Six Sigma | Chapter 3 - Setting Up A Project Flashcards
What are the important concepts for the Six Sigma Green Belt when managing Team Dynamics? (Hint - 7)
- Initiating teams
- Stages of team evolution
- Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
- Herzberg’s theory of motivators and hygiene factors
- Handling conflicts and conflict intensity
- Management / Leadership styles
- Roles played by people in a project
What are 9 types of project management and planning tools?
- Brainstorming
- Nominal Group Technique (NGT)
- Force Field Analysis
- Multivoting
- PERT/CPM
- Network Analysis
- Crashing
- Affinity Diagram
- PDPC chart
The project charter is the document issued by who?
The project initiator OR sponsor
What does a project charter need to include?
- The business need that the project was undertaken to address
- The project description
Why is a project charter used?
The project charter is used to formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
Creation of the project charter from a Six Sigma project perspective includes several issues that need to be discussed and negotiated by relevant stakeholders. Some important issues which need to be negotiated include what?
- Objectives : Quantifiable criteria that must be met for the project to be considered successful
- Scope: This is a measure of the work required to complete the project successfully.
- Boundaries: Project boundary states explicitly what is in scope and what is out of scope of the project
- Resources: While creating the project charter, critical resources (including people and funding required) are negotiated to ensure that appropriate resources are available.
- Project closure activities
- Project transition activities
What are the 3 elements of initiating teams?
- Clear purpose and goals
- Roles and responsibilities
- Management support and team empowerment
What are the 6 stages of team evolution? (Hint: Lots of rhyming)
- Forming : Team members begin to know each other and their reason for being together. Usually, there is confusion around roles and responsibilities. This stage includes avoidance of conflict as team members get to know each other.
- Storming: As team members get to know each other, there is growing awareness of hidden agendas and if goals are not well defined, conflict may occur. Although there is conflict, typically there is advancement in task functions and roles.
- Norming: Individual needs for getting tasks done leads to resolution of conflicts and a desire for cooperation. This stage is marked by harmonious cohesiveness as team members engage in free flow of information, ideas and constructive feedback.
- Performing: During this stage, the team becomes truly collaborative. All team members share similar objectives and work towards the successful implementation of the project. There is a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment as objectives are achieved.
- Adjourning: Either after completion of tasks or changes team members leave for other tasks, or new members are hired. There may be discontent with doing the same repetitive tasks, and unless the group is consciously redeveloped, it will regress to Forming / Storming stages.
- Recognition: This stage is towards the end of the project, where objectives are achieved and the project team and its members get recognition for their performance.
T/F | The stages of team evolution are in the following order: forming, norming, storming, performing, adjourning, recognition.
FALSE. Stages are forming, STORMING, norming, performing, adjourning, recognition. its FSNPAR
How many stages are in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? What are they?
5 Stages:
- Physiological
- Safety
- Social
- Esteem
- Self-Actualization
What are examples of hygiene factors in Herzbergs Theory?
- Company Policy
- Supervision
- Interpersonal Relations
- Working Conditions
- Salary
What was the two-dimensional paradigm in Herzbergs Theory?
The absence of hygiene factors could create job DISSATISFACTION, but their presence did not motivate or create SATISFACTION.
What are examples of motivators in Herzbergs Theory?
- Achievement
- Recognition
- The Work Itself
- Responsibility
- Advancement
T/F | Hygiene factors are “satisfiers” and motivators are “dissatisfiers” in Herzbergs Theory.
FALSE.
Motivators = Satisfier & Hygiene = Dissatisfier
In Herzbergs Theory, satisfiers and dissatisfiers relate to which of the following: tasks performed or the context/environment the tasks are performed.
Satisfiers relate to the tasks being performed. Dissatisfiers, on the other hand, relate to the context or environment in which the task is being performed.
(The satisfiers related to what a person did while the dissatisfiers related to the situation in which the person performed his tasks).
Blake and Mouton have delineated how many modes for handling conflicts? What are they?
- Withdrawal: retreating or withdrawing from a potential disagreement.
- Smoothing: de-emphasizing or avoiding areas of difference and emphasizing areas of agreement.
- Compromising: bargaining and searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to the parties in a dispute. Characterized by a “give and take” attitude.
- Forcing: exerting one’s viewpoint at the expense of another. Often characterized by competitiveness and a win-lose situation.
