DMAIC Archives - 6sigma

The Secret Ingredient for Six Sigma Success

admin — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 00:02:05 +0000

In Six Sigma, you learn the DMAIC methodology, which stands for Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control. This is the main template, and within that you have Six Sigma tools. These are the simple basic tools which will help you gain great insights and improve your business processes, so that you will automatically cut down on production costs and improve quality by running more efficiently and effectively.

In order for anything you attempt to work, there is a secret ingredient you must have and that is faith. Since this is Six Sigma and it is data-driven, maybe a better word is trust. Just look at the data provided by such companies such as Toyota, General Electric (GE), Amazon…the list goes on.

The online dictionary has the definition of faith as “belief that is not based on proof.” Well Six Sigma has proof, and this goes back in time. GE is living proof. They train all of their employees in Six Sigma — everyone is included, not just management. It is a complete collaboration, with mentoring included.

Jack Welch knew in his gut this was going to be great. He had belief and trust in the Six Sigma system. Yes, there was proof in the system before Jack Welch, but only to those who were involved and chose to see it.

The belief you carry inside is the key to success in anything, including Six Sigma. What makes Six Sigma so special is that unlike anything else, Six Sigma has data to back it up, lots and lots of data. There is enough evidence and proof that Six Sigma works to keep the naysayers quiet; unfortunately to keep the yin and yang in our world they must exist. But for those who believe in what Jack Welch did, we say, “Success up and up” to you!

For more information on our Lean Six Sigma courses and services, please visit 6sigma.com. Be sure to check out our Virtual Training Classroom options!

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Six Sigma Key Concepts and Terms

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 15:57:11 +0000

Every once in a while, reviewing Six Sigma key concepts is important as a refresher. These concepts are what keeps the focus on what’s important.

Critical to Quality (CTQ): What’s most important to the customer, what does the customer require, or what must be included for the customer to spend their money at your business. The customer has to define what quality is, not the business.
Defects: Failing to give what the customer asked for; or failing to deliver what the customer wants. Example: When Coca Cola changed its original recipe and made New Coke. That was a major defect, the customers did not ask for that.
Process Capability: This is what your process can deliver.
Variation: What the customer sees and feels. This is anything that the customer doesn’t expect in the product that they purchased from the company. There should never be any fluctuations.
Stable Operations: This refers to ensuring a consistent predictable process to improve what the customer sees and feels. This is ensuring top quality to what the customer expects from the product.
Design for Six Sigma (DFSS): Designing to meet the customer needs and process capability. Designing a product or service that you currently don’t have to satisfy a customer request or redesigning a problematic process

The Difference Between DMAIC and DMADV or (DFSS)

The DMAIC methodology is used when you want to improve an existing process not create an entirely new process.

The DMADV methodology (also known as DFSS) is focused on developing a new service or product.

Define: The customer’s requirements and for the new process, service or product.

Measure: Measuring the customer’s needs to match the customer requirements.

Analyze: The design for the process

Design: Implement the new processes that are required for the new product or service.

Verify: The results and monitor performance.

For more information on our Lean Six Sigma courses and services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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The DMAIC Process Is Improvement at Its Finest

admin — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 21:54:59 +0000

When a business owner decides to implement Six Sigma into the company culture, he or she wants to reap the benefits of Six Sigma. Let’s review the benefits of Six Sigma regarding business practices and processes. A vast improvement of the inner workings of a company will create a successful client/customer base, which translates to your business being successful.

The DMAIC Process

Define: This is when you define the system, the goals and the current data, as well as the projected goals and expectations. Be very specific and clear and include a time frame.

Measure: Do this at the current level. Collect any data that will be relevant to the current issue you want to fix. The more actual data you collect, the more noticeable improvement is likely to show up.

Analyze: Perform this for all the data, and show cause and effect. Conduct a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and show all data to support and ensure all possible actions for improvement have been taken.

Improve: Using tools such as Poka Yoke as well as mistake proofing using data to support your claims. Do test runs and conduct a pilot run to support improvement.

Control: Continuously monitor to ensure any corrections needed are immediately taken care of.

