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DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control and is an important tool used by those who work on Six Sigma projects. The DMAIC cycle looks at data driven improvement. The improvement helps a business optimize its processes and business results.

You should know that to properly use this tool you must follow the DMAIC in order with each part required and distinct.

Let’s look now more closely at each of these steps:

Define: This step involves a team explaining clearly a business problem. It also involves a timeline, goal, and identification of a scope and resources. Team members write down what they identify to be the problem, what facts they know, and the objectives of the team. When they identify the problem they also identify the customers involved and outputs for the processes involved.

Measure: When completing this step, team members identify baselines by collecting data. The team will take the baseline data from the beginning of the project and compare it to data at the end of the project. For example, if you are making plastic cups and scrap an average of 100 in a week, at the end of the project you could identify scrapping less than 10 a month.

The team determines what to measure, how to measure, and who will measure. Data collection is a key concept of DMAIC so typically a team does a thorough job with this step.

Analyze: When you complete this step you look at root causes of problems. Here is an example of how you could do this.

1. Identify potential root causes of the project problem.
2. Use root cause analysis (RCA) such as a fishbone diagram.
3. Use a consensus tool to select the top three to four potential root causes.
4. Create a data collection plan.
5. Collect data to establish the contribution of each root cause.
6. Identify which root causes are valid using data.
7. List and prioritize possible causes for the problem
8. Prioritize root causes with the Improve step in mind.
9. Look at data to see how much each root cause contributes.

Teams can use tools such as a histogram, line plot, and Pareto chart to help with analysis. Process maps can also help.

Identify: When completing this step, teams determine, test, and, if appropriate, implement a solution to the problem. This can be a solution in part or in the whole. The team should try to focus on obvious solutions if possible. The team is looking to eliminate root causes of problems to fix processes that prevent future problems. Teams can use techniques such as brainstorming and Six Hats Thinking during this step.

Create: During this step the team should focus on the easiest and simplest solutions. You can test solutions using a PDCA cycle that includes:

• Plan
• Do
• Check
• Act

Based on the result of the PDCA cycle, anticipate risks you can avoid. Create an implementation plan. Put into place the improvement.

Control: During this step the team monitors improvements. You want to be sure you are getting the success you can sustain. You create a control plan and update documentation that includes training documents. Use can use a control chart during this step to look at the results of the improvement over time. The control chart can help you look at each measure you monitor in case the action taken does not improve the process over time.

Let’s review:

We just looked in detail at each part of the DMAIC process. You should also consider after going through the DMAIC steps, other processes that could benefit from the solution you implement. As you share information about your results other processes might benefit. This can create a culture where groups share information and benefit and the entire organization improves.

We are always available to help you clarify the deployment of these effective Lean Six Sigma tools. If you have more questions, contact us at 6Sigma.us.