April 29, 2022
Lean Six Sigma and Project Management certifications are two of the most sought-after certifications today by many professionals. The convergence of these two discipline isn't frequently talked about in training sessions. Many people think that these two subjects are "rivals" and can't be used at the same time. Well, in this article, we're going to dispel this myth by telling the story of our alumnus, Mr. Ediner M. Leaño, PMP, LSSGB
Prior to his Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt and Green Belt trainings, Ediner started his career as a Project Analyst with a project scope that amounted to £15,000. After earning his Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training, Ediner was promoted to Project Manager, handling project scope amounted to £200,000! It was during this time that Ediner decided to pursue another certification: the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.
This is where Ediner found the connection between Lean Six Sigma and Project Management, contrary to the common notion that the two are in contrast with each other. According to Ediner, Lean Six Sigma taught him to use statistical techniques in solving problems that helped him in his projects no matter how big or small they were.
Apart from this, according to Frank T. Anbari in his paper Six sigma method and its applications in project management (2002), Lean Six Sigma has applications in the following areas of project management:
- Scope
- Time
- Cost
-
Quality
In Scope, Lean Six Sigma will help enforce clear definitions and boundaries within the project. For Time, Lean Six Sigma keeps deadlines strict so the project will not have any risk. In terms of Cost, Lean Six Sigma can imply absolute budgets while carefully enforcing cost controls and forecasting. For Quality, Lean Six Sigma would impose unyielding yet realistic quality targets, selection of standards and KPIs, and an effective assessment of capabilities across the organization or business process.
In short, Lean Six Sigma provides a problem-solving framework through which continuous improvement can be achieved in a project while also reducing defects or mistakes and maximizing customer value. On the other side of the coin, Project Management equips individuals with skills on how to lead and direct a team, use a set of processes to effectively plan, and orchestrate and control complex projects. They work together to achieve project success and completion for the benefit of both the organization and the customer.
Ediner earned the confidence of his superiors and the organization, so he was given more complex and intensive projects within the company. He was also able to grow his skills and his career - all thanks to Lean Six Sigma and Project Management certifications!
"It's natural to stumble in projects, but we should manage to stand up, learn and continue to march towards reaching the goal of the project. Combining the Lean Six Sigma and Project Management knowledge is a lethal combination." - Ediner