Understanding the Question

When an interviewer asks, "How do you define a successful Lean Six Sigma project?" they are probing not just for your understanding of Lean Six Sigma principles but also your practical experience and your perspective on what makes a project truly valuable and successful. This question requires you to articulate your criteria for success in a Lean Six Sigma initiative, which may encompass improvements in quality, efficiency, customer satisfaction, and cost reduction, among others.

Interviewer's Goals

The interviewer aims to assess several dimensions of your expertise and mindset as a Lean Six Sigma Consultant:

1. Knowledge of Lean Six Sigma Principles: Understanding the core principles of Lean (eliminating waste) and Six Sigma (reducing variation and defects) and how they intertwine to improve business processes.
2. Goal Orientation: Your ability to set clear, measurable goals and your understanding of what success looks like in a Lean Six Sigma project.
3. Results-Driven Approach: How you prioritize outcomes and the tangible benefits your projects have produced in past roles.
4. Stakeholder Focus: Your consideration of various stakeholders (e.g., customers, employees, management) and how project success aligns with their needs and expectations.
5. Continuous Improvement Mindset: Evidence that you see Lean Six Sigma projects as part of an ongoing journey of improvement, rather than one-off initiatives.

How to Approach Your Answer

When framing your response, consider the following elements:

• Specificity: Refer to the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) or DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify) frameworks to structure your thoughts on project success.
• Results: Highlight key metrics or KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that you typically focus on to gauge success, such as process cycle time reduction, defect rate reduction, cost savings, or improvement in customer satisfaction scores.
• Stakeholder Impact: Discuss how you ensure projects align with broader business objectives and stakeholder needs.
• Sustainability: Mention how you ensure that the improvements made are sustainable over the long term, including any control mechanisms you put in place.

Example Responses Relevant to Lean Six Sigma Consultant

Example 1:

"In my view, a successful Lean Six Sigma project is one that not only achieves its predefined objectives, such as a 20% reduction in process cycle time or a 30% decrease in defect rates but also aligns with the strategic goals of the organization. Success means engaging key stakeholders from the outset and maintaining that engagement through transparent communication and collaboration. Moreover, a project should leave behind a culture of continuous improvement, with team members empowered to maintain gains and pursue further enhancements."

Example 2:

"For me, a Lean Six Sigma project is successful when it delivers measurable improvements that are directly linked to customer satisfaction and bottom-line impact. This means not just hitting the project's targets, but doing so in a way that enhances the customer experience—reducing wait times, improving product quality, etc. Additionally, the project should demonstrate a strong ROI, as this is often the most compelling evidence of its success to senior management. Finally, embedding a method for ongoing monitoring and control ensures that the project delivers sustained value."

Tips for Success

• Be Balanced: While focusing on metrics and results is important, also emphasize the softer aspects of project success, such as team development, stakeholder satisfaction, and culture change.
• Use Examples: If possible, cite brief examples from your own experience where you led or contributed to successful Lean Six Sigma projects, highlighting the challenge, your approach, and the outcomes.
• Stay Aligned: Make sure your definition of success aligns with industry best practices and the prospective employer's values and mission.
• Be Reflective: Demonstrating an understanding that not all projects go as planned and showing how you learned from less successful initiatives can also be a powerful way to answer this question.
• Customize Your Response: If you have insights into the company’s specific challenges or industry trends, tailor your answer to show how your approach to Lean Six Sigma projects can address these issues.

Approaching this question with a structured, thoughtful response will demonstrate your depth of knowledge, experience, and strategic thinking as a Lean Six Sigma Consultant, setting you apart in the interview process.