Global Computers Inc,
Research on DMAIC Process
Prepared by: Shailesh KotiaDate: 4/20/2004
In Global Computers Inc, we will use Six Sigma principles to improve program code efficiency, quality, decrease costs, and better meet customer needs. Six Sigma principle consists of a five-phase improvement process called DMAIC and phases are namely Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. DMAIC is a systematic, closed-loop process for continued improvement that is scientific and fact based. The following are brief descriptions of each phase of the DMAIC improvement process:
Define: This phase gives us an idea about opportunity, problem, process and customer requirements we use several tools to identify them, and these tools include a project charter very similar to what we had during an early phase of our project, a description of customer requirements, process maps, and Voice of the Customer (VOC) data ( these data may include complaints, surveys, comments, and market research that represent the views and needs of the organization’s customers.
Measure; Measures are defined in terms of defects per opportunity so this phase include define measures, collect, compile, and display data. A defect is any instance where the product or service fails to meet customer requirements. Because most products or services have multiple customer requirements, there can be several opportunities to have defect.
Analyze: In this phase we scrutinize process details to find improvement opportunities, our team investigates and verifies data to prove the suspected root causes of quality problems and substantiates the problem statement, an important tool of this phase is Fishbone or Ishikawa diagram.
Improve: In this phase we generate solutions and ideas for improving the problem, several suggestions are looked up to and considered before reaching a final agreement, a final solution is verified with the project sponsor and then a plan is developed to pilot test the same to refine the solution, if needed, and then implements the solution where appropriate.
Control: In this phase we track and verify the stability of the improvements and the predictability of the solution, various control charts tools are used for the same purpose.
A control chart is a graphic display of data that illustrates the results of a process over time. The main use of control charts is to prevent defects, rather than to detect or reject them.