Evaluation Summary
Overall assessment of the improvement project
What is Evaluation Summary?
The Evaluation Summary is the capstone document of a PIPS cycle. It synthesizes the before-after comparison, the team's retrospective insights, and a clear recommendation for next steps: standardize the solution, iterate with another cycle, or close the project. It serves as both a project close-out report and a reference for future improvement efforts.
When to Use It
- •At the end of Step 6 (Evaluate) to formally close the improvement cycle
- •When presenting final results to leadership
- •When archiving the project for future reference
How to Use It: Step by Step
- 1
Summarize the project
Brief overview: what problem was tackled, what solution was implemented, and the timeline.
- 2
Present the results
Include the before-after comparison data. Highlight which targets were met and which were not.
- 3
Assess the process
How well did the team execute? Were timelines realistic? Were the right people involved? What would you do differently?
- 4
Recommend next steps
Explicitly choose one: Standardize (make the change permanent), Iterate (run another PIPS cycle on remaining gaps), or Close (problem is resolved, move on).
Example
Onboarding improvement project — final evaluation
Problem: Onboarding took 21 business days (target: 7). Solution: Pre-boarding automation, consolidated orientation, and self-service IT setup. Results: Onboarding reduced to 8.5 business days (60% improvement, target partially met). Process assessment: Phase 1 pilot was rushed; Phase 2 benefited from the extra week. Recommendation: Standardize the current process and start a new PIPS cycle focused on the IT setup step, which accounts for the remaining 1.5-day gap.
Pro Tips
- ✓Write the evaluation while memories are fresh — waiting weeks loses critical detail
- ✓Include both quantitative results and qualitative team feedback
- ✓Be honest about what did not work — candor builds trust and improves future projects
- ✓Archive the evaluation where future teams can find it — organizational learning compounds over time
Facilitation Guide
Hold a 90-minute evaluation workshop. Present before/after data and let the team review silently (10 min). Discuss results as a group — were targets met? Why or why not? (20 min). Run a structured retrospective: each person writes what went well, what to improve, and action items on separate sticky notes (15 min). Share and cluster the notes (20 min). Draft the evaluation summary together — key findings, recommendations, and next steps (15 min). Decide as a team: standardize the solution, iterate with another cycle, or close the project (10 min).
Other Tools in Step 6
Before & After Comparison
Compare baseline metrics with post-implementation results
Lessons Learned
Document insights, successes, and areas for improvement
Balance Sheet
Weigh gains vs. losses and decide the path forward
Results Metrics
Record post-improvement values and auto-calculate annual savings, ROI %, and payback period using the baseline captured in the Step 1 Impact Metrics form
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