Green Belt Support

What: Define the problem using current state and target state metrics (numerical values) providing the call to action (why it is important that you solve this problem) and Scope. Does not include root cause or solution speculation.

Why: Without a clearly defined problem, a project can drift off course or attempt to fix everything at once, leading to wasted effort. A strong problem statement provides a specific issue, measurable data, and scope, which are essential for Six Sigma projects to stay focused and effective.

Example:

Warranty returns have become a major contributor to our Cost of Quality (COQ). It is one of the company’s strategic initiatives to reduce the COQ this year. In 2024 our highest sales volume motor (TitanX-500) incurred $60,000 in annual warranty costs out of $120,000 total in claims. This needs prompt attention to improve our customer experience and prevent complaints.

This project will focus on reducing warranty claims for the TitanX-500, other product lines are out of scope for this project.

What: Quantify the opportunity using SMART objectives. Include consideration of Benefits to Customers, Business Impact and expected deliverables. (Improve “X” to “Y” by “when”).

Why: Without clear goals, how do you know if the project was successful? This statement ensures the problem is tied to a measurable, time-bound improvement goal that benefits the business, customers, and operations. It also aligns leadership and stakeholders on what success looks like.

Example:

To reduce warranty costs and improve customer satisfaction, our objective is to decrease warranty expenses for the TitanX-500 from $60,000 per year to $30,000 per year (a 50% reduction) within six months. This will be achieved through process improvements, supplier collaboration, and enhanced quality controls. Success will be measured by a sustained reduction in warranty claims while maintaining or improving product performance.

What: The metrics that will be impacted and need to be measured

Why: Six Sigma is all about data-driven decision-making. If you don’t define metrics upfront, improvements become opinion-based rather than fact-based. Metrics show where you started, where you need to go, and whether the project actually made an impact

Example:

What: Identify team members required to be successful.

Why: Listing team members ensures accountability, expertise, and cross-functional input, preventing blind spots in the problem-solving process.

Example:

Bill Kearney – Quality Manager & Project Leader

Dick Fettig – Information Services

Joey Lloyd – Supplier Quality Engineer

Maxine Maples – Department Lead

Tony Moline – Quality Technician

Susan Schinke – Customer Service

What: Identify any risks, constraints, critical assumptions or other significant resource needs and how they will be addressed.

Why: Every project has assumptions and gaps in knowledge. Documenting what is already known vs. what still needs investigation ensures that the team doesn’t waste time chasing the wrong issues and instead focuses on uncovering true root causes.

Example:

Knowns:

• The TitanX-500 accounts for 50% of total warranty claims.
• Current warranty costs for this motor are $60,000 annually.
• Warranty failures primarily originate from a few recurring failure modes (to be validated).
• Supplier engagement is necessary to address potential design or manufacturing defects.
• Process improvements may involve design modifications, inspection enhancements, or supplier quality controls.

Unknowns:

• The exact root cause(s) of failures—whether they stem from design flaws, supplier variability, or internal process gaps.
• The impact of proposed changes on production efficiency and cost.
• Potential unintended consequences of the redesign, such as new failure modes.
• Customer response to the changes in performance or durability.

To mitigate unknown risks, the team will conduct detailed root cause analysis, collaborate with customers, suppliers, and implement a phased verification approach.

What: What needs to be done by whom and when to meet the project deadline.

Why: Without milestones, projects tend to drag on indefinitely or get stuck in analysis paralysis. A structured timeline keeps things on track, prevents last-minute chaos, and ensures steady progress toward the goal.

Example:

What: Manager approval of you doing this project.

Why: Getting manager approval upfront ensures that the project supports company objectives and has the resources needed to succeed.

Example:

What: List the tools you used during the project. Attach the samples in the appendix.

Why: To represent how you applied the lessons from the classroom to the real world.

Example:

Pareto chart

Box Plot

Fishbone Diagram

5 Whys

Trend Chart

What: Describe current conditions, starting point, challenges anticipated, etc.

Why: If you don’t fully understand the current process, how can you improve it? The current state documents the problem’s impact, challenges, and starting conditions, providing a clear baseline for comparison after improvements are made.

Example:

The warranty return rate for the TitanX-500 is significantly impacting Cost of Quality (COQ), accounting for $60,000 in annual expenses. Initial data analysis suggests that a small number of recurring failure modes contribute to most claims. However, the root causes have not yet been fully identified.

Challenges anticipated:

• Limited historical data from past warranty claims may slow down root cause identification.
• Supplier cooperation may be required for design changes, potentially affecting lead times.

Implementation of new quality control measures and/or assembly methods may require process adjustments on the production floor

What: Provide details of actions and activities conducted during each of the project phases. Use specific examples.

Why: DMAIC ensures that solutions are not just band-aid fixes but permanent, measurable improvements. Each phase (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) plays a key role in preventing waste, assumptions, and ineffective changes.

Example:

What: Describe the change from the current state. There needs to be at least one measurable result.

(Complete the metrics section in element 3 with the numerical information)

Why: The goal of any Six Sigma project is to achieve measurable results. This section proves whether the project succeeded, failed, or still needs adjustments. If results can’t be measured, the improvements can’t verified, or sustained.

Example:

Following the implementation of process improvements, warranty expenses for the TitanX-500 were reduced from $60,000 annually to $15,000 annually, surpassing the initial goal of a 50% reduction and achieving a 75% reduction. The warranty expenses as % of sales were reduced from 3% to .75%, surpassing the goal of a 50% reduction and achieving a 75% reduction.

What: Describe how the project outcomes will be sustained. Who owns it? What actions will happen if the results change?

Why: Improvements that aren’t monitored will eventually disappear. A sustainment plan ensures that the new process remains in place by assigning ownership, defining follow-up actions, and outlining what happens if problems resurface.

Example:

To ensure these improvements are sustained:

• A daily audit has been added to leader standard work and will transition to weekly and then monthly audits over time.
• The Quality team will monitor warranty claims monthly and investigate any spikes in failures.
• Supplier quality reviews will be conducted quarterly to verify ongoing compliance with updated quality standards.
• If warranty costs begin to rise again, a corrective action plan will be initiated, including a reassessment of failure modes.

What: Where else can the improvements be applied? What went well? What would you change?

Why: To highlight what did and did not work well, identify areas of  growth achieved and opportunities for future growth and improvement.

Example:

Next Steps:

• Expand similar process improvements to other motors.
• Conduct a post-project review to identify best practices that can be standardized across product lines.
• Explore automation or digital tracking enhancements to streamline warranty claim analysis.

Lessons Learned:

• Cross-functional collaboration (Engineering, Quality, and Supplier teams) was key to success.
• Having top management support accelerated decision-making and implementation.
• Early supplier involvement could have improved efficiency in identifying and implementing design modifications.
• A structured root cause analysis process prevented assumptions and ensured data-driven decisions.

What: Manager signs off that the project was successful

Why: Final sign-off ensures that leadership recognizes the project’s success and that results are officially acknowledged.

Example:

What: A Peer signs off that the project was successful

Why: Peer approval ensures that the people impacted by the change understand, validate, and support it.

Example:

What: Supporting photos, notes, graphics or data charts.

Why: To provide clear, tangible evidence of actions taken, enhance understanding, and make complex information more accessible and impactful. 

Examples:

Figure 1 – Fishbone

Figure 2 – TitanX-500 Warranty Failure Type

Figure 3 – “Burnt Smell” 5 why

Figure 4 – TitanX-500 Warranty Trends by Month

Figure 5 – Warranty Claims Box Plot