Measuring Lean Six Sigma maturity evaluates how well improvement methods, leadership behaviors, project systems, culture, and sustainment routines are embedded.
Definition
Measuring Lean Six Sigma maturity means assessing the capability and health of an organization’s improvement system. It looks at leadership, strategy alignment, project selection, practitioner capability, methods, data discipline, benefits validation, culture, and sustainment.
The goal is not a vanity score. The goal is to identify gaps that limit reliable improvement results.
History
Maturity assessment grew from quality management, operational excellence, and deployment governance. Organizations needed a way to distinguish tool usage from true management-system capability.
When to Use
Use maturity measurement when launching, scaling, auditing, or refreshing a Lean Six Sigma program. It is useful after early project success, after leadership changes, or when results have plateaued.
Step-by-Step
- Define maturity dimensions and rating criteria.
- Gather evidence from projects, metrics, interviews, and gemba observation.
- Assess leadership alignment, project quality, coaching, and sustainment.
- Compare current maturity to strategic need.
- Prioritize gaps by impact and feasibility.
- Create a deployment improvement roadmap.
- Review maturity periodically with leaders.
Examples
- Low maturity: Many trained belts but few completed projects.
- Mid maturity: Projects deliver savings but sustainment varies by department.
- High maturity: Improvement is tied to Hoshin, daily management, and leadership routines.
Common Pitfalls
- Using self-assessment without evidence.
- Counting training as maturity.
- Ignoring culture and leadership behavior.
- No link to strategy.
- Overly complex scoring.
- No action plan after assessment.