- Confrontation: facing the conflict directly, which involves a problem- solving approach, whereby affected parties work out their disagreements.
What are common issues that create conflicts in project teams?
- Schedules
- Priorities
- Manpower
- Technical issues
- Administration
- Personality conflict
- Cost
Reorder these from most to least conflict creating intensity in project teams:
- Technical issues
- Cost
- Manpower
- Schedules
- Administration
- Priorities
- Personality conflict
- Schedules
- Priorities
- Manpower
- Technical issues
- Administration
- Personality conflict
- Cost
What are factors that influence the type of management or leadership style for a team?
Selecting the appropriate leadership style should be determine by factors such as team composition and team objectives.
How many management/leadership styles are there? What are they?
- Autocratic (manager makes decisions himself - allows subordinates little involvement and discussion before a decision is made)
- Laissez faire (manager does not interfere with subordinates - so subordinates are largely unsupervised; may lead to anarchy)
- Democratic (manager allows subordinates to discuss issues and reach decisions although he will guide and advise)
- Discussing (two-way communication and discussion between manager and subordinates)
- Directing (managers tell people what tasks will be performed and when and how they will be done)
- Delegating
- Coaching (providing instruction to others)
- Facilitating (coordinating inputs from several sources before taking a decision)
- Participatory
- Supportive
- Task-oriented
- Team-based
- Assertive
What are the two types of roles played by people in a project?
People can either fill constructive or destructive roles in a project.
When brainstorming what is the validation method?
Methods such as multi-voting are used to validate and rank the ideas generated.
What is NGT?
Nominal Group Technique
Who developed NGT?
Delbecq, Van de Ven, and Gustafson in 1971
What technique facilitates decision-making and organizational planning where creative solutions are sought. It is usually carried out early on in a Six Sigma project to get feedback and buy-in from team members about creative ideas in the team.
Nominal Group Technique (NGT)
NGT is used as a idea generating technique to accomplish what?
Prioritizing issues.
What is the general procedure in NGT?
1st. Generating Ideas: All the members of the team are asked to generate ideas and write them down without consulting others.
2nd. Recording Ideas: The inputs from all members are publicly displayed and each person is asked to provide more clarification about their feedback in a round-robin feedback session.
3rd. Discussing Ideas: Each recorded idea is then discussed to obtain clarification and evaluation. This is usually a repetitive process.
4th. Voting on Ideas: Individuals vote privately on the priority of ideas, and a group decision is made based on these ratings.
What are some of the benefits of NGT?
- Balances participation across members - reduces bias and conforming influence created in traditional interacting groups.
- Encourages participants to confront issues on a problem-solving basis rather than on a personal assault basis.
- Leads to a greater sense of accomplishment for all participants and more creative solutions.
Who developed Force Field Analysis?
Kurt Lewin
FFA can be used as an idea generating technique to accomplish what?
Can be used for getting alignment on all facets of a desired change. Since Six Sigma involves changes in the organization, force field analysis helps in effectively managing such changes.
What are the two forces for every proposed change in FFA?
There are both Driving Forces and Restraining Forces for every proposed change.
What are driving forces in force field analysis?
Driving forces: Driving forces tend to initiate a change and keep it going. This could include actions, skills, equipment, procedures, culture, people, etc. e.g. for a technical project, increased productivity, lowering of costs and decreased cycle time may be the driving forces.
What are restraining forces in force field analysis?
Restraining forces: Restraining forces tend to restrain or decrease the driving forces e.g. for a technical project, need for additional funding, training, and potential loss of jobs may be some restraining forces.
What is the objective of force field analysis?
The objective of force field analysis is to clearly identify the driving forces and restraining forces. Thereby we can try to maximize the driving forces for the changes and minimize the restraining forces.
Multi-voting is used as an idea generating technique to accomplish what?
Multivoting helps the group to narrow down the list of options which can be taken up for serious consideration or further study
What is the multi-voting process?
- Count the number of options and divide by 3 - this gives the number of potential votes per team member.
- Each of the team members is asked to vote on the list of options. They can spread their vote across the options depending on how important they think the solution to be. They can assign more than one vote to a particular option if they so desire.
- After getting votes from each individual member, all the votes are grouped and counted. The options which get the highest number of votes are taken up for further study.
PERT is used as a project planning tool to accomplish what?
