Page 1 of 7
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WORKSHEET
Attached is a six-page worksheet in Gantt Chart format. It is designed to guide managers in drafting a comprehensive
initial plan for implementing a Six Sigma Continuous Improvement Process in their organizations. The worksheet is by no
means comprehensive; managers and planning teams are encouraged to edit and add to it as necessary to result in an
appropriate plan for their unique operation.
More specifically, leaders and planning committees are encouraged to review and refine the attached document, then:
1. Eliminate steps that don’t apply;
2. Add steps that do apply;
3. For each agreed-upon action step, assign responsibilities (champions); and
4. Mark an “X” in the appropriate plan month column to designate a target date for completion,
initiation, or check point of progress for each action step.
Once the initial implementation plan is complete and agreed upon, managers and planning teams are encouraged to
schedule priority time to monitor actual progress versus the plan, and to update the plan as appropriate, on a routine basis.
Copyright 2008. James F. Leonard (jim.leonard@juno.com).
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CUSTOMER RELATIONS
Action Steps
List major customers
“Champion”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Months
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Develop systems to define
customer needs (eg., survey)
Define customers needs and key
measures of those needs
Determine key measures for major
(value adding) processes
Determine value-adding process
capabilities (or baselines)
Develop feedback system to and
from customers
Inform customers of process
capabilities and improvements
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Involve customer representatives in
internal improvement projects
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2008. James F. Leonard (jim.leonard@juno.com).
Page 3 of 7
TRAINING
Action Steps
Complete initial training for key
managers
“Champion”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Months
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Select “training coordinator”
List potential in-house resources
(trainers, facilitators, “statisticians”)
Provide Process Improvement tools
training for
> Initial project teams
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> Other groups
Train initial project teams and inhouse resources in
> Team Process
> Intermediate tools (SPC)
> Root cause analysis
> Design of Experiments (DOE)
Draft organization-wide training plan
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2008. James F. Leonard (jim.leonard@juno.com).
Page 4 of 7
PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND TEAMS
Action Steps
List potential projects
“Champion”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Months
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Select and define first projects
(purpose, scope, expected results)
Select team members and provide
initial training
Draft procedure for selecting, defining,
and managing future project teams
Implement process for reviewing and
nurturing future project teams
Establish system to communicate
project teams’ progress, results
Initiate more projects
Require and support application of
statistical methods in functional areas
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2008. James F. Leonard (jim.leonard@juno.com).
Page 5 of 7
SUPPLIER RELATIONS
Action Steps
List major suppliers
“Champion”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Months
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Define key measures for major
suppliers’ products and services
Inform suppliers of key measures
Measure and communicate suppliers’
recent past performance versus the
key measures
Draft and implement Supplier
Relations Program
Inform suppliers of requirements:
 Applying Six Sigma methods
 Evidence of stable, capable
processes
Involve supplier rep’s in internal
process improvement projects
Drop suppliers who aren’t making
measurable progress
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reduce incoming inspection
Copyright 2008. James F. Leonard (jim.leonard@juno.com).
Page 6 of 7
MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
Action Steps
List what we need to know about
major processes (outputs, key measures)
“Champion”
List what we know now about the
key measures
Perform repeatability studies on
existing measurement processes
Plan improvements to current
measurement processes
Implement routine data collection
and reporting systems
Systematically communicate status
and progress (vs. the key measures)
Implement audit/calibration systems to
hold gains
Schedule consulting for review of progress:
 Versus implementation plan
 Training
 Assistance to project teams and internal
resource personnel
Copyright 2008. James F. Leonard (jim.leonard@juno.com).
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Months
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
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COMMUNICATION
Action Steps
Define Six Sigma purpose and draft
initial implementation plan
“Champion”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Months
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Communicate Six Sigma purpose,
plan, and “proof of the need”
Implementation procedures for getting
employees’ input, suggestions
(eg., survey)
Implement system for continuing
communication of status, progress,
success stories
Provide for systematic communication of progress to external
customers and suppliers
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2008. James F. Leonard (jim.leonard@juno.com).