Benefits of Implementing Six Sigma

Reducing or completely eliminating variances and errors. Consistency in the product or service is what is key. This is also at the core of Six Sigma strategies, it is the reason Six Sigma exists.
Maintaining high quality. Six Sigma methods and tools were created to help companies find the root of the problem. Tools such as Root Cause Analysis, Pareto Chart, Fishbone Diagram and 5 Whys are a great way to find the root causes once and for all.
Focus and compliance on standards. Six Sigma’s main focus is on quality standards. Many businesses are in industries that have compliance with other regulatory agencies, such as OSHA and Six Sigma, that lines up with their quality standards.
Continuous education and training. Six Sigma puts emphasis on continuous education, and the Six Sigma culture feels that training and ongoing education is very important for the success of a company, regardless of the industry it serves.

For more information on our Lean Six Sigma courses and services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Six Sigma Is About the Focus on What You Do

admin — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 14:49:22 +0000

Six Sigma takes working efficiently and effectively very seriously, and this takes focus.

The focus is what keeps you doing the task correctly. When working on your day-to-day processes, your mind needs to keep up with your body; they are partners. This will keep you from making errors and creating waste. The waste will show up as variations in the product being produced, or extra production time taken.

To make sure you focus throughout the day-to-day processes, you must define that as one of your goals. It must be at the center of your core beliefs in order to be successful. This doesn’t just apply when you are using Six Sigma methodologies, but throughout your life as well.

One of the main reasons people really take to the Six Sigma DMAIC template is because it helps keep the individual focused by creating a template to follow. The more you use the DMAIC template, the more you will naturally arrive at being focused. You can only create consistency in your day-to-day processes when your mind and body work together as partners.

An interesting fact about ourselves is that we are creatures of habit. This has been scientifically proven, we go about the day doing pretty much the same thing in the same way at the same time. Why do we do this? We do this because it works for us, because our mind is connected to our body and when we get a favorable outcome, it becomes part of our life’s processes — or in this case, habits.

In order to be successful using Six Sigma methodologies in your business or career, you must focus on what you are doing and how you are doing it. This will put you on a path to arriving at being an expert. We all know experts are efficient and effective in what they do.

For more information on our Lean Six Sigma courses and services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Lean Six Sigma Is One Happy Family

admin — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 15:03:08 +0000

If Lean Six Sigma were to have DNA testing done to determine its genetics, the one gene that would be found in every single member of the Lean Six Sigma genetic pool would be the DMAIC gene. This would include A3 Process of Problem Solving, PDCA. In fact, even adopted into the family, Kaizen would contain elements of the DMAIC. Furthermore, every Lean Six Sigma tool and template is designed to be used perfectly in each of the DMAIC phases.

Think of it like one huge box. You open it and there is another box, open that box and there is another box and so on. The boxes are all just boxes, the contents you put in them is what will define them.

Whether the word you use is Define as in the Define phase of the DMAIC template, or the word Plan, as in the acronym PDCA which stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act, the information you put into that box will be of a specific nature, but with a slight variance.

The reason is that every core of Lean Six Sigma’s existence is for perfection and systematic problem solving, so the DMAIC gene will be woven into all of its family members.

Do as You Would Do in Real Life

Let’s take the concept of the boxes we just used. In the Define phase, in the first box Define the problem. While still in the Define phase, in each smaller box define specific details but keep them in separate boxes under the same Define phase. This keeps things organized. In real life if you were to put a book in a box that you have labeled shoes, you won’t remember where your favorite book is. Think of this book as a loss of valuable information. By applying the DMAIC template correctly, problem solving will be much easier.

For more information on our Lean Six Sigma classes and services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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If It’s Clear and Concise, Then Six Sigma DMAIC Is Involved

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 21:14:25 +0000

Imagine you’re at work. Your place of employment doesn’t subscribe to the methodologies of Six Sigma, but you need to communicate a possible solution to a problem. If you aren’t senior management or in an advisory position, you will need to be concise and make your point clear and effective. Here is a great preparation tool — it’s the Six Sigma DMAIC template.

