DMAIC can be described as follows:
D Define the goals of the improvement activity. At the top level, the goals will be the strategic objectives of the organization such as a higher ROI or market share. At the operations level, a goal might be to increase the throughput of the production department. At the project level, goals might be to reduce the defect level and increase throughput. Apply data mining methods to identify potential improvement opportunities.
M Measure the existing system. Establish valid and reliable metrics to help monitor progress towards 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 Analyse 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 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, MRP, budgets, operating instructions and other management systems. You may wish to utilize systems such as ISO 9000to ensure that documentation is correct.
1. Phase 1-Define
Define the priorities of the customers with respect to quality: In this phase, those attributes of the product/service that are considered most important by the customers in evaluating the quality of the product are identified. These attributes are called critical to quality characteristics (CTQ). The customer’s perception about quality attributes are updated from time to time by conducting customer surveys. Quality function deployment (QFD) discussed in Chapter 9 is a powerful tool used in this phase. Key questions, key issues and important tools used in this phase are given below:
Key questions: The key questions that arise are:
- What are the problems and their scope?
- What is its criticality and importance to the customer?
- What is the benchmark?
- How should resources be allocated?
- What are the independent and dependent variables affecting the project?
- Is the voice of the customer being captured directly?
Key issues: The key issues are:
- Which team is to handle the issue?
- What will they accomplish?
- What is the clear definition of project scope, including operational details?
- What are the various milestones of the project?
- What are the roles of team members?
- What are critical to quality (CTQ) parameters?
- Identification of critical success factors (CSF)
Important tools used: The main tools used are as follows:
- Brainstorming Pareto analysis
- QFD Process mapping
- Project management fundamentals to ensure scope
2. Phase II-Measure
Measure the processes and the defects arising in the product due to the process: The important processes influencing the CTQs are identified and performance measurement techniques are established for these processes. Measurement of processes and thus the defects arising in the product due to the processes is undertaken.
Key questions: The key questions are:
- What are the performance variables and their impact?
- What is the gap between benchmark and existing status?
- What is the performance capability of the process/processes?
Key issues: The key issues are:
- What does the customer really want?
- Validation of measurement schemes
- Development of key input, process and output measures
Important tools used: The important tools used are:
- Process mapping
- QFD
- Cause and effect matrix
- Creativity techniques
- 7 QC tools
- Calculation of process sigma and process capability studies
- Gauge R and R studies
- ANOVA
3. Phase III-Analyse
Analyse the process to determine the most likely causes of defects: The key variables most likely to be responsible for variation in the process are identified to find the reasons for generation of defects.
Key questions: The key questions are:
- What are the success factors?
- What is the performance goal?
- What are the sources of real variation?
- What is the target percentage for improvement?
Key issues: The key issues are:
- What is the company’s ability to make/deliver it?
- What is the characterization of the problem (means/spread)?
- Selection of performance variable and their quantification
Important tools used: The important tools used are:
- Gap analysis and improvement goals
- Process map analysis
- Data stratification
- Advanced analytical tools
- Regression analysis
- ANOVA
- Tests of hypothesis
4. Phase IV-Improve
Improve the performance of the process and remove the causes of the defects: The specification limits of the key variables are fixed and the system established for measuring the deviations of the variables is validated. Improvisations in the process are undertaken to keep the variables within the specification limits.
Key questions: The key questions are:
- How is variable performance diagnosed?
- How is the interaction between various factors studied?
- How are operating limits and new process capability established?
- How is optimum solution selected?
- How is implementation planned?
Key issues: The key issues are:
- What really affects the company’s ability to make/deliver it?
- How is performance improvement verified?
- Action plans
- Generation of solutions to address root causes and the criteria to screen and select
- Establishment of operating tolerances
Important tools used: The important tools used are:
- DOE techniques
- Tests of hypothesis
- Confirmation or validation studies
5. Phase V-Control
Control to ensure that the improvements are maintained over time: The modified process is subjected to vigil at regular intervals of time to ensure that the key variables do not show any unacceptable variations (beyond the specification limits)
Source: Poornima M. Charantimath (2017), Total Quality Management, Pearson; 3rd edition.
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