Table of Contents
What Are the Biggest Risks of Starting a Six Sigma Project Without a Charter?
Learn the critical risks of not having a project charter in Six Sigma. Understand how its absence leads to unclear goals, scope creep, and ambiguous roles, ultimately undermining project direction, alignment, and the likelihood of success.
Question
What is a key risk of not having a project charter?
A. The team will lack statistical skills
B. The project may lack clarity on goals, scope, and roles
C. The process map cannot be created
D. Customers will not participate in surveys
Answer
B. The project may lack clarity on goals, scope, and roles
Explanation
Without a charter, projects lose direction and alignment.
The Charter as the Project’s Foundation
A project charter is the single most important document in the Define phase of a Six Sigma project. It serves as the formal authorization from leadership and acts as the project’s constitution. Without this foundational document, a project is set up for failure before it even begins, primarily because it will suffer from a critical lack of direction and authority.
Consequences of a Missing Charter
The absence of a project charter introduces several key risks that directly threaten a project’s viability:
- Lack of Clear Goals: The charter contains the business case and a SMART goal statement, which articulate why the project is being undertaken and what success looks like. Without it, the team has no formal, agreed-upon objective. Efforts become disorganized, and team members may work towards different, conflicting outcomes.
- Undefined Scope: A core function of the charter is to define the project’s boundaries—what is included and what is excluded. Without this, projects are highly susceptible to “scope creep,” where new requirements and deliverables are continuously added, draining resources and extending timelines indefinitely.
- Ambiguous Roles and Responsibilities: The charter clarifies who the project sponsor is, who the project manager is, and what is expected of each team member, often using a RACI chart. Without this section, there is no clear line of authority or accountability. This leads to confusion over decision-making, inaction, and internal conflict.
Ultimately, a project without a charter is an unofficial initiative that lacks formal sponsorship, a clear purpose, and a defined team structure. It has no baseline for measuring success and no authority to secure resources, making it almost certain to lose momentum and fail to deliver meaningful results.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
A. The team will lack statistical skills: Team composition and skills are a separate management concern. A charter defines the project, not the statistical competence of the individuals assigned to it.
C. The process map cannot be created: A process map is a tool used within the project. While a lack of a defined scope might make mapping more difficult, it does not prevent the creation of the map itself.
D. Customers will not participate in surveys: Customer participation is related to the execution of Voice of the Customer (VoC) activities. While a poorly defined project may struggle with VoC, the charter does not directly control customer willingness to participate.
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