1. Sponsor
Checklists
Lean Six Sigma Group
Lean Six Sigma
Tollgate Checklists

2. Sponsor
Checklists
 Define the opportunity from both the customer
linked to critical x’s
2
Lean Six Sigma
DMAIC Improvement Process
Define
and business perspective
Measure
 Understand the baseline process
Analyze
performance
 Identify the critical X factors
and root causes impacting
process performance
Improve
 Develop solutions
Control
 Implement
solutions &
control plan
Enter Key Slide Take Away (Key Point) Here
Case Study: Using DMAIC to Improve Customer Satisfaction by SigmaXL
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)

3. Sponsor
Checklists
Define
Tollgate Checklist
Key Deliverables:
 SIPOC
 Process Map and/or Value
Stream Map
 Communication Plan
 Validated Project Charter
 Initial Work Plan
 Risk Mitigation Plan
 Deliverables Uploaded to
Central Storage Location or
Deployment Management
System.
Tollgate Review
 Is this project important, i.e. has the project been chosen because it is in alignment with
business goals and the strategic direction of the ‘business’?
 What is the problem statement – detailing (what) is the problem, (when) was the problem
first seen, (where) is it seen, and what is the (magnitude or extent) of the problem. Is the
problem measured in terms of Quality, Cycle Time or Cost Efficiency, or direct financial
benefits? Ensure there is no mention or assumptions about causes and solutions.
 Does a goal statement exist that defines the results expected to be achieved by the
process, with reasonable and measurable targets? Is the goal developed for the “what” in
the problem statement, thus measured as Quality, Cycle Time, or Cost Efficiency metric?
 Does a financial business case exist, explaining the potential impact (i.e. measured in
dollars) of the project on the process, department, division, suppliers, customers, etc.?
 Is the project scope reasonable? Have constraints and key assumptions been identified?
Have IT implications been addressed and coordinated with IT managers?
 Who is on the team? Are they the right resources and has their required time
commitment to the project been confirmed by Management and Deployment Team?
 What is the high level work plan? What are the key milestones (i.e. dates of tollgate
reviews for DMAIC projects)?
 Who are the customers (internal/external) for this process? What are their requirements?
Are they measurable? How were the requirements determined?
 Who are the key stakeholders? How will they be involved in the project? How will
progress be communicated to them? Do they agree to the project?
 What kinds of barriers/obstacles will need assistance to be removed? Has the
development of a risk mitigation plan to deal with the identified risks been developed?
3
Enter Key Slide Take Away (Key Point) Here
Define Phase Success Criteria Training Video by educatevirtually
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)

4. Sponsor
Checklists
Measure
Tollgate Checklist
 Has a more detailed Value Stream Map been completed to better understand the
process and problem, and where in the process the root causes might reside?
 Has the team conducted a value-added and cycle time analysis, identifying areas
where time and resources are devoted to tasks not critical to the customer?
 Has the team identified the specific input (x), process (x), and output (y) measures
needing to be collected for both effectiveness and efficiency categories (i.e. Quality,
Speed, and Cost measures)?
 Has the team developed clear, unambiguous operational definitions for each
measurement and tested them with others to ensure clarity/consistent interpretation?
 Has a clear, reasonable choice been made between gathering new data or taking
advantage of existing data already collected by the organization?
 Has an appropriate sample size and sampling frequency been established to ensure
valid representation of the process we’re measuring?
 Has the measurement system been checked for repeatability and reproducibility,
potentially including training of data collectors?
 Has the team developed and tested data collection forms or check sheets which are
easy to use and provide consistent, complete data?
 Has baseline performance and process capability been established? How large is the
gap between current performance and the customer (or project) requirements?
 Has the team been able to identify any complete ‘Quick Wins’?
 Have any Kaizen opportunities been identified to accelerate momentum and results?
 Have key learning(s) to-date required any modification of the Project Charter? If so,
have these changes been approved by the Project Sponsor and the Key Stakeholders?
 Have any new risks to project success been identified, added to the Risk Mitigation
Plan, and a mitigation strategy put in place?
Key Deliverables:
 Detailed Value Stream Map(s)
 Data Collection Plan
 Measurement Collection Results
 Process Capability Results
 Current Baseline Process
Performance
 Quick Wins, if applicable
 Identification of Kaizen
Opportunities, if applicable
 Refined Charter, as necessary
 Updated Risk Mitigation Plan
 Deliverables Uploaded to
Central Storage Location or
Deployment Management
System.
Tollgate Review
4
Enter Key Slide Take Away (Key Point) Here
Measure Phase Success Criteria Training Video by educatevirtually
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)