You need to use this tool before you approach the powers that be…the boss! So what is the DMAIC template?

Define Phase: Define the problem and how it affects the day-to-day processes. Also, state how fixing the problem would benefit the company and any other benefits that come out of this project. You could create a SIPOC diagram and highlight the target step; this will help the viewer visualize the scope of the problem and the processes that it takes or impacts. Other tools to use are the Pareto chart and a process map —both make great visuals for instant comprehension.

Note: The SIPOC stands for Suppliers-Inputs-Process-Outputs-Customers

Measure Phase: Give the baseline or “as-is” current process. Provide any data that validates your point in the Define Phase. If you have any access to datasheets, you could create a Value Stream Map and Cause & Effect diagram.

Analyze Phase: Show, identify and validate the critical causes. In the Analyze Phase, this helps show all the possible failure modes of the current process. Another valuable technique used in Six Sigma is Regression Analysis, which predicts how one variable affects another shown in graphics without casting any positive or negative values.

Improve Phase: Give only the best potential solutions, this is after you have done your homework to validate those solutions. Perhaps you have developed pilot studies to implement, which will help prove your point.

Control Phase: Show the control plan you have created to sustain the new solution you’ve created. This must be a full-scale solution to show how this is not just probable, but a must-do. The tools you could use are control charts and poka-yoke. Also be ready, because anyone that is this thorough will get noticed and deserves to move up in the company!

For more information on our Six Sigma training courses and services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Using Six Sigma DMAIC for Studying Purposes

admin — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 15:25:09 +0000

Whether you’re just starting out in your educational journey or a lifelong learner, it is good to have systems in place for learning new material. Why not consider integrating the DMAIC template into your studies? This simple template is the most powerful tool to use for focused studying. It can be used in conjunction with your other class tools, such as class syllabus. The class syllabus usually lays out exactly what is going to be taught and when the tests on said subject are going to happen. This information would be great to fill in your DMAIC template. You can think of this as your “process” creation.

Remember, Six Sigma was created to be used for process improvement. The way you study is the process you use to gain knowledge by remembering what you studied. The result of how successful you are will be shown in how well you scored on the exam!

Simplified Idea of How to Use DMAIC for Studying

Let’s break down how using the DMAIC* can help with your studying:

Define: In this phase, you can get all the information you will need from the class syllabus, which includes exams, chapters covered, lectures, and the like. Be specific and detailed in this portion. If you know the information that is pertinent, your brain will look for it and remember it.

Measure: Collect the data you need to study, including the days of the week to split your time in. Categorize anything (hours studying, time of day) that relates to time studying.

Analyze: With the information you gathered in the measure phase, take a pre-test prior to studying the material, then study and take the test again. If your score is a lot higher than before, your study methods are working, but if your test shows only a small improvement, then your study methods need improvement.

Improve: Here, you would improve your studying methods, do the analyze phase again and see how much you’ve improved. Repeat until you’ve accomplished a big improvement to your satisfaction.

Control: Once you’ve found what works that gets you the high score, it is up to you to stay in that mode of improvement. The data will show and you want to make sure you control what ever it takes to stay in that mode.

*The above is a simplified idea of how the DMAIC would work for study purposes. For more information on our Lean Six Sigma training courses and services, please visit the 6sigma.com.

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[INFOGRAPHIC] What is the DMAIC Roadmap?

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:40:56 +0000

Are the processes at work the best they could be? In other words, are the everyday tasks that you do to make the product or service absolutely without waste of time or material? The best way to find out is by using the DMAIC template. This is by far the best method to cut production time or variances. This can be used in any industry and on all work processes. View the infographic below and try it for yourself!

For more information on our Lean Six Sigma courses and services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Why Use Six Sigma in Your Business?

admin — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 14:49:20 +0000

Why are Six Sigma methodologies important to your business? If you believe that your business is just fine, why implement this highly structured, data-driven culture into your business?

Our answer? With businesses failing because of the high cost of materials and poor quality management (which can lead to loss of revenue through defects and long production times), there is a good reason why Six Sigma is important for any business in any industry.

