The Lean Six Sigma process improves efficiency in companies by encouraging change toward quality service through senior management commitment, leadership training, clear goal selection, team building, and effective communication. Professionals seeking leadership opportunities in business may be willing to develop a more in-depth understanding of Six Sigma’s DMAIC methodology.
Although DMAIC is an integral part of the Lean Six Sigma process, it can be implemented as an independent quality development process.
What is the DMAIC methodology?
DMAIC is a structured, five-stage, customer-focused, data-driven approach to problem solving based on the foundations of Lean Six Sigma. DMAIC and Six Sigma Model is used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of organizational processes. It is an acronym for Defining, Measuring, Analyzing, Improving, and Controlling Business Performance, pronounced DMAIC.
Overall, the five phases represent an improvement cycle to identify best practices and move closer to stronger performance standards and optimal processes. It is meant to be repeated frequently in an effort to simplify resources and clarify business objectives.
Each stage of the cycle has a different set of tasks and objectives. Here we give a closer look at each stage one by one.
Define: What is the problem?
In this phase, the current status is documented and defined, and you should know who the customers of the process are and which customer needs they should meet. On this basis, the performance characteristics of the process that are critical for meeting customer expectations are then defined. In addition, project parameters such as scope, limits and time periods are specified.
The critical steps while defining are:
– Establish a team to implement this improvement
– Drafting the project charter
– Define and validate improvement opportunity
– Define project scope
– Clarify the needs and requirements of customers
– Documenting a job opportunity
– Project Impact Assessment
– Identify stakeholders and beneficiaries
– Draw a clear map of the process.
Measure: How can the impact be measured?
Data, figures and facts provide the basis for a successful improvement project. In this phase, measuring means determining the current characteristics of the performance characteristics. For this purpose, the process is first broken down into sub-processes and visualized (process mapping). On this basis, possible influencing and output variables can be determined and methods and instruments for collecting data from the individual process steps can be determined. The aim is to capture the functionality of the process.
The tools available for this include statistical and graphic methods as well as process and measurement system capability studies. After completion of this phase, for example, a data acquisition plan, data acquisition sheets, frequency diagrams (histograms), measurement system analyzes, a priority matrix and an FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) are available.
Analysis: What are the causes of the problem?
The aim of the analysis phase is to represent the cause-and-effect relationships between inputs and outputs not only qualitatively, but also quantitatively, if possible, in order to identify the causes of the deviation from defined performance targets. In addition to brainstorming, Ishikawa diagrams, FMEA and statistical methods serve as tools for this. The result of this phase may lead to changes in the problem description or the entire project framework.
Improve: How can the problem be eliminated?
In the improvement phase, possible solutions for the problems identified and selected in the analysis phase are to be found. This can be supported by creativity techniques (such as brainstorming or brainwriting, mind mapping, morphological boxes). The possible solutions are checked and evaluated on the basis of standards (legal requirements, ordinances, environmental guidelines, etc.) as well as feasibility and desirability criteria. A decision is made about the suitability of the solutions and the most advantageous one is implemented.
Control: Adjust and review operations
The last phase serves to anchor the improvements and new procedures achieved in everyday operation through standardization and documentation. The process or the effect of the measures is continuously monitored with the developed measuring systems in order to be able to initiate suitable corrective measures in the event of deviations from the defined goal. Controlling checks whether the target has been achieved.
Conclusion
The advantage of the DMAIC process as the core of Six Sigma is that it opens up a wide range of possibilities and tools in the field of project management technology. The creation of a conceptual framework in the company is of great value in order to be able to continuously measure, improve and control performance. In this way, DMAIC promotes the effectiveness and efficiency of corporate processes, because:
– It is possible to react quickly and consistently to changes in the market and strategy.
– The consistent data basis and process orientation are promoted.
– Errors are reduced and duplication of work is avoided.
– Customer satisfaction is increased by integrating customer needs.
– The profitability as well as the turnover of a company are increased.
– By integrating the suppliers, improved supplier management is possible.
DMAIC Model PowerPoint PPT Template
We will save you the trouble of looking for the best DMAIC and Six Sigma Model PowerPoint templates, because we introduce you to this thorough DMAIC template which has 20 slides that serves all tastes and purposes. You will have the possibility to change the color theme, with one click, for all sheets, shapes, and symbols. The presentation package includes more than 3000 professional vector type icons, which are easy to scale and recolor. The format of the presentation can be chosen at a 4:3 or 16:9 ratio. And we will go through some of the existing slides:
Basic DMAICs: First, you will have several slides that shows the five principles of DMAIC model templates with different designs and possible uses.
DMAIC Vs DMADV: It’s a slide where you can compare between the two models as DMAIC addresses the current process; DMADV addresses the design process. DMAIC includes specific solutions; DMADV is part of the solution design process. DMAIC includes controls to sustain the gains; DMADV includes verification and validation of the finished design.
DMAIC Process Map: in this slide you will get the five main DMAIC phases but you can explain them in 3 steps: 1. Purpose, 2. Primary Tools, and 3. Key Outputs.
Six Sigma DMAIC Roadmap: The DMAIC methodology can be thought of as a roadmap for problem solving and product/process improvement. Most companies begin implementing Six Sigma using the DMAIC model, and later add the DMADV or IDDOV methodologies when the organizational culture and experience level permits.
In this DMAIC Model PowerPoint PPT Template, you will also have a slide on each phase so you can talk about it in more details.
