1. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
National Guard
Black Belt Training
Module 54
Sustain the Gain
UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO

2. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
CPI Roadmap – Control
8-STEP PROCESS
6. See
1.Validate 2. Identify 3. Set 4. Determine 5. Develop 7. Confirm 8. Standardize
Counter-
the Performance Improvement Root Counter- Results Successful
Measures
Problem Gaps Targets Cause Measures & Process Processes
Through
Define Measure Analyze Improve Control
TOOLS
ACTIVITIES
•KPIs/Metrics
• Implement Mistake Proofing
•Control Charts & SPC
• Develop SOP’s, Training Plan, Process
•Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s)
Controls
•Training Plan
• Implement Solution
•Communication Plan
• Establish Ongoing Process Measurements
•Implementation Plan
• Identify Project Replication Opportunities
•Process Control / Response Plans
• Estimate Final Financial/Operational Benefits
•Visual Process Control Tools
• Transition Project to Process Owner
•Project Replication
• Develop Audit/Response Plan
•Project Commissioning
• Create Final Storyboard
•Storyboards
• Complete Control Tollgate
•Team Feedback Session
Note: Activities and tools vary by project. Lists provided here are not necessarily all-inclusive. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO

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Learning Objectives
 Comprehend the concepts of:
 Process Management
 Project Transition
 Project Commissioning
 Translation Opportunities
 The Sustain Gate Review
 Project Closeout
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 3

4. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
National Guard
Black Belt Training
Process Management
UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO

5. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Maintaining Improvements
 Lean Six Sigma and
Design for Lean Six
Sigma are the catalysts
for identifying and
implementing process Design/
Lean
and product Six Sigma
Redesign
For Lean
improvements in your Improvement
Six Sigma
work place
Lean
 Six Sigma Process Six Sigma
Process
Management is the Management
management structure
that will maintain the
hard won gains
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 5

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Executing Process Management
 Identify process owner(s)
 Develop initial process management charts
 Set up regular, on-going review cycle
 Determine criteria for process dashboards
 Establish mechanism for ensuring performance to business
goals
 Update measures to meet customer requirements
 Ensure process stability through “quick response”
 Institutionalize
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 6

7. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Process Management Chart – Elements
 Process Map
 Deployment format is best
 Show interfaces to other processes
 Use annotation and reference notes
 Monitoring
 What‟s the measure (not every step)?
 What‟s the requirement or standard?
 How‟s the data gathered?
 Response Plan
 How do we take quick action?
 What‟s our path for moving to DMAIC?
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 7

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Process Management Chart
A Process Management Chart is a comprehensive document
used to communicate and manage a process
 Three elements:
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Process Management Chart - Example
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Institutionalization
 Promote the necessary cultural attitudes and beliefs
 Change systems and structures to drive the new
behaviors
 Personnel, Management Information System (MIS),
Training, etc.
Fundamental changes in daily
behavior, attitude and practice that
make the change “permanent”
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Institutionalization (Cont.)
 All hard work in a project means nothing if change has not
taken place
 Change takes place on three levels:
 Political, Emotional, Practical
 The price of change is paid for in one of two ways:
 During the project with proper planning, securing buy-in from process
owners up, improvements which have beneficial impact to bottom line
OR
 After with “Not-Invented-Here” syndrome, confusion, and problems
 Identify Stakeholders! These may not be your process
owners
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 11

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Timeline For Project Close-Out
8-Step Methodology 2 months after 6 months after
Commissioning Commissioning
‘DMAI’ Phases ‘C’ontrol Phase Meeting Meeting
Transition to Final Close- Transition Final
Process Owner Out Review Result
(Commissioning Meeting Meeting Review
Meeting) (Team Meeting
members)
Process Management
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 12

13. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
National Guard
Black Belt Training
Transition to
Process Owner
UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO

14. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Transition to Process Owners
 A Control Plan “lives on” once a Belt moves onto a different project
 It can include:
 Final Charter
 Analysis Summary
 What was measured?
 Root cause summary
 Improvements Summary
 Revised „To-Be‟ Process Map
 Specific solutions, by root cause
 Results of Pilot, if done
 Resource Benefits Summary
 Implementation Plan
 Risk analysis
 Process control plan
 Training plan
 Communication plan
 Implementation work plan
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What’s In It for the Process Owner?
 Part of the planning process (i.e., engaged with the team as
the “process owner”)
 Had a neutral party (BB) work as a resource in their
organization for several months
 Able to provide essential direction and process knowledge
during project life
 Improves their ability to manage the process since BB has moved on
 For successful projects, this should make their process more
efficient and improve morale of their department
 Act as facilitator for Project Close-out to transition
responsibilities
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 15

16. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Project Commissioning – Project Ownership
 Project Commissioning is a transition process with timing and actions
planned to ensure sustaining the improved process performance.
 It begins with a Commissioning Meeting to establish timing,
expectations and responsibilities.
 It continues with a Transition Review Meeting, usually two
months after the Commissioning Meeting, to review resource
benefits and status of mainstream process improvements
implementation
 It then culminates with a Final Results Meeting, usually six
months after the Commissioning Meeting, to review resource
benefits and improved process health
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17. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Project Commissioning – Red Carpet Event
 Project Commissioning is the most critical action in the
Control Phase
 It is the formal transfer of improvement leadership from
the Belt to the Process Owner (sometimes this is
accomplished immediately before or after the Pilot)
 A Belt‟s project leadership concludes with the
Commissioning Meeting
 The focus of the meeting is the Process Owner
assuming responsibility for carrying out any remaining
implementation steps and sustaining the gains made
by the team‟s improvement efforts
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Participants in the Commissioning Meeting
The following should be present at the meeting:
 Process Owner
 The Belt
 Project Sponsor
 Deployment Director (if available)
 Master Black Belt (if available)
 Additional attendees (e.g. team members) are at the
discretion of the Belt and/or the Process owner
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19. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Commissioning Meeting Content
The meeting must include a review for agreement
on the following:
 Fulfillment of the Project Charter
 Activation of the Control Plan
 Summary of Recommended Improvements
 Include acceptance of improvements by
sponsor/process owner and their implementation
status
 Any improvements accepted but not yet implemented
should be assigned an implementation date and owner
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Issue Resolution
 Remember that during the Improve Phase, the
Project Sponsor and Process Owner reviewed all
proposed improvements
 Issues were identified for resolution
 If any issues still exist following the Commissioning
Meeting, the Belt, Project Sponsor, Process Owner,
and Deployment Director will meet to resolve them
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Transition Review Meeting - Example
 Purpose
 Review two month status of benefits and status of implementation
 Agenda
 Review benefits realized against forecasted estimates
 Progress of implementation and adherence to the Control Plan
under the leadership of the Process Owner will also be reviewed
 Timing
 Scheduled by the Project Sponsor two months following the
Commissioning Meeting
 Attendees
 Resource Representatives, Master Black Belt, Project Sponsor,
Process Owner and the Belt
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Final Results Meeting - Example
 Purpose
 Review six month status of benefits and review process health in
meeting scheduled by the Project Sponsor six months after
Commissioning Meeting
 Agenda
 Review benefits realized against forecasted estimates
 Process Owner will address any implementation issues and report on
process health
 Attendees
 Resource Representatives, Deployment Director/Master Black Belt,
Project Sponsor, Process Owner and the Belt
 Reporting
 The Master Black Belt or Deployment Director will communicate the
meeting minutes to the appropriate executives for their information
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 22

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Tollgate Checklist – Sustain
 Process Performance – Has the Process improvement been
sustained?
 Are the KPIVs and KPOVs under control and capable?
 Is the Control plan still in place and controlling?
 Business Performance – have the results been achieved?
 What impact has been achieved?
 Is the impact "in control"?
 Has any other organizational metric deteriorated since the KPOVs
improved?
 What is the demonstrated resource impact of the project as
agreed to by the Resource Manager?
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24. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Tollgate Checklist – Sustain (Cont.)
 Project Close Out – Can we close out and certify
the project?
 Have all loose ends from the project been addressed?
 Does the local Process Owner agree that the project
met all its objectives identified in the Define Phase?
 Are there any changes in the process which affect the
original, desired outcome? If so, what are these?
 If other factors are affecting the process, does the
process owner agree that on a like-basis, the final
goals of the project were achieved?
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25. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Tollgate Checklist – Sustain (Cont.)
 Project Close Out – Can we close out and certify
the project? (Cont.)
 Has an appropriate reward recommendation been
submitted?
 What new Best Practices were identified during the
Project?
 How have the new Best Practices been documented
and communicated?
 Has the final technical report been submitted?
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 25

26. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
National Guard
Black Belt Training
Replication
Opportunities
UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO

27. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Replication Opportunities
 Identify key learnings and data from this project that
may be useful in other areas, or for other projects
 Data about upstream process (Input) measures
 Data on problem areas outside your team‟s scope, but
important to the organization
 Reduction of waste and non-value added activities
 Better utilization of resources
 Benchmarking information
 User requirements
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 27

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Replication Opportunities (Cont.)
 Use information from pilots:
 Best practices
 Lessons learned
 Cost reduction
 Revenue enhancement
 Cultural influences
 Documentation of “new” process
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 28

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Pick One of These Three Projects...
 Brainstorm ideas on how to replicate aspects of this project to other
parts of your organization. Does not have to be in the same
organization. Think benchmarking!!
 Your project delivered $150,000 of savings by reducing the
number of unsuccessful delivery attempts by identifying their
needs and preferred delivery mode
 Your project reduced $100,000 in software spending by
standardizing acquisition processes
 Your project reduced rework by establishing owners accountable
to maintain and update data
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30. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Project Replication Template
Replication Project/Best Practice Candidate: This completed project is being submitted as a candidate
for replication. This project has achieved benefits and contains the appropriate level of documentation to
enable another practitioner in another DoD organization to replicate part or all of the project with a minimal
amount of effort vs. benefit, which will provide an additional return on investment to DoD.
 Required documentation & benefits before submitting as a replication candidate:
 Project Charter
 High level Process Map or SIPOC
 FMEA or Fishbone Diagram
 Implementation Plan
 Control Plan and Training Plan
 Demonstrated Quality, Cost, or Speed improvements (i.e., SQL, ROI/Savings, PLT, PCE….)
 This project may have replication potential within these DoD organizations:
 Organization 1
 Organization 2
 …
Recommended
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31. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
National Guard
Black Belt Training
Project Closeout
UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO

32. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Lessons Learned
 Every improvement effort offers a lesson
 It is what we do with these lessons that matters
 For successful projects, we want to document our
efforts and conclusions to repeat the success
 If not successful, we want to document what went
wrong to prevent repeating the same mistakes
 The availability of this type of information can greatly
accelerate future efforts
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33. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Final Project Analysis
 Primary purpose is to identify what aspects of the project
went well, what went poorly, and what needs improvement
 The end of a project offers a window of opportunity to learn
from the many things that went right and wrong over a
project‟s duration
 Unfortunately, many firms they do not take full advantage of this
opportunity
 Research indicates that post-project review activities play an
instrumental role in feeding forward learning and improving
overall project performance
 Secondary purpose is to provide closure to a project
Source: Harvard Business School “Learning from Projects:
Note on Conducting a Postmortem Analysis”, Sept 1999
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34. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
The Project Close-Out Meeting
 Takes place after the project is complete
 Most projects never quite finish, but most projects do have a point
when the majority of participants feel like they are “done” – don‟t
wait too long
 Length: 1-8 hours
 Who Should Attend?
 Everyone who was involved in the project
 If inviting everyone makes the group too large, consider having
mini-meetings with people who worked on specific parts of the
project. Representatives from each of these meetings can then
attend the final close-out meeting
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Project Close-Out Meeting (Cont.)
 Assign a Facilitator
 A neutral person – ideally someone who was not involved in the
project and has no reason to be involved in the discussion
 This person will be in charge of the process to make sure:
 People stay on topic
 No one is personally attacked (keep comments constructive)
 The agenda items are covered
 Everyone is equally involved in the discussion
 Time is watched closely
 Assign a Recorder to capture all discussion on flipcharts
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36. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Final Project Close-Out Meeting Prep
 Prepare an Agenda with Time Limits
 Agenda items
 Reconstruction of the timeline for the project, the team members,
and percentage of their time contributed to the project, project
metrics
 Listing which aspects of the project went poorly
 Suggesting what should be done differently for future projects
 Listing what went well
 Brainstorming recommendations for future projects
 Distribute Pre-Work at Least One Week Prior to the Meeting
 Agenda with instructions to prepare for each agenda item
(e.g., tasks and duration, what went poorly, what went well)
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37. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Final Project Meeting
 This information can likely be generated ahead of
time and posted for review
 Project Timeline
 Tasks and responsible team members
 Percentage of time required to complete tasks
 Project metrics
 Output represents good project closure information
 Discuss what went right and what could have been
done better
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38. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Project Close-Out Meeting – Next Steps
 Document the meeting
 Include all the information recorded during the
meeting
 Before publishing the document, give everyone
involved a chance to review and propose changes
 Publish and distribute the document
 This can be also used to transition to Process Owners
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 38

39. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Keys to a Successful Project Close-Out
Be Inclusive
 Include all disciplines, participants, and stakeholders
Be Self-Critical
 Participants should check their egos at the door. The postmortem
will find “flaws” with processes and team members who executed (or
failed to execute) aspects of the project
Be Professional
 Discussions should cover a broad range of team issues and dynamics,
including process and service issues. However, it should not under
any circumstances become personal.
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Keys to a Successful Project Close-Out
 Be Factual
 Documentation and data should be included in both the discussions and
in the final report. Future projects will find it valuable to learn from
project metrics and other project management data. The postmortem
provides a good process for gathering that information and including it in
the report.
 Be Brief
 Suggestions and commentary in the final report should be brief and
agreed to by broad consensus. Although dozens or more issues will
surface during the postmortem process, the next project will benefit more
from a small number of very specific suggestions.
 Find Incentive for Team to complete lessons learned/final
meeting close-out as this is a critical part of CPI learning
 Celebrate!
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 40

41. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Future Projects Template
 Based on the outcome of this project, the following is a list of “possible
areas of concern” and will result in LSS Projects.
 PQDR Process
- Example -
 QAR Surveillance Process
 QAR Training Process
 MRB Corrective Action Process
 NDT Process
Optional Deliverable
41
UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO

42. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
Takeaways
Now you should be able to
 Explain Process Management
 Describe how to Transition to Process Owner(s)
 Describe what is involved in Project Commissioning
 Describe what Translation Opportunities are
 Describe the Sustain Gate Review
 Explain what is meant by Project Closeout
Project Closeout and Sustaining the Gains UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO 42

43. UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO
What other comments or questions
do you have?
UNCLASSIFIED / FOUO