Organizations implementing Lean Six Sigma methodologies often face a critical challenge: determining which problems warrant the investment of time, resources, and expertise required for a full Six Sigma project. Not every operational hiccup deserves the rigorous DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) treatment, yet identifying the right opportunities can transform business performance and deliver substantial returns on investment.
The success of any Lean Six Sigma initiative begins with intelligent project selection. This decision-making process requires careful evaluation using established criteria that separate high-value opportunities from those better addressed through simpler improvement methods. Understanding these criteria empowers organizations to maximize their improvement resources while building momentum through strategic wins. You might also enjoy reading about Manufacturing Six Sigma: Define Phase Best Practices for Production Processes.
The Strategic Importance of Project Selection
Before diving into specific criteria, it is essential to understand why project selection matters so significantly. Six Sigma projects consume considerable organizational resources, including dedicated personnel, training investments, data collection efforts, and management attention. A poorly chosen project can drain these resources while delivering minimal impact, potentially damaging confidence in the entire improvement program. You might also enjoy reading about Common Define Phase Terminology: Essential Glossary of Key Terms and Concepts for Six Sigma Success.
Conversely, well-selected projects generate measurable results that justify continued investment in process excellence. They demonstrate the methodology’s value, build organizational capability, and create positive momentum that encourages broader adoption of continuous improvement thinking. You might also enjoy reading about Project Charter Red Flags: 10 Warning Signs Your Six Sigma Project Will Fail.
Essential Criteria for Six Sigma Project Selection
1. Alignment with Strategic Business Objectives
The most fundamental criterion involves alignment with organizational strategy. Projects should directly support business goals, whether those involve revenue growth, cost reduction, customer satisfaction enhancement, or operational efficiency improvements. This alignment ensures that improvement efforts contribute meaningfully to bottom-line results and secure executive sponsorship.
During the recognize phase, teams should explicitly map potential projects to strategic priorities. This connection not only justifies resource allocation but also maintains organizational focus on initiatives that matter most to long-term success.
2. Quantifiable Impact and Benefits
Successful Six Sigma projects deliver measurable results. Therefore, selection criteria must include the ability to quantify both current performance gaps and expected improvements. Projects with clear financial implications, whether through cost savings, revenue enhancement, or waste reduction, typically receive priority consideration.
The potential impact should be substantial enough to justify the investment. While specific thresholds vary by organization size and industry, many companies establish minimum expected returns, such as $100,000 in annual savings or a specific percentage improvement in key performance indicators.
3. Project Scope and Feasibility
Appropriate scope represents another critical selection factor. Projects that are too broad become unmanageable and risk failure, while overly narrow initiatives may not justify Six Sigma methodology application. The ideal project fits within a three to six month timeframe and focuses on processes where the team can reasonably implement and control improvements.
Feasibility assessment includes evaluating whether adequate data exists or can be collected, whether necessary resources are available, and whether the organization has authority to implement recommended changes. Projects requiring excessive capital investment or falling outside organizational control typically make poor candidates.
4. Problem Chronicity and Impact
Lean Six Sigma excels at addressing chronic, systemic problems rather than sporadic issues or one-time events. Selection criteria should prioritize recurring problems that consistently impact performance, customer satisfaction, or operational efficiency. These persistent challenges typically indicate underlying process deficiencies that Six Sigma tools can effectively diagnose and resolve.
The problem’s current impact on stakeholders matters significantly. Issues affecting customer experience, employee safety, regulatory compliance, or competitive position often warrant immediate attention regardless of other considerations.
5. Data Availability and Measurability
Six Sigma methodology relies heavily on data-driven decision making. Consequently, project selection must consider whether adequate baseline data exists or can be reasonably collected. Projects lacking measurable performance metrics or where data collection proves prohibitively difficult or expensive may not suit Six Sigma approaches.
The recognize phase should include preliminary assessment of available data sources, measurement systems, and the organization’s capability to track improvements over time. This evaluation prevents teams from selecting projects where proving impact becomes impossible.
6. Organizational Readiness and Support
Even technically sound projects fail without adequate organizational support. Selection criteria must evaluate whether key stakeholders, including process owners, management sponsors, and affected employees, will support the improvement effort. Projects facing strong resistance or lacking executive championship rarely succeed regardless of their technical merit.
Organizational capability also matters. Early in a Lean Six Sigma deployment, selecting projects that match team skill levels builds confidence and demonstrates methodology effectiveness. As organizational maturity increases, more complex challenges become appropriate targets.
7. Customer Impact and Relevance
Projects directly affecting customer satisfaction or addressing customer pain points deserve special consideration. These initiatives not only improve operational performance but also strengthen competitive position and support revenue growth. Customer-facing improvements often generate enthusiasm and organizational buy-in that facilitates change management.
The voice of the customer should inform project selection decisions. Problems frequently mentioned in customer feedback, complaint data, or satisfaction surveys indicate opportunities where improvements will be noticed and valued by those the organization serves.
The Project Selection Process
Effective organizations implement structured processes for evaluating potential projects against these criteria. Many use scoring matrices that weight different factors according to organizational priorities. This approach introduces objectivity and consistency while facilitating comparison among competing opportunities.
A typical process involves these steps:
- Identification of potential improvement opportunities from various sources including strategic plans, customer feedback, operational metrics, and employee suggestions
- Preliminary screening to eliminate projects clearly unsuitable for Six Sigma methodology
- Detailed evaluation of remaining candidates using standardized criteria and scoring tools
- Prioritization based on scores, resource availability, and strategic timing considerations
- Final selection by leadership team with consideration of portfolio balance and organizational capacity
Common Project Selection Mistakes to Avoid
Understanding what not to do proves equally valuable. Organizations commonly make these project selection errors:
Selecting projects based solely on executive preference without rigorous evaluation against objective criteria often leads to initiatives lacking clear business cases or measurable outcomes.
Choosing overly ambitious projects for initial efforts can overwhelm teams and damage confidence in the methodology when complexity exceeds capability.
Ignoring organizational politics and change management considerations results in technically sound recommendations that never achieve implementation.
Focusing exclusively on low-hanging fruit may generate quick wins but fails to address significant strategic challenges or build advanced problem-solving capabilities.
Building a Balanced Project Portfolio
Sophisticated Lean Six Sigma programs maintain balanced project portfolios that address both quick wins and complex strategic challenges. This balance sustains organizational momentum while developing advanced capabilities. The portfolio should span different functional areas, include both cost reduction and growth initiatives, and reflect the organization’s strategic priorities.
Regular portfolio reviews ensure that projects remain aligned with evolving business needs and that resources flow toward highest-value opportunities. This dynamic approach prevents the common pitfall of continuing projects that no longer serve strategic purposes.
Conclusion
Thoughtful project selection represents the foundation of successful Lean Six Sigma programs. By applying rigorous criteria that consider strategic alignment, quantifiable impact, appropriate scope, data availability, organizational readiness, and customer relevance, organizations maximize their return on process improvement investments.
The recognize phase activities that identify and evaluate potential projects deserve as much attention and discipline as the technical problem-solving work that follows. Organizations that master project selection position themselves to deliver consistent, meaningful improvements that drive competitive advantage and sustainable business results. Investing time in getting selection right ultimately saves resources while accelerating the journey toward operational excellence.