5. Sponsor
Checklists
 Prioritized List of Validated Root
 Updated Risk Mitigation Plan
 Deliverables Uploaded to Central
Storage Location or Deployment
Management System
5
Analyze
Tollgate Checklist
 Has the team examined the process and identified potential bottlenecks,
disconnects and redundancies that could contribute to the problem statement?
 Has the team analyzed data about the process and its performance to help stratify
the problem, understand reasons for variation in the process, and generate
hypothesis as to the root causes of the current process performance?
 Has an evaluation been done to determine whether the problem can be solved
without a fundamental recreation of the process? Has the decision been confirmed
with the Project Sponsor?
 Has the team investigated and validated (or de-validated) the root cause
hypotheses generated earlier, to gain confidence that the “vital few” root causes
have been uncovered?
 Does the team understand why the problem (the Quality, Cycle Time or Cost
Efficiency issue identified in the Problem Statement) is being seen?
 Has the team been able to identify any additional ‘Quick Wins’?
 Have learning’s to-date required modification of the Project Charter? If so, have
these changes been approved by the Project Sponsor and the Key Stakeholders?
 Have any new risks to project success been identified, added to the Risk
Mitigation Plan, and a mitigation strategy put in place?
Deliverables:
 List of Potential Root causes
Causes
 Additional “Quick Wins”, if
applicable
 Refined Charter, as necessary
Tollgate Review
Has the team identified the key factors (critical X’s) that have the biggest
impact on process performance? Have they validated the root causes?
Analyze Phase Success Criteria Training Video by educatevirtually
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)

6. Sponsor
Checklists
Improve
Tollgate Checklist
Deliverables:
 Prioritized List of Solutions
 “To-Be” Value Stream Map(s)
 Pilot Plan & Results
 Approved Solution and
Detailed Implementation Plan
 Additional “Quick Wins”, if
applicable
 Refined Charter, as necessary
 Updated Risk Mitigation Plan
 Deliverables Uploaded to
Central Storage Location or
Deployment Management
System
Tollgate Review
 What techniques were used to generate ideas for potential solutions?
 What narrowing and screening techniques were used to further develop and qualify
potential solutions?
 What evaluation criteria were used to select a recommended solution?
 Do proposed solutions address all the identified root causes, at least the most critical?
 Were the solutions verified with the Project Sponsor and Stakeholders? Has an
approval been received to implement?
 Was a pilot run to test the solution? What was learned? What modifications made?
 Has the team seen evidence that the root causes of the initial problems have been
addressed during the pilot? What are the expected benefits?
 Has the team considered potential problems and unintended consequences (FMEA) of
the solution and developed preventive and contingency actions to address them?
 Has the proposed solution been documented, including process participants, job
descriptions and if applicable, their estimated time commitment to support the process?
 Has the team developed an implementation plan? What is the status?
 Have changes been communicated to all the appropriate people?
 Has the team been able to identify any additional ‘Quick Wins’?
 Have ‘learning's’ to-date required modification of the Project Charter? If so, have these
changes been approved by the Project Sponsor and the Key Stakeholders?
 Have any new risks to project success been identified and added to the Risk Mitigation
Plan?
Has the team developed improvement solutions for the critical X’s, piloted
the solution and verified that the solution will solve the problem?
Improve Phase Success Criteria Training Video by educatevirtually
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS) 6

