REMEMBER: Try to add notes not included in AI summary

• Definition

  • DMAIC (duh-MAY-ick): A structured, five-step problem-solving procedure.

• Goal

  • Solve root causes of quality and process problems.

• Outcome

  • Establish best practices for long-lasting and replicable solutions.

Understanding Root Causes

• Symptoms

  • Visible outcomes of the problem.

• The Problem

  • The gap from the goal or standard.

• Causes

  • Underlying issues that are not immediately obvious.

Root Causes Scenario

• Symptoms of High Product Defects

  • Increased defective products.

  • Surge in customer complaints.

  • High return rates.

• Identifying the Problem

  • Current defect rate is 5%, while the goal is 1% or less.

• Root Causes Identified

  • Machine calibration issues.

  • Inadequate training of operators.

  • Use of low-quality materials from a new supplier.

Test Your Understanding

• Service Business Example

  • Problem: Customers unhappy with slow service.

• Identifying Symptoms

  • Frequent complaints about bugs in software updates.

DMAIC Overview

• Applicability

  • Associated with Six Sigma but also applicable in lean projects.

• Key Objectives

  • Identify opportunities, analyze data, develop solutions, and manage improvement.

Tollgates

• Definition

  • Checkpoints for project teams to present findings to stakeholders.

Six Sigma Organizational Structure

• Leadership Team

  • Executive responsible for approving projects.

• Project Champion

  • Facilitates project identification and resource allocation.

  • Identifies Black Belts and team members

  • Part-time role

• Black Belts

  • Team leaders focused on project execution.

  • Spend 100% of their time on SS projects

• Green Belts

  • Assist Black Belts and lead smaller projects.

• Master Black Belt

  • Full-time technical leader and mentor.

• Team Members

Tools Used in DMAIC

• Key Tools

  • Project charter, process maps, cause-and-effect analysis, hypothesis tests, and control plans.

Projects in Six Sigma

• Project Characteristics

  • Must drive significant improvements and align with corporate goals.

• Initial Projects

  • Often opportunistic, targeting current problems.

The Define Step

• Objective

  • Identify valuable project opportunities and ensure alignment with customer needs.

• Key Deliverable: Project Charter

  • Outlines scope, metrics, benefits, team roles, resources, and milestones.

  • This should be completed within 2-4 days

• SIPOC Diagram

  • Visual mapping of Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, and Customers.

• Tollgate Review Questions

  • Focus on problem statement, stakeholder identification, project scope, and action plan.

The Measure Step

• Objective

  • Establish current baseline performance through data collection on quality, cost, and throughput or cycle time.

• Key Variables

  • KPIVs (Key Process Input Variables)

    • Critical inputs that directly impact the process's performance and outcomes

    • For example: Materials, human resources, equipment, environmental conditions, process steps

  • KPOVs (Key Process Output Variables).

    • Measurable results that reflect the process’s effectiveness

    • For example: Product quality, customer satisfaction levels, cycle time or throughput time, cost efficiency, delivery performance

• Data Collection Strategies

  • Historical data and observational studies.

• Key Activities

  • Defining baseline performance, evaluating measurement systems, and updating project charter.

The Analyze Step

• Objective

  • Determine cause-and-effect relationships and sources of variability.

• Sources of Variability

  • Common causes (inherent variability): These are systemic in nature and difficult to isolate

  • Special causes (specific disruptions): These are identifiable and it is possible to take immediate action for them

• Key Tools

  • Control charts, statistical hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and FMEA.

• Tollgate Review Preparation

  • Present targeted opportunities and ensure project alignment with customer CTQs.

The Improve Step

• Objective

  • Develop and implement solutions to address root causes.

• Key Actions

  • Process redesign and bottleneck reduction, mistake-proofing (Poka-Yoke), and designed experiments.

• Tollgate Review Considerations

  • Document problem solutions, pilot test results, and risk management plans.

The Control Step

• Objective

  • Ensure improvements are sustained over time.

• Key Elements

  • Handing off improved processes, developing a control plan, and scheduling follow-up validations.

• Tollgate Review Considerations

  • Confirm project results, ensure monitoring systems are in place, and summarize lessons learned.