The reason businesses fail is because changes occur, and what worked before won’t necessarily work in today’s work climate. These changes occur a little bit at a time; they are almost unnoticeable at first. Then before you know it, you are laying off perfectly great help because you are cutting costs in order to stay afloat.

By implementing Six Sigma’s DMAIC methodologies, the following can happen:

Cut process cycle time
Reduce or eliminate waste
Increase customer satisfaction
Reduce defects
Eliminate expensive revising

Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control = DMAIC

By using Six Sigma methodologies, you are using the best template for working smart. The Six Sigma tools that are used are easy to understand, and so flexible that any business in any industry can benefit. Other than the cost of training, these tools do not cost any money. Six Sigma’s DMAIC is a great template for working smart; otherwise you’re doing just enough to get through the day.

The Six Sigma certifications, whether it’s White & Yellow Belts, Green Belt, Black Belt or Master Black Belt, is a great journey with the added benefits of having a community of support, as well as a fraternity or network of like-minded business people like yourself.

This all adds up to success in business and a nice network of business connections, not to mention the great knowledge you will have.

For more information on our certification training courses and services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Achieve Personal Goals Using Six Sigma DMAIC

admin — Mon, 21 May 2018 15:56:29 +0000

Just about everyone has personal goals or something they want to improve on. So we have carefully crafted an outline applying the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology to working towards achieving those goals!

Define/Measure/Analyze/Improve/Control = DMAIC

You’d want to set up your goal as a project that must get done within a certain time frame, so lets see how this could be done.

Define: Clearly define your goal and be specific. Why is it important you lose that weight or finish that screenplay? How will achieving your goal impact your life? The more specific you are, the bigger the chance you will be successful at achieving your goal. Defining exactly why it is so important that you achieve this goal will put things into perspective and give your goal credence, mostly to yourself. How will your life change if you achieve this goal?

Measure: What is the data surrounding your current state? Since you currently haven’t achieved your goal, how is it affecting you? Convert your current status into measurable data. If you need to lose weight, write down your current vital statistics, i.e. weight, height, and physical condition, blood pressure, energy level. Be specific as possible.

Analyze: Break down your current processes, in this case routine, which would equal to time, spent adding value to you, i.e. your goal. Conduct a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and use the 5 whys to determine what is causing the obstacle and not letting you achieve your goal. Another tool you could use is the Fishbone Diagram, which would help you explore all potentials or real causes of your past failure.

Improve: Create potential solutions and make sure to address past failures and make sure your current potential solution is failure-proof to past obstacles. Conduct a trial pilot run to confirm the improvement and validate.

Control: Make sure your newly implemented routine to achieve your goal is well maintained. The best tool to use in this phase is a Control Chart. Process control is extremely important to identify defined standards and requirements needed to make sure the goal is achieved, thus adding value to the final product. In this case, lost weight or a finished screenplay.

For more information on our Six Sigma training courses or services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Infographic: Should you Use DMAIC or DMADV?

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 16:21:16 +0000

Want to understand the differences between DMAIC and DMADV? Check out our infographic below for a breakdown.

DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control)

If you have an existing product or service that doesn’t quite meet the requirements of your customers and you want to improve the existing processes then you need to use DMAIC.

D: Define the problem, goal, reason the issue needs to be resolved.

M: Measure the current status and use it as a baseline.

A: Analyze the root cause, identify with data driven tools and validate as to why the issue is occurring.

I: Improve and identify some creative solutions to get rid of the major root causes, so the problem will be fixed and prevent future similar issues.

C: Control and sustain the success of the new improvements.

DMADV (Define-Measure-Analyze-Design-Verify)

This is the acronym for the philosophy used in Design For Six Sigma (DFSS), used when developing a brand new service or product within a business.

D: Define the goal of the new product or service, set realistic and measurable goals.

M: Measure and know which factors are critically important. This should include any parameters, including risks, also accessing the production process and product capability.

A: Analyze, develop and design alternatives; work with different combinations and their results, selecting the best combinations.

D: Design a detailed prototype; create and modify until all the errors are worked out.