Creating activity estimates when there is uncertainty with the individual activity estimates. PERT gives us an idea of what task/project should be done, then we decide sequencing from there.
What does PERT stand for?
Program Evaluation and Review Technique
What are the two types of PERT calculations?
- PERT calculation for a single task
- PERT calculation for more than one task*”
- Example, for a project in which all tasks lie on the critical path
What is the PERT calculation for one task, specifically the PERT Value?
(pessimistic + (4 * most likely) + optimistic) / 6
What is the PERT calculation for one task, specifically the Standard Deviation (Sigma)
(pessimistic - optimistic ) / 6
What is the PERT calculation for one task, specifically the Variance?
(Standard Deviation) ^ 2
What is the PERT calculation for more than one task, specifically the PERT Value?
Sum of PERT values of individual tasks
What is the PERT calculation for more than one task, specifically the Standard Deviation?
The square root of (sum of variances of all tasks)
What is the PERT calculation for more than one task, specifically the Variance?
Sum of variances of all the tasks
In PERT what is “Free Float”?
The amount of time for which an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of an activity that follows immediately.
In PERT what is “Project Float”?
The total amount of time for which a project can be delayed without delaying the externally exposed project completion date required by the customer or the sponsor.
T/F | In PERT, the shortest path is said to be the “critical path”.
FALSE. It is the LONGEST path that is the critical path.
What are the four task outcomes in PERT for task duration (D)?
- Early Start (ES)
2 Early Finish (EF)
- Late Start (LS)
- Late Finish (LF)
What is the calculation for Late Start, using task outcomes in PERT?
LS = LF-D
What is the calculation for Late Finish, using task outcomes in PERT?
LF = EF+D
What is the ES for task 1 of any network analysis?
ES for task 1 is always zero. There are no prior tasks so it can’t start any sooner in the network diagram.
How do you calculate the critical path?
Calculate the length of all tasks and add them up. The flow with the most days (or amount of time), is the critical path.
How do you calculate the slack for the critical path?
In the critical path LF - EF = LS - ES = 0
In the critical path slack is always zero.
How do you calculate project float?
Take the last finish and subtract from number of days customer wants.
Ex: If LF = 21 and customer wants project done in 25 days then project float is 25 - 21 = 4 days
T/F | Can project float be negative? What happens with negative project float?
TRUE. Project float can be negative. If this happens the project will crash or needs to be fast tracked.
What is Project Crashing?
Shortening (or expediting) some activities within a project to reduce overall project completion time and total project costs
What are the two criteria for crashing a project?
To crash, these questions must have YES as the answer:
- The activity is on the critical path
- Crashing the activity is cost-effective
How do you determine an activity is cost-effective?
Complete the calculation:
1st. (Normal Duration - Crash Duration) / (Normal Cost - Crash Cost)
2nd. Crash the cheapest cost/min task
Who developed Affinity Diagrams?
Kawakito Jiro
What are the steps for creating Affinity Diagrams?
- Jot down all ideas generated after a brainstorming session.
- Ask the team to group together ideas into relevant groups and subgroups.
- Use multi-voting to get inputs from all individuals about the groups and subgroups and in creating Affinity Diagrams
- Once the Affinity Diagram is created, it typically looks like an organization chart illustrating how the opinions and ideas are related to one another.
What is another name for Affinity Diagrams?
KJ Diagrams. Named after the creator Kawakito Jiro
What are affinity diagrams must similar to? How are they different?
KJ Diagrams are most similar to NGT (Nominal Group Technique) except at the end there is a diagram.
What is PDPC?
Process Decision Program Charts
What are PDPC charts used for?
Tool to map events and contingencies that may occur in any implementation plan.
The chart helps determine potential problems before they occur so that corrective action can take place.
What are the steps in the PDPC process?
- Select a team that is aware of the process and possible risks
- Create a flow chart illustrating the activities of a project plan; place them in a flow chart
- For each task in the plan, jot down what could possibly go wrong and mention that in the plan
- Determine possible explanations for, or solutions to, the problems identified.
Where are inputs from the PDPC valuable in a project?
Valuable in creating a Risk Management Plan or a Risk Mitigation plan in a project.
A document that formally authorizes a project is also referred to as :
1. Project Charter
2. Project Plan
3. PDPC chart
4. None of the above
- A project charter is a document that formally authorizes a project. (PMBOK) It includes:
- The business need that the project was undertaken to address
- The product description
All the following issues need to be negotiated in a project charter EXCEPT:
1. Objectives
2. Project Closure
3. Project Initiation
4. Project Boundaries
- Project Initiation
Some important issues which need to be negotiated in a project charter include:
- Objectives : Quantifiable criteria that must be met to for the project to be considered successful
- Scope: This is a measure of the work required to complete the project successfully
- Boundaries: Project boundary states explicitly what is in scope and what is out of scope for the project
- Resources: In creation of project charter, critical resources (including people and funding required) are negotiated to ensure that appropriate resources are available.
- Project closure activities
- Project transition activities
Which of the following is negotiated in a project charter?
1. Project Plan
2. Change Management Plan
3. Project Closure Activities
4. Project Risks
- Project Closure Activities.
Some important issues which need to be negotiated include Objectives, Boundaries, Resources, Project closure activities and Project transition activities
Statement of what is in scope and what is out of scope for the project is also called:
1. Objectives
2. Project Closure
3. Project Initiation
4. Boundaries
- Boundaries
Boundaries: Project boundary states explicitly what is in scope and what is out of scope for the project
In which stage of the project, is there avoidance of conflict as team members begin to know each other?
1. Forming
2. Norming
3. Storming
4. Performing
- Forming
Forming : Team members begin to know each other and their reason for being together. Usually, there is confusion around roles and responsibilities. This stage includes avoidance of conflict as team members get to know each other
In which stage of team evolution, there is growing discontent with doing the same repetitive tasks
1. Forming
2. Norming
3. Storming
4. Adjourning
- Adjourning
Adjourning: Either after completion of tasks or changes, team members leave for other tasks or new members are hired. There may be discontent with doing the same repetitive tasks and unless the group is consciously redeveloped, it will regress back to Forming / Storming stages
In which stage of team evolution, is there maximum scope of conflicts?
1. Forming
2. Norming
3. Storming
4. Adjourning
- Storming
Storming: As team members get to know each other, there is growing awareness of hidden agendas and if goals are not well defined, conflict may occur. Although there is conflict, typically there is advancement in task functions and roles.
Recognition and self confidence is in which phase of Maslow`s hierarchy of needs
1. Self Actualization
2. Esteem
3. Social
4. Psychological
- Esteem
In Maslow`s hierarchy of needs, Esteem includes:- Self-esteem, reputation, respect from others, recognition and self confidence
As per Herzberg`s theory of motivators, short term changes in job attitudes and performance were achieved through:
1. Hygiene factors
2. Motivators
3. Satisfiers
4. None of the above
- Hygiene Factors
Herzberg`s theory: motivators (satisfiers) were associated with long-term positive effects in job performance while the hygiene factors (dissatisfiers) consistently produced only short-term changes in job attitudes and performance, which quickly fell back to its previous level
Which conflict handling technique is characterized with a “give and take” approach?
1. Withdrawal
2. Bargaining
3. Compromising
4. Confrontation
- Compromising
Compromising: Bargaining and searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to the parties in a dispute. Characterized by a “give and take” attitude
In a six sigma project, highest intensity of conflicts occurs over:
1. Priorities
2. Schedules
3. Manpower
4. Administration
- Schedules
The conflict intensity is maximum related to schedules
Leadership style where manager does not interfere with subordinates is called:
1. Autocratic
2. Laissez faire
3. Democratic
4. Supportive
- Laissez Faire
Laissez faire: Leadership style where manager does not interfere with subordinates - so subordinates are largely unsupervised, may lead to anarchy
All the following are destructive roles in a six sigma project except:
1. Aggressor
2. Recognition Seeker
3. Encourager
4. Blocker
- Encourager
Encourager is a constructive role
Determining driving forces and restraining forces is done as part of :
1. Force Field Analysis
2. Nominal Group Technique
3. Multivoting
4. PERT
- Force Field Analysis
The objective of force field of analysis is to clearly identify the driving forces and restraining forces. The objective here is to maximize driving forces for the changes and decrease the restraining forces.
Which of the following is a consensus planning tool to prioritise issues?
1. Force Field Analysis
2. Nominal Group Technique
3. Multivoting
4. PERT
- Nominal Group Technique
Developed by Delbecq, Van de Ven and Gustafson in 1971, Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is used as a consensus planning tool to prioritize issues. It facilitates decision making and organizational planning where creative solutions are sought. It is usually carried out early on in a six sigma project to get feedback and buy-in from team members about creative ideas in the team.
The Conflict handling technique, where affected parties work through their disagreements is also called:
1. Smoothing
2. Forcing
3. Compromising
4. Confrontation
- Confrontation
In the creation of the project charter from a Six Sigma project, what is an Objective?
Objectives : Quantifiable criteria that must be met for the project to be considered successful
In the creation of the project charter from a Six Sigma project, what is Scope?
Scope: This is a measure of the work required to complete the project successfully.
In the creation of the project charter from a Six Sigma project, what are Boundaries?
Boundaries: Project boundary states explicitly what is in scope and what is out of scope of the project
In the creation of the project charter from a Six Sigma project, what are Resources?
Resources: While creating the project charter, critical resources (including people and funding required) are negotiated to ensure that appropriate resources are available.
In the 6 stages of team evolution, what is Forming?
Forming : Team members begin to know each other and their reason for being together. Usually, there is confusion around roles and responsibilities. This stage includes avoidance of conflict as team members get to know each other.
In the 6 stages of team evolution, what is Storming?
Storming: As team members get to know each other, there is growing awareness of hidden agendas and if goals are not well defined, conflict may occur. Although there is conflict, typically there is advancement in task functions and roles.
In the 6 stages of team evolution, what is Norming?
Norming: Individual needs for getting tasks done leads to resolution of conflicts and a desire for cooperation. This stage is marked by harmonious cohesiveness as team members engage in free flow of information, ideas and constructive feedback.
In the 6 stages of team evolution, what is Performing?
Performing: During this stage, the team becomes truly collaborative. All team members share similar objectives and work towards the successful implementation of the project. There is a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment as objectives are achieved.
In the 6 stages of team evolution, what is Adjourning?
Adjourning: Either after completion of tasks or changes team members leave for other tasks, or new members are hired. There may be discontent with doing the same repetitive tasks, and unless the group is consciously redeveloped, it will regress to Forming / Storming stages.
In the 6 stages of team evolution, what is Recognition?
Recognition: This stage is towards the end of the project, where objectives are achieved and the project team and its members get recognition for their performance.
How many stages are in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs what is Physiological?
Food, water, clothing, shelter, sleep, sexual satisfaction
How many stages are in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs what is Safety?
Personal and economic security, health, and well-being
How many stages are in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs what is Social?
Love, belonging, togetherness, approval, group membership
How many stages are in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs what is Esteem?
Self-esteem, reputation, respect from others, recognition, and self-confidence
How many stages are in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs what is Self-Actualization?
Doing what one can do best, full realization of potential, self-development, creativity
In Blake and Mouton modes for handling conflicts, what is Withdrawal?
Withdrawal: retreating or withdrawing from a potential disagreement.
In Blake and Mouton modes for handling conflicts, what is Smoothing?
Smoothing: de-emphasizing or avoiding areas of difference and emphasizing areas of agreement.
In Blake and Mouton modes for handling conflicts, what is Compromising?
Compromising: bargaining and searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to the parties in a dispute. Characterized by a “give and take” attitude
In Blake and Mouton modes for handling conflicts, what is Forcing?
Forcing: exerting one’s viewpoint at the expense of another. Often characterized by competitiveness and a win-lose situation.
In Blake and Mouton modes for handling conflicts, what is Confrontation?
Confrontation: facing the conflict directly, which involves a problem- solving approach, whereby affected parties work out their disagreements.
What is the management style Autocratic characterized as?
Autocratic (manager makes decisions himself - allows subordinates little involvement and discussion before a decision is made)
What is the management style Laissez Faire characterized as?
Laissez faire (manager does not interfere with subordinates - so subordinates are largely unsupervised; may lead to anarchy)
What is the management style Democratic characterized as?
Democratic (manager allows subordinates to discuss issues and reach decisions although he will guide and advise)
What is the management style Discussing characterized as?
Discussing (two-way communication and discussion between manager and subordinates)
What is the management style Directing characterized as?
Directing (managers tell people what tasks will be performed and when and how they will be done)
What is the management style Coaching characterized as?
Coaching (providing instruction to others)
What is the management style Facilitating characterized as?
Facilitating (coordinating inputs from several sources before taking a decision)