7. Sponsor
Checklists
Control
Tollgate Checklist
 Has the team prepared all the essential documentation for the improved process,
including revised/new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s), a training plan and a
process control system?
 Has the necessary training for process owners/operators been performed?
 Have the right measures been selected, and documented as part of the Process
Control System, to monitor performance of the process and the continued
effectiveness of the solution? Has the metrics briefing plan/schedule been
documented? Who owns the measures? Has the Process Owner’s job description
been updated to reflect the new responsibilities? What happens if minimum
performance is not achieved?
 Has the solution been effectively implemented? Has the team compiled results data
confirming that the solution has achieved the goals defined in the Project Charter?
 Has the Benefits Realization Schedule been verified by the Financial Representative?
 Has the process been transitioned to the Process Owner, to take over responsibility
for managing continuing operations? Do they concur with the control plan?
 Has a final Storyboard documenting the project work been developed?
 Has the team forwarded other issues/opportunities, which were not able to be
addressed, to senior management?
 Have “lessons learned” been captured?
 Have replication opportunities been identified and communicated?
 Has the hard work and successful efforts of our team been celebrated?
Deliverables:
Tollgate Review
 SOP’s
 Training Plan
 Process Control System
 Benefits Realization Schedule,
validated by Financial
Representative
 Validated Solution
 Replication/ Standardization Plan
 Lessons Learned
 Transitioned Project
 Project Risk Performance
 Deliverables Uploaded to
Central Storage Location or
Deployment Management
System
Has the team implemented the solution, and a control plan to
insure the process is robust to change?
Control Phase Success Criteria Training Video by educatevirtually
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS) 7

8. Sponsor
Checklists
Lean Six Sigma
DMAIC Tools and Activities
 Review Project Charter
 Validate High-Level Value
Stream Map and Scope
 Validate Voice of the
Customer
& Voice of the Business
 Validate Problem Statement
and Goals
 Validate Financial Benefits
 Create Communication Plan
 Select and Launch Team
 Develop Project Schedule
 Complete Define Tollgate
 Identify Root Causes
 Reduce List of Potential Root
Causes
 Confirm Root Cause to
Output Relationship
 Estimate Impact of Root
Causes on Key Outputs
 Prioritize Root Causes
 Value-Add Analysis
 Takt Rate Analysis
 Quick Wins
 Statistical Analysis
 Complete Analyze Tollgate
 Develop Potential Solutions
 Evaluate, Select, and
Optimize Best Solutions
 Develop ‘To-Be’ Value
Stream Map(s)
 Develop and Implement Pilot
Solution
 Implement 5s Program
 Develop Full Scale
Implementation Plan
 Cost/Benefit Analysis
 Benchmarking
 Complete Improve Tollgate
 Develop SOP’s, Training
Plan & Process Controls
 Implement Solution and
Ongoing Process
Measurements
 Confirm Attainment of Project
Goals
 Identify Project Replication
Opportunities
 Training
 Complete Control Tollgate
 Transition Project to Process
Owner
 Project Charter
 Voice of the Customer and
Kano Analysis
 SIPOC Map
 Project Valuation/ROIC
Analysis Tools
 RACI and Quad Charts
 Stakeholder Analysis
 Communication Plan
 Effective Meeting Tools
 Inquiry and Advocacy Skills
 Time Lines, Milestones,
and Gantt Charting
 Pareto Analysis
 Value Stream Mapping
 Process Cycle
Efficiency/Little’s Law
 Operational Definitions
 Data Collection Plan
 Statistical Sampling
 Measurement System
Analysis (MSA)
 Gage R&R
 Kappa Studies
 Control Charts
 Spaghetti Diagrams
 Histograms
 Normality Test
 Process Capability Analysis
 Process Constraint ID and
Takt Time Analysis
 Cause & Effect Analysis
 FMEA
 Hypothesis Tests/Conf.
Intervals
 Simple & Multiple Regression
 ANOVA
 Components of Variation
 Conquering Product and
Process Complexity
 Queuing Theory
 Replenishment Pull/Kanban
 Stocking Strategy
 Process Flow Improvement
 Process Balancing
 Analytical Batch Sizing
 Total Productive Maintenance
 Design of Experiments (DOE)
 Solution Selection Matrix
 Piloting and Simulation
Work Control System
 Setup reduction
 Pugh Matrix
 Pull System
 Mistake-Proofing/
Zero Defects
 Standard Operating
Procedures (SOP’s)
 Process Control Plans
 Visual Process Control Tools
 MGPP
 Statistical Process Controls
(SPC)
 Solution Replication
 Visual Workplace
 Metrics
 Project Transition Model
 Team Feedback Session
 Value Stream Map Flow
 Identify Key Input, Process
and Output Metrics
 Develop Operational
Definitions
 Develop Data Collection Plan
 Validate Measurement
System
 Collect Baseline Data
 Determine Process Capability
 Complete Measure Tollgate
Define Measure Analyze Improve Control
Kaizen Events Targeted in Measure to Accelerate Results
Essential Hoshin Planning Tools Training Video by i-nexus
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS) 8