V: Verify as the final step. The newly designed product is taken to the real world and tested to see if it would work perfectly.

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DMAIC and Specificity Will Ensure Success

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 14:58:47 +0000

So what is the biggest secret in solving some of manufacturing most colossal problems using Six Sigma? Specificity.

When in the Define Phase of the DMAIC process, be very specific in defining the issue. Use any data that is representative of the issue at hand. If production costs have risen, then put how much they have risen in how long a time (for example, production costs have risen 20% in the last four months).

Included in the Define phase should also be the specific processes involved in manufacturing the product or service. Finally, list your specific goal for this project. The specificity of the goal will be obvious, but you need to include it and be as specific as possible for its success to be obtained.

The Specificity Continues

Being very specific in the Define phase will make the Measure phase even more helpful, because you can include any additional data you possibly hadn’t thought of, such as length of time taken for the processes or any changes made in the last four months. Any extra specificity given to data collection will increase success in the final result.

Now, because of the due diligence in really being specific in defining the issue and the extra specific data collected during the Measure phase, the Analyze phase becomes almost self-revealing. The Analyze phase will let you know if the issue is well-founded. The other benefit of being so specific is that all the data obtained will be used as your “before,” or baseline data to compare to when you make the improvements.

During the Improve phase, assessing all the specific data you have collected and analyzed, possible solutions can be tested. After the best solution is chosen, a test pilot solution can be created and analyzed for its efficiency. Make sure the team has given consideration to ensure that there aren’t any unforeseen consequences or that the same issue won’t happen again.

The Control phase is very much monitor and data collecting using the newly implemented solution at scheduled intervals of time (i.e. weekly, monthly, or bimonthly) to prevent the issue from happening again.

For more information on our Six Sigma training courses or services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Improving Teaching Techniques with DMAIC

admin — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 23:03:12 +0000

We’ve all been there — we walk into a class or seminar thinking it is going to be dry and uneventful, and then we are in the presence of magic. Not only do we learn, but also we are inspired to take whatever is being taught to the next level. So you ask: is this “magic” obtainable, or is it something you’re born with?

Well believe it or not, it can be obtained, just so long as you are aware of what is needed. The magic is “people training skills.” You see, teaching is much more than producing information overload. The information has to be given in a casual, simplistic manner and in a particular order so it paints a picture. The best way to start is by using Six Sigma methodologies of DMAIC.

Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control

Breaking up what is required to achieve people teaching skills is easy using the DMAIC template. It will be different for everyone because your audience has different needs and requirements.

In order to obtain people training skills, you need to know your audience and be able to not only know your subject matter very well, but also cater to their sense of adventure. That is what inspires people to learn. The DMAIC template will keep you on track as to what is needed to engage your classroom and in what order of priority.

Using the DMAIC Methodology to Improve Teaching Techniques

Define: The goal is to inspire learning the subject matter so that the class will be more engaged in the aspect of learning.

Measure: The current state as a baseline and use it as a starting point for improvement. Exactly where is the class right now, look at their grades, class participation, etc.

Analyze: The root cause, identify with data-driven tools and validate as to why said issue is happening. Using tools like 5 whys, Fishbone diagram, and the Pareto chart to find out the root cause of lack of interest in the class.

Improve: Here you need to identify some creative solutions to get rid of the major root causes, so the problem will be fixed and prevent future similar issues. This is a cause for brainstorming creative solutions.

Control: Here you want to maintain the improvements and sustain the success of those new improvements.
Interested in learning how DMAIC can help you with your organization? For more information on our Six Sigma training courses or services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Six Sigma Equals Quality at Its Best

admin — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 18:44:16 +0000

When we speak about Six Sigma and Lean, we speak and write about the success these methodologies bring. Now, let’s approach this from a different point of view. Let’s see how much not using Six Sigma methodologies can cost your business or organization.

The Cost of Poor Quality

When your business has to rework or redo a product, you lose production costs. This includes delays, which leads to dissatisfied customers…which leads to loss of customers, which equates to no business.

