Entering the LCS Awards is a valuable opportunity to showcase improvement work, gain recognition, and reflect on your journey. But what separates a good submission from a winning one?
In a recent LCS awards webinar session, our four judges shared exactly what they look for when assessing entries. Watch the recording of the webinar below.
One of the strongest signals judges look for is clarity.
Your submission should clearly explain:
Judges consistently highlighted the importance of a simple, understandable story. If they can’t quickly grasp the problem and the improvement, it becomes harder to see impact.
Authenticity came up repeatedly across the panel.
Judges are not looking for “perfect” case studies. They are looking for real ones.
That means:
As one judge put it, they want to see improvement that feels real, raw, and meaningful — not generic or overly refined.
A common reason submissions fall short is a lack of impact.
You may describe the work well, but judges are asking:
So what changed?
Strong entries clearly connect:
Whether it’s improved performance, customer experience, or cultural change, the impact needs to be explicit and easy to understand.
Winning submissions strike a balance.
Judges want:
Too much data without narrative feels dry. Too much narrative without evidence feels ungrounded. The strongest entries combine both.
Continuous improvement is fundamentally about people.
Judges emphasised that strong submissions:
The “people story” is often what makes a submission stand out.
One of the most overlooked sections of any submission is reflection.
Judges actively look for:
This is especially important for organisations early in their improvement journey. Reflection shows maturity — not just in outcomes, but in mindset.
You only have a limited word count (around 1,500 words across five questions), so simplicity matters.
Tips from the judges:
If someone outside your organisation can’t understand it quickly, it’s probably too complex.
A recurring reason submissions don’t stand out is lack of specificity.
Generic statements like:
…don’t land well with judges.
Instead, be specific:
Specificity is what makes your submission memorable.
Judges noted a growing trend in AI-assisted submissions.
While AI can help with:
It can also:
The key message: use AI as a support tool, not a replacement for your story.
If you’re unsure which category to choose, don’t let it stop you.
The judging team may:
And importantly — you can enter multiple categories if appropriate.
Discover the awards categories here.
Perhaps the strongest message from the judges was this: don’t hold back.
Even if you’re early in your journey or unsure whether your work is “award-worthy,” the process itself is valuable. It helps you:
And sometimes, that recognition becomes a turning point for your organisation.
The deadline for submissions is the end of the day on Friday 1st May.
Now is the time to tell your story.