at corporate and organizational level; going beyond alignment, to actually launch projects to impact the strategic goals | Full Closed-Loop: Full closed-loop of strategy, to projects, to roll-up of project results, to organization’s strategic goals |
| Software | - | Excel, Stats: Focus is on statistical tools for the Belts | Project Tracking: Software goes beyond statistical tools to project tracking; consistent application of methodology and financial impact reporting is ensured | Portfolo Mgt.: Project tracking typically evolves to include knowledge management and portfolio management | Strategy + Portfolio: Integrated portfolio and strategy management across the enterprise; replacement of legacy applications by vendor applications |
| Reporting | Anecdotal | Aggregate, Average: No consistency yet, no roll-ups because number of projects is still small | Aggregate, Average: Enough projects completed so that average impact per project, per Belt, etc. can be predicted; aggregate impact across the organization is significant | Cross-org Comps.: Comparison of results for each organizational unit; aggregate corporate-wide results are reported | Multi-Year History: Comparison of results for each organizational unit routinely done; aggregate corporate-wide results are reported |
| Financial Impact | Ad hoc: None yet, no projects completed | Cost Reduction: Initial results are having some impact; usually focused on cost reduction | Consistency, EP: Consistent measures of impact are in place | Validation: Strict controls in place to ensure validation of results; measures evolve to include revenue impact | General Ledger: Strict controls in place to ensure validation of results; measures include revenue impact |
| Project Selection | Burning Platform: Usually a burning platform provides focus; but need to avoid "boiling the ocean"; need to manage excessive expectations | Low Hanging: Low-hanging fruit (easy to identify projects that will yield significant results) are plentiful | Copy Success: Usually replication of the patterns of success already done (similar projects for similar problems in plants/distribution centers, etc.) | Idea Pipeline: Formal idea-generation/evaluation process in place to ensure continued flow of meaningful projects; no more low-hanging fruit | Formalized Eval.: Formal idea-generation/evaluation process in place to ensure continued flow of meaningful projects |
| People | Driven Few: A few driven believers, rest of the organization mostly skeptical | More Believers: Initial results are helpful; but most of the organization still waiting to see if this will affect them | Career Development: Six Sigma now seen as a career development path; change agents throughout the organization see a platform that works | Repatriated: Initial Black Belt waves have been repatriated, with enhanced career prospects and positions in the organization | Majority: Initial Black Belt waves have been repatriated, have risen in career stature and positions in the organization |
| Training | Champion, Exec.: Executive buy-in via external trainers; Champion training; initial Black Belts identified and trained | External: A few waves are completed, usually still external | External, Custom: Many waves across the company; often external trainers; content is customized to the company | Internal, e-Learnning: Very large scale; usually internalized, use of in-house Master Black Belts as trainers; e-learning is used for scale | Internal, Speciality: Very large scale; usually internalized, use of in-house Master Black Belts as trainers; e-learning is used for scale |
| Leadership Support | 1 or 2 Visionaries: Initial visionaries needed to provide impetus for adoption – top-down or bottom-up | Validated: The initial projects that are completed validate the vision of the leadership | Across Company: Decision to drive Six Sigma throughout the company; leadership across the company buys in | Expected: Top leadership across the business units, geographies and divisions are all expected to be Six Sigma supporters | Ingrained: Top leadership across the business units, geographies and divisions are all expected to be Six Sigma supporters |