What is DMAIC?
A term commonly associated with Six Sigma is DMAIC. What is DMAIC?
It is an acronym that stands for Define- Measure-Analyze-Improve and Control.
DMAIC is the standard path to follow when one aspires to improve an existing process using the Six Sigma methodology.
The beauty and power of Six Sigma lies in the consistency of the application the DMAIC approach. One who gets involved in Six Sigma projects eventually gets the rhythm of it.
D is the phase where one defines what the process improvement project is all about. It is important that the project is aligned with the overall strategy of the business as well as the scope of the project is established.
M which stands for Measure is the part where the defects which the project aims to reduce is quantified. By doing this one eliminates ambiguity and have a common understanding on how the project success will be defined.
A is the part where the critical process inputs influencing the defects are Analyzed. A quick way to recall this is to remember the algebraic equation f(x) =Y. If Y is the outcome that you want to improve, the objective of this phase is to look for the x’s or the causes.
I stands for Improve. This is the phase where after knowing the critical causes, we do some improvements or changes. By altering or influencing the causes we hope to achieve the desired outcome.
C stands for Control. After the improvements have been made we make that the solution stays in place. This phase makes sure that solution becomes sustainable and does not revert back to its original status.
No matter what the Six Sigma project is, as long as it aims to improve an existing process, the DMAIC approach is definitely applicable.
