Generating Solutions in the Improve Phase: Powerful Tools for Innovation and Results

The Improve phase of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology is where creativity meets data. After identifying the root causes of a problem in the Analyze phase, the team must develop practical, innovative, and sustainable solutions. The challenge? Turning insights into impactful ideas that actually work.

This phase isn’t just about “fixing things.” It’s about reimagining processes using data, collaboration, and creative problem-solving tools. Let’s explore some of the most effective tools used during the Improve phase to generate solutions.

1. Brainstorming: The Classic Idea Generator

Brainstorming remains one of the most widely used tools in Lean Six Sigma projects — and for good reason. It’s a structured way to encourage free thinking and collective creativity within a team.

How it works: The facilitator defines the problem clearly, then encourages team members to suggest as many ideas as possible — without criticism or evaluation. Once the ideas are out, the team clusters similar ones, discusses feasibility, and shortlists the best candidates for testing.

Tips for effective brainstorming (Source: ASQ):

• Set clear ground rules (no judgment, build on others’ ideas).

• Keep sessions short and focused.

• Use prompts such as “How might we…” to open thinking

• When possible, have a separate facilitator and recorder. The facilitator should act as a buffer between the group and the recorder(s), keeping the flow of ideas going and ensuring that no ideas get lost before being recorded. The recorder should focus on capturing the ideas.

• The recorder should try not to rephrase ideas. If an idea is not clear, ask for a rephrasing that everyone can understand. If the idea is too long to record, work with the person who suggested the idea to come up with a concise rephrasing. The person suggesting the idea must always approve what is recorded.

• Keep all ideas visible. When ideas overflow to additional flipchart pages, post previous pages around the room so all ideas are still visible to everyone.

• The more ideas the better. Studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between the total number of ideas and the number of beneficial, creative ideas.

Example: In a hospital Lean Six Sigma project, a brainstorming session generated over 30 ideas to reduce patient wait times, ranging from process redesign to improved appointment scheduling.

2. Brainwriting: Silent Collaboration for Smarter Ideas

If brainstorming encourages verbal sharing, brainwriting invites quieter, written creativity. It helps overcome dominant voices in a group and ensures that everyone’s ideas are heard.

How it works: Each participant writes down three ideas related to the problem. After a few minutes, they pass their paper to the next person, who adds or builds on those ideas. This continues for several rounds, generating a large pool of ideas quickly.

Benefits:

• Reduces groupthink and social pressure.

• Builds on collective intelligence.

• Yields more diverse and thoughtful ideas.

Example: In a call center project aiming to reduce call handling time, brainwriting led to the discovery of new call routing techniques that later became part of the implemented solution.

3. Analogy: Borrowing Brilliance from Other Domains

Sometimes, the best solutions come from outside your process. The analogy method helps teams draw inspiration from unrelated industries or contexts.

How it works: Ask: “Where else has a similar problem been solved?” For instance, if you’re trying to reduce errors in an assembly line, you might study how hospitals use checklists to prevent surgical errors.

Example: A manufacturing team struggling with material waste looked at how restaurants manage portion control and applied similar measurement systems on the shop floor — dramatically reducing overuse.

Why it works: It encourages lateral thinking and helps teams break free from habitual problem-solving approaches.

4. Anti-Solution: Solving by Doing the Opposite

The anti-solution technique flips the problem-solving process on its head. Instead of asking, “How can we fix this problem?” teams ask, “How could we make it worse?”

How it works: Participants brainstorm ways to increase defects, create delays, or frustrate customers. Once the list is ready, they reverse those statements to reveal potential improvement ideas.

Example: A logistics team asked, “How could we ensure deliveries are always late?” Their answers (no tracking, unclear handoffs, poor communication) led them to develop solutions such as improved tracking dashboards and clearer process ownership.

Why it’s powerful: It disrupts traditional thinking patterns and exposes hidden system weaknesses that can be turned into opportunities for improvement.

5. Benchmarking: Learning from the Best

Benchmarking involves comparing your process to that of an industry leader or competitor to identify improvement opportunities.

How it works: Teams collect data on performance metrics, practices, and outcomes, and then identify gaps. This can be internal benchmarking (within the same organization) or external (across companies or industries).

Example: A finance team benchmarked its invoice processing cycle against top-performing peers and uncovered automation and workflow simplification opportunities.

Choosing the Right Tool

The best tool depends on the team’s challenge, the stage of improvement, and the organization's culture.

Key Takeaway

The Improve phase is where Lean Six Sigma teams translate insights into impact. By combining structured data analysis with creative thinking tools such as Brainwriting, Analogy, and Anti-Solution, teams can unlock practical, powerful ideas. Remember: The best solutions aren’t just clever — they’re tested, scalable, and sustainable.