Designing for customer needs always leads to higher quality products and services, as well as innovative outcomes, because an effective design process uncovers hidden customer needs. Adapting the most effective models of continuous innovation can create the habit of innovation. Continuous innovation using the design for Six Sigma (DFSS) models and tools is a powerful engine for planning quality into products. Juran referred to the quality-planning design steps as a framework for planning new products and services. Planning an effective solution for an improvement project may require one or more steps of this quality planning process.

New designs or innovations happen when one discovers hidden customer needs. Traditionally, the main activities to capitalize on these insights were executed sequentially. Unfortunately, this approach results in a minimum of communication between the departments, which in turn often leads to problems for the next internal customer department. To prevent this, activities are organized as a team from the beginning of the project.

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