Six Sigma: What is the DMAIC ?
There are two systems commonly used by the Six Sigma professionals when they are working with businesses to improve the quality of the work processes. These are the DMAIC and the DMADV methods. These procedures are used by some of the top level organizations worldwide.
A professional with the knowledge of Six Sigma will create plans to gain as much information as possible about how the company is run, where the problems are and where changes need to be made. They will work closely with company employees, even going as far as training a few select individuals in the 6 Sigma Methodology.
DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve and control. These are five steps laid out by a Black Belt professional and used by all levels of Six Sigma expertise. To define the problem, professionals will narrow down the root causes of the issues that are occurring in the company. They have been notified by the executives what areas are having the most trouble. These areas will have the focus of the professionals until the problem is rooted out. Each member of the team will research and do the job assigned to them. The second step in this process is to measure the data and organize it in a way that is easily accessible. This very important step helps to narrow the problem down to a microscopic and measureable level.
Analyzing is the third step in the DMAIC model. This is important because it relates to the relationship between cause and effect. Information about how the company was previously in relation to how it should be and what the ultimate goal is will be analyzed for this procedure. This is something that affects the company overall, from the employees in entry level positions to the executives at the top. It is important to have a working knowledge of many statistical theories, which is commonplace when it comes to trained and certified 6 Sigma Professionals.
The improvement for the fourth step comes with time. The plan that has been decided upon by the executives and the Six Sigma professionals will be put into action at this time. All of these professionals will have had time to give their opinions and recommendations to the executives, who will discuss these recommendations and choose a plan. The 6 Sigma professionals are involved in this decision-making step. The professionals will stay with the company for the fifth step, which is the control step. Control is about monitoring the progress of the project and making sure no obstacles force it to derail. A good professional will be watching for the typical obstacles and will maneuver around any issues with ease.
The Six Sigma models are highly successful for bringing ailing companies back around by improving their quality and efficiency. Executives sometimes need just a little assistance rooting out the issues within their company and fixing the problem so that the company runs more smoothly and the entire staff is satisfied.
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