9. Sponsor
Checklists
Lean Six Sigma Group
Lean Six Sigma
Additional Resources

10. Sponsor
Checklists
Lean Six Sigma Tollgate
Template Notes
The Lean Six Sigma Tollgate Templates are:
 Free and intended as a guide in documenting a Lean Six Sigma
Project. I grant permission for you to modify these templates to meet
the specific needs of your process improvement project.
 Instructional - a video has been linked to each Template, I selected a
mix of videos from Thought Leaders in the Lean Six Sigma Group. I
included reference links to all video’s should you want to learn more
information. Also included guidelines in the Note’s section of each
slide.
 Efficient and Effective – Placeholders for Graphic or Video Examples
for various tools and methods across each DMAIC Phase.
How to Use These Templates:
 Collaboratively – use as a guide, reuse templates independently or
across phases as needed, and change the order as needed to best
capture the execution of Lean Six Sigma in each phase, and
summarize in the final Case Study.
 Use as a Communication tool, and document your findings and
results.
10
My name is Steven
Bonacorsi, Author of the
Lean Six Sigma Tollgate
Templates, President of
the International
Standard for Lean Six
Sigma (ISLSS), and
Owner of the LinkedIn
Lean Six Sigma Group.
Replace the content of this slide with images or video’s
related to your process improvement project
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)

11. Sponsor
Checklists Lean Six Sigma Resources
11
 Lean Six Sigma Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Lean-Six-Sigma-37987
 Lean Six Sigma Subgroups: https://www.linkedin.com/groups?subgroups=&gid=37987
 International Standard for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS): http://www.islss.com
http://www.islss.com/
Best Wishes in Continuously Improving Your Business Processes
– Steven Bonacorsi, Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)
 i-nexus: http://www.i-nexus.com
 Strategy Execution Community LinkedIn Group
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Strategy-Execution-Community-3725091
 SigmaXL: http://www.sigmaxl.com
 SigmaXL LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/SigmaXL-1812101?gid=1812101
 Gemba Academy http://www.gembaacademy.com Lean CEO Group:
 Gemba Academy LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Gemba-Academy-1844998?gid=1844998
 PEX Network http://www.processexcellencenetwork.com
 PEX Network & IQPC - Lean Six Sigma & Process Excellence for Continuous Improvement
 Lean Leadership Institute: http://www.LeanLeadership.guru/books.html The Toyota Way Group

12. Sponsor
Checklists
Lean Six Sigma Groups
(Click Logo’s to Join Group)
Lean Six Sigma Group
Each Week, the Lean Six Sigma Group Grows +1,500 New Members; +2,000 Lean
12
Six Sigma Jobs; +200 Discussions; +500 Comments
+280,000 Members – Come Join the Conversation
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)

13. Sponsor
Checklists
Lean Six Sigma Resource Blogs
(Click Logo’s to Follow Blogs)
13
See Notes Section for Links to Lean Six Sigma Group Contributors
International Standards for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)