DMAIC Improvement Process Is:
- Data-driven
- Followed in a strict sequence
- Uses all five steps
DMAIC Five Stages
- Define: Collate what we already know about the existing process
- Measure: Collect further data about the existing process
- Analyze: Identify the core problems that we’ll address
- Improve: Plan, test, and implement solutions
- Control: Set up supports to ensure that successful solutions are sustainable
When NOT to use DMAIC:
- The problem is already very clear and how to solve it
- There is no or little available data on the process to be improved
- Managers and leaders do not support the improvement of this process
- The process does not directly impact key performance indicators
- Measuring process improvements would be difficult or impossible
Define Phase
- Understand the project, including its purpose and scope
- Map the current process
- Determine whether the process is a good candidate for DMAIC
- Detail customer expectations
- Estimate timelines and costs
Measure Phase
- Identify the data that you need to collect
- Decide what measurements to use
- Figure out what methods to use to collect your measurements
- Determine the level of variation that you’ll be dealing with
- Collect the data
Analyze Phase
- Identify defect causes
- Analyze these to pinpoint the root cause
- Use measure data to identify the probable causes of the problem
- Identify the actual root cause using brainstorming, 5 why, and other techniques
- Find the critical root cause that has the highest impact on CTQ
- Verify the root causes using appropriate statistical tools and techniques like hypothesis testing
Improve Phase
- Pull in people who perform or oversee the process
- Brainstorm potential solutions
- Determine criteria for selecting a solution
- Weigh potential solutions against the criteria
- Pick a solution
- Test the chosen solution
- Measure the results and compare them to the Measure phase data
Control Phase
- Document the solution
- Collect data about how the solution is working in production
- Put supports in place to ensure that the solution is permanent, not temporary
- Set up a plan to deal with any issues that might arise
- Plan handover to the operations personnel
Project Charter
- Set of documents that provide purpose and motivation for the initiative, serves as a working document for the team and as a reference for the rest of the company, and acts as a guiding hand for the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle (Shewhart Wheel) and Plan-Do-Check-Act (Deming Wheel)
- Can be good for problem identification as it clearly documents the scope and business impact of the problem the Six Sigma team is attempting to solve.
- Clearly state what the intended goals are and how success will be measured
Elements of a Good Project Charter
- Problem Statement
- Benefits, Goals, and Objectives
- Goal Statement - Business Case
- Project Scope
- Milestones
- Assumptions & Dependencies
- Roles & Responsibilities of team members
- Stakeholders
- Problem Statement
Project charter starts with a clear problem statement.
-Describes the problem you are trying to solve or the opportunity you are trying to capitalize upon in an objective manner without commentary or opinion
- Details what this project is solving in specific, measurable, and quantifiable terms
- How long has the problem existed?
- Describe the impact of the problem on the company
- What will happen if we DO NOT take action?
- What’s the gat between now and future?
- Gap between current state and desired future state
- Ise SMART - Specific Measurable Actionable Relevant Timely
- Benefits, Goals, and Objective
Goal Statement
- Take the Problem Statement and translate it into objectives (things that need to be completed to consider the project a success) and understand the benefits of what the project will deliver
- Anticipated benefits
- Answer the why
- Anticipated return
- List Critical to Quality tree appendix here to reference
- Business case
-Take what you’ve listed in the problem statement and goals and objectives and clearly and concisely lay out a case for management to select this project.
-Convert the problem and objectives to a statement of business value
-Short and to the point
-No-specific and non-quantifiable terms
-What does the project do? What is the strategic impact? Why is this worth doing?
What happens if we don’t do it?
-Describe what the project does to impact the strategic imperatives of the company
-Identify the project needs
- Project Scope
- The boundaries
- Who else is impacted
- Set by champion
- Battles scope creep
- Is NOT a timeline, but COULD be a time frame
- Do NOT just restate the issue
- This is just what your project is and whaat your project is NOT
- Think of this as your contract. Your project will do X, Y, and Z. It will NOT do A,B,C
- Milestones
- What key deliverables are being delivered when - and what value will be conferred?
- Possible prioritization and scaling of benefits
- List the tollgate meetings
- Review with your sponsors to set realistic expectations
- If a schedule is required, use project management tools to reverse engineering the takes and activities needed to complete all of the objectives and ensure that you have the appropriate time to accomplish everything necessary
- Assumptions & Dependencies
- What do we know about this problem?
- What must we believe or hold true if we are to think this project will be a success?
- What are some global variables that need to be true in order for this process to be a success? Any need to be not true?
- What things are crucial to our success?
- Are there other projects or efforts underway that are required for this project to be successful?
- What times are showstoppers? What potential events are out there that could totally derail our effort?
- Focus on the critical few that are worth considering as you could list everything in the world here. Only focus on the crucial.
- Roles and Responsibilities of team members
- Identify team members, equipment, and materials to be used.
- Team Members include:
1. Sponsor
2. Champion
3. Process Owner
4. Green Belt
5. Black Belt
6. Master Black Belt
- Stakeholders
- Detail how the project impacts them or their groups, and what they may be required to help with
- Review the assumptions and dependencies with them. Be transparent
Sponsor
- Sponsor: Is usually a high-level or senior business leader or executive who sponsors the Six Sigma engagement.
- Responsible for articulating the problem statement, defining the team’s objectives and validating the business case in the project charter.
- Sponsors are the a liaison between the team and senior management and thus responsible for securing subject matter experts and non-Six Sigma resources critical to the success of the project.
- Is looked to for decisions at critical times at the project.
- The sponsor’s approval is required at DMAIC tollgates.
Champion
Champion: Middle or senior executive who sponsor and promote continuous improvement initiatives through out their organization.
Secures training and mentorship for Black Belt candidates and makes sure that resources are available for projects.
Resolves any cross-functional team issues that may occur.
Trained in the basics of Six Sigma.
Sometimes filled by former Black Belts or Master Black Belts. Occasionally the Champion may also Sponsor projects or programs.
Process Owner
Process Owner: Professional, often a senior business leader, responsible for the business process that is the target of a Six Sigma project.
Sometimes the process owner may be the sponsor of the initiative.
Green Belt
Six Sigma Green Belt: A professional with introductory Six Sigma training partially allocated to an initiative.
May be a team member on a Black Belt project or lead a smaller project.
Black Belt
Six Sigma Black Belt
100% allocated professional trained in DMAIC and other problem-solving methodologies.
Has project management, statistical and process analysis skill sets.
Trained in both the science of and soft skills needed in bringing about change.
Responsibilities often include training green belts and other black belt candidates, and leading Six Sigma projects.
Black Belts may also serve as internal consultants helping multiple teams at once. Job duties some times include training other employees in tools, techniques, and processes.
Master Black Belt
100% allocated professional with tremendous experience as a Black Belt leading teams and completing projects.
A true expert in Six Sigma methodology and tools.
Six Sigma Master Black Belts often mentor aspiring black belts and consult and remove obstacles from Black Belt teams.
Has responsibility to champions for keeping portfolio of initiatives on track.
Stakeholder
A stakeholder is someone who will have input into the project. These are generally internal people, but not always.
-Investors, subject matter experts, analysts, architects, developers, marketers, product owners, technical writers, testers, quality assurance
- A stakeholder will use the output of the project. These are usually external people:
- Customers, end users, target audience