Critical to Quality CTQs

These are parts of a process that have an important effect in the outcome of the process. If these are identified, this can be extremely important in dramatically reducing costs and improving and enhancing quality.

Remember DMAIC

Define: The process goals and customer deliverables (internal/external)
Measure: The said process for determining current performance level
Analyze: Determine the root cause or causes of current defects
Improve: The process by eliminating defects
Control: For maintaining future process performance

Each Six Sigma phase has a step-by-step template that is to be followed; for example, the Define phase would have:

Define customers and their requirements
Create a problem statement including goals and benefits when issues are solved
Identify all involved, process owner and team
Define resources
Access key support involved
Create project plan
Create detailed process map

The above is the step-by-step of the Define phase. The basic template is taken for the remaining Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control phases. This is in relation to quality and removal of errors.

Some of the Six Sigma tools that can be used include:

Process Mapping
Measurement System Analysis (MSA)
Process Capability Tool
XY Matrix
Design of Experiments (DOE)

The processes for obtaining data are extensive, but it may mean the difference between success and failure of a business, and well worth the extra effort.

For more information on our Six Sigma training courses or services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Telling the Difference: Six Sigma, Lean, or Kaizen

admin — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 21:57:34 +0000

Not sure of the project you’re working on? Uncertain what separates waste from variation? Don’t know your process improvement from your continuous improvement? Lean Six Sigma practitioners need to know the difference between each of these three methodologies. While they each share similarities, they all work in different ways, and toward different goals. As such, it’s essential, and highly advantageous, to understand their individual philosophies. Today, we ask the all-important question about Six Sigma, Lean, and Kaizen: which is which?

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is the world’s most trusted process improvement methodology. But what does it entail? Six Sigma’s primary aim is to reduce variation, to create greater quality and efficiency in the workplace. Like any science, Six Sigma uses statistics to validate hypotheses, with practitioners using data to justify their decisions and predict future problems. Furthermore, your mastery of Six Sigma depends on belt color, as different belts require different levels of training. Yellow Belts, for instance, have a basic understanding of Six Sigma and can conduct simple data analysis. Master Black Belts, on the other hand, are just that – masters of Six Sigma knowledge and technique. They utilize tools like DMAIC, hypothesis testing, statistical process control, root cause analysis, and Pareto charts. With these key skills, practitioners make lasting process and quality improvements in industries like manufacturing.

Lean

Lean shares many similarities with both Six Sigma, each complementing the other, giving rise to a hybrid methodology: Lean Six Sigma. LSS combines the best qualities of both improvement approaches to create even greater efficiency. But Lean alone takes a different approach. In Lean terms, anything that does not add value is a threat to production. Utilizing in-depth analytical techniques to identify waste, Lean allows you to eliminate it at the source. Below are the eight types of waste (Muda) that occur in the workplace.

Transport. Movement of people, products or information to different locations.
Inventory. Unnecessary storage of parts, pieces or documentation.
Motion. Any extraneous human motion or action. E.g. bending down, turning around, reaching, lifting, or walking.
Waiting. Needless waiting for parts, instructions, information or equipment.
Overproduction. Producing more product than your current demand due to human error. g. producing fifty batches of mobile phones when the customer only wanted ten.
Over-processing. Maintaining overly strict procedures or excessively high-grade materials than you need.
Defect. Variation, defective products, reworking, repeating tasks, incorrect documentation.
Skills. Failure to utilize talented employees appropriately. Delegating tasks to those unqualified to perform them.

Kaizen

Kaizen is a Japanese word, also known as continuous improvement, though its literal meaning is “good change.” As such, any positive change to a business’s production processes, quality, efficiency or productivity is Kaizen. There is some overlap with both Lean and Six Sigma, but, the difference between them is that Kaizen is not a practice. Kaizen is a culture, an attitude towards work, that you must cultivate to see positive change. You can use Lean and Six Sigma to build a continuous improvement culture at work. Moreover, the key is in the word “continuous,” in that there is no end. Therefore, Kaizen is not a single practice but a way of thinking. The aim of which is to create a sustained and continuous effort to maximize your business’s productivity and efficiency.

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