Relating DMAIC tools to challenges outside the work environment can be an effective training approach. Here’s an example that many people can relate to: losing weight.
Define
First we Define what we want to achieve in measurable terms. Example: “I want to improve my health. Reaching a healthy body weight will increase my energy level and prevent a number of problems down the road. The research I have done says that I need to lose ten pounds.”
So the Define step is wrapped up with the following goal: “I want to lose ten pounds.” Wasn’t that easy?
Measure
Next we Measure our baseline performance. Anyone who has spent time on the scale knows that body weight can fluctuate by a pound or more from one day to the next, so we decide to baseline our starting weight by averaging weigh-in’s for seven days.
If we really want to take it all the way, we can run a gage repeatability study on our scale at this point, to ensure that our scale is not introducing too much variation. This might be important if we were trying to control our weight within a tight tolerance, let’s say one or two pounds. But changing our average body weight by ten pounds shouldn’t require a gage repeatability study on the scale. Just to be safe, we step on the scale ten times and see that our weight repeats within a half-pound – very reasonable.
We wrap up the Measure phase with the following summary: “My baseline weight is 192 pounds, and my target weight is 182 pounds. The error in my measurement system (scale) is acceptable.”
Analyze
We begin the Analyze phase while we are collecting our baseline weight values during the first seven days. Knowing that calorie intake affects body weight, we create a simple food log that shows each item we eat, what time we eat it, and how many calories are contained in it.
There are a number of great tools we can use in the Analyze phase, but for this project we stick with the trusty pareto chart – one of the most simple and widely used analysis tools on the planet. We make two pareto charts – one showing what time of day we take in the most calories, and the other showing what types of food make up our calorie intake. For a true assessment of the underlying causes of overeating, we might also conduct a 5-Why analysis that might lead to such factors as job stress or other fundamental causes that could drastically reduce overeating.
We wrap up the Analyze phase with two important findings: we take in 24% of our daily calories with evening snacks, and another 19% by hitting the vending machine at work.
Improve
We now proceed to the Improve phase, where find ways to reduce our vending machine calories during the day and snacks at night. We decