Original Team (Original DMAIC/Quick Hit Project Team)

It is the team that originated and completed the original process improvement project (DMAIC or Quick Hit) in their property. The role of the Original Team is to ensure proper project documentation to ease transfer and to provide advice, clarification and assistance to teams importing their project.

Output

Any product, service, or piece of information coming out of, or resulting from, the activities in a process.

Output Measures

These are the measures related to and describing the output of the process; total figures/overall measures.

Pareto Principle and Chart

A Pareto Chart is a data display tool based on Pareto Principle; or 80/20 rule. It is used to help a team focus on the specific causes or issues that have the greatest impact if solved.

Pilot

It is the trial implementation of a solution on a limited scale to ensure its effectiveness and test its impact.

Plan-Do-Check-Act (or PDCA)

It is basic model or set of steps in continuous improvement; also referred to "Shewhart Cycle" or "Deming Cycle".

Poka-Yoke

Poka-Yoke is a Japanese term for "mistake proofing”. Mistake proofing typically looks at every step in the process in detail, and uses creative thinking to develop ways to keep errors from occurring.

Precision

It is the accuracy of a measurement. When used in reference to sampling, this entails how much of change you need to be able to detect. As the need for precision increases, so does the sample size.

Preliminary Plan

It is used in the early phase of a project, while developing milestones for team activities related to process improvement; includes key tasks, target completion dates, responsibilities, potential problems, obstacles and contingencies, and communication strategies.

Process

It is a series of steps or actions that lead to a desired result or output. A set of common tasks that creates a product, service, process or plan that will satisfy a customer or group of customers.

Process Owner

Process owners are the responsible individuals for a specific process.

Process Capability

Statistical measures that summarize how much variation there is in a process relative to customer specifications.

Process Improvement

Improvement approach focused on incremental changes, involves solutions to eliminate or reduce defects, costs, or cycle time; leaves basic design and assumptions of a process intact.

Process in Control

A statistical concept indicating that a process is operating within an expected range of variation and that variation is being influenced mainly by "common cause" factors; processes operating in this state are referred to as "in control".

Process Management

It involves defining and documenting a process, monitoring it on an ongoing basis to ensure that measures are providing feedback on the flow/function of a process; key measures include financial, process, people, and innovation.

Process Map or Flowchart

Graphic display of the flow or sequence of events that a product or service follows; it shows all activities, decision points, rework loops, and handoffs.

Process Measures

It is a measure related to individual steps in the process and/or the overall process; can be predictors of output measures.

Process Redesign

It is a method of restructuring a process by eliminating handoffs, rework, inspection points, and other non-value-adding activities; typically means a "clean slate" design and accommodates major changes or improvements.

Project Definition Form (PDF)

It is the summary of pertinent information that describes a SIXSIGMA project. This includes problem statement, goal statement, scope, business case, financial benefits and costs, project timing, resource requirements, measures, etc

Project Management

It is the use of tools, techniques, and/or software to track a project and prevent barriers to on-time success.

Project Nomination (iDMAIC)

A Black Belt, MBB, Sponsor, or General Manager associated with a project nominates the project for Innovation Transfer, using the e-Six Sigma project tool. The nominator evaluates the project.

Project Selection (iDMAIC)

During quarterly review meetings, each Division Council reviews all projects that have been nominated as best practices.

Project Sponsor

This is a member of the executive committee, strong advocate of the project and can assist with barriers that may come up.

Project Rationale

It is a broad statement defining area of concern or opportunity, including impact/benefit of potential improvements, or risk of not improving a process; links to business strategies, the customer, and/or company values.

Property SIXSIGMA Council

It is the governing group responsible for project selection and status monitoring at each Starwood property. The members of the SSC are the General Manager, the Executive Committee and the Black Belt.

Proportion Defective

Percentage (or fraction such as 1/8) of defective units; number of defective units divided by the total number of units.

Propose

It is the very first phase in the lifecycle of a SIXSIGMA project (DMAIC or Quick Hit). in which the potential project idea or opportunity is proposed to the property SIXSIGMA Council.

Quick Hit Project

It is a small project that can be quickly implemented and that does not require a Black Belt to resolve and implement.

RACI Matrix

A project management tools that identifies all required tasks or activities, the parties are involved in those tasks as well as their level or type of involvement.

A RACI is used to ensure clarity on roles and responsibilities in a team environment.

Return on Investment (ROI)

It is a measure of the financial returns from an investment opportunity, expressed as a percentage. All else being equal, projects with a larger ROI are more attractive investment opportunities.

Random Sampling

It is a method that allows each item or person chosen to be measured, to be selected completely by chance.

Regression

It is the statistical study of relationships. An analytical tool that allows an assessment of a key outcome and extent to which one or more factors being studied can explain the variation in results see also Simple Linear Regression; Multiple Regression.