Project Nomination

Definition of Project Nomination:

When a project is nominated, it puts your company in the spotlight for everyone on your team and in your industry.

Overview: What is a project nomination?

A project nomination is when a project is officially deemed eligible for consideration to be recognized for applying Six Sigma methodology to a new product or process. It is nominated by a Six Sigma Black Belt, MBB, manager, or sponsor that is associated with the project.

3 benefits of a project nomination

There are some major benefits to having a project be nominated:

1. Morale

Receiving recognition for the efforts of you and your team can offer a boost in morale as well as validation.

2. A signifier to clients

Having a project nominated can signal to current and potential future clients that your organization is on the right path and worth doing business with.

3. Leverage

A project nomination can act as leverage when seeking approval for future projects.

Why is a project nomination important to understand?

Understanding how applying for a project nomination works is important for the following reasons:

1. Getting together all the correct information

Having an understanding of how a project nomination works helps in making sure that all that is needed to be documented to receive the nomination is covered.

2. Formatting

There is specific formatting that is required for the nomination process, and having an understanding of the format helps the prospects of the project.

3. Deadlines

Knowing the pertinent dates and deadlines for the submission of a project are important to understand as part of the nomination process.

An industry example of a project nomination

A manager at a manufacturing plant is extremely impressed with how a new process has turned around productivity at his manufacturing plant. He wants to make sure that his employees are recognized for this achievement, from the team leader all the way to the workers on the assembly lines. In order to pursue award recognition, he goes through the steps necessary for a project nomination. This includes defining the process, getting a testimonial from a customer, and making sure he has all the necessary data to meet documentation guidelines. Also, the new process has only been being utilized and showing improvement for ten weeks, so he has a few more weeks before the project is eligible for submission.

5 best practices when thinking about a project nomination

Here are some key practices to consider when pursuing a project nomination:

1. Definition of process

There should be a clearly defined process that is cost-effective and functional.

2. VOC

A documented voice of the customer (VOC) should be included.

3. Meeting documentation guidelines

The whole of the project should be well documented and should meet the minimum documentation guidelines.

4. Be in the Control phase

The project should be improving and be in the Control phase for a minimum of 90 days.

5. Project pilot phase

The project should, at minimum, be in the pilot phase if it has not yet been fully implemented.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about a project nomination

1. What if a project is yet to launch?

A project needs to at least have been piloted, meaning a small-scale implementation to show its viability, in order to be nominated.

2. How many categories can I nominate a project for?

Typically, you can only nominate a project for a single category.

3. What if there are not enough project nominations for a category?

Should that occur, no award will be given for that particular category.