DMAIC Framework
Six Sigma's magic doesn't lie in statistical or high-tech
razzle-dazzle. Six Sigma relies on tried-and-true methods that have
been around for decades. In fact, Six Sigma discards a great deal
of the complexity that characterizes total quality management (TQM).
By one expert's count, there are more than 400 TQM tools and techniques.
Six Sigma takes a handful of these methods and trains a small cadre
of in-house technical leaders, known as Six Sigma Black Belts, to
a high level of proficiency in the application of these techniques.
To be sure, some of the methods used by Black Belts, including up-to-date
computer technology, are highly advanced. But the tools are applied
within a simple performance-improvement framework known as DMAIC,
or define-measure-analyze-improve-control, which is analogous to
the older TQM model known as plan-do-study-act. Anyone with more
than the most cursory exposure to Six Sigma is familiar with the
DMAIC cycle (see Table 1.)
Table 1: DMAIC Framework
|
D - |
DEFINE
improvement activity goals. At the top level, the goals will
be the organization’s strategic objectives, such as higher
return on investment or market share. At the operations level,
a goal might be to increase the throughput of a production department.
At the project level, goals might be to reduce the defect level
and increase the yield of a process or machine. Apply data-mining
methods to identify potential improvement opportunities. |
|
M - |
MEASURE the
existing system. Establish valid and reliable metrics to help
monitor progress toward the goal(s) defined in the previous
step. Begin by determining the current baseline. Use exploratory
and descriptive data analysis to help you understand the data. |
|
A - |
ANALYZE the
system to identify ways to eliminate the gap between the current
performance of the system or process and the desired goal. Apply
statistical tools to guide the analysis. |
|
I - |
IMPROVE the
system. Be creative in finding new ways to do things safer,
better, cheaper or faster. Use project management and other
planning and management tools to implement the new approach.
Use statistical methods to validate the improvement. |
|
C - |
CONTROL the
new system. Institutionalize the improved system by modifying
compensation and incentive systems, policies, procedures, material
requirements planning (MRP), budgets, operating instructions
and other management systems. You may wish to utilize systems
such as ISO
9000 to ensure that documentation is correct. |
DMAIC is almost universally used to guide Six Sigma
process-improvement projects. Although truly dramatic improvement
in quality requires transforming the management philosophy and organizational
culture, the fact is that projects must be undertaken sooner or
later to make things happen. Projects are the means through which
processes are systematically changed; they are the bridge between
the planning and the doing. However, DMAIC is not a method of planning
projects. Project planning is a subject in its own right. Although
projects and plans are closely related, they also differ in many
respects.
The dictionary defines the word "project"
as "a plan or proposal, a scheme, or an undertaking requiring
concerted effort." Under the synonym "plan," we find
"a scheme, program or method worked out beforehand for the
accomplishment of an objective: a plan of attack; a proposed or
tentative project or course of action; or a systematic arrangement
of important parts."
In other words, the project describes what will be
done while the plan describes, in advance and in detail, how it
will be done. Both elements can be integrated under the DMAIC umbrella.
