Quick wins are opportunities for fast successes in Lean Six Sigma work. They set the ball rolling on your project, determining the velocity at which it progresses. Furthermore, quick wins also provide a foundation to build on, generating further (and quicker!) wins. Don’t forget, it’s essential to consider your selection criteria for quick wins, including lead time to implement, risk/effort and value/return on investment. While it is up to leadership to ensure all team members pull their weight, your most productive staff will the busiest. As such, you should depend on your most productive employees if you want to drive quick wins and not quick failures.

2. Act Quickly To Publicize Your Quick Wins

Many Six Sigma professionals view first quick win projects as workable models. Once you have a few quick wins completed, you can begin publicizing your progress, i.e. improvements you’ve made (even if it isn’t very much). Once you start publicizing your quick wins, you’ll start to enjoy some unique benefits. As such, your work will gain a foothold in the Lean Six Sigma world, from which you can drive further success!

3. Build Confidence in Your Team Through Immediate Reinforcement

When you’re doing all the right things, you’re going to know about it. In fact, you might even manage a few quick wins while you’re at it. We know from experience that quick wins result from Six Sigma professionals doing their jobs right. We also know how important immediate reinforcement is to maintaining and driving quick win successes. If you don’t get your team in shape, they’re not going to fit through the door to success! Reinforcing successful work also builds confidence in your team, developing their skills for more challenging tasks.

4. Communication is Critical to Driving Quick Wins

Lean Six Sigma is based on teamwork, and in teamwork, communication is essential. Communication is also important in publicizing your quick wins. Motivate your staff by repeating their success stories. Appeal to their competitive sides, cultivate a hunger for success through your literature and formal speeches. No one’s going to know you’re making progress if you don’t tell them!

5. Take Advantage of Opportunities

Clients often ask us, how long should a quick win project take? They tend to vary, but the best estimate for a quick win is between 0 and 30 days. Regular projects, however, generally last between 30 and 90 days. Strategic projects last 90 to 180 days. Depending on the nature of your problem, you should always identify your opportunities quickly. This will save time and promote Lean Six Sigma principles. We recommend interrogating your project from all perspectives. Ask yourself, What are your opportunities? How do they help drive Lean? Getting a handle on these ideas will ensure you’re prepared for any eventuality and ready to act on it quickly.

6. Use Concrete Measures to Record Your Quick Wins

If you want to ensure your Lean Six Sigma work gets noticed, you should maximize your success with concrete measures. Use tangible terminology to measure quantitatively and qualitatively. Your gains will be much clearer. Your measures are the lens through which you view your (potential) success. Ensure yours is crystal-clear! Remember, it’s up to you to drive rapid change as best you can, and quick wins are an excellent way to achieve your goal.

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