When we think about improvements, it seems very natural to jump to a possible solution. However, the first solution coming to our mind must not be the most optimal one. Another challenge is to sustain the improvement after the project closure. And, this is exactly where DMAIC makes projects more effective.
Following the DMAIC methodology, we do not rush to develop solutions. Rather, we start with aligning all project members towards a common objective. Then, we investigate what exactly is actually going on. For this reason, the Improve phase is the fourth, and not the first, phase of the DMAIC project management framework. This way, project teams deliver stronger results in the end!
Additionally, the project does not end with implementation of the identified solution. Hoping that the solution will be sustained over time is not enough in Lean Six Sigma. The project teams design solutions in a way that the improvements are accepted and used by all users also long after the project closure. This is what the last phase, the Control phase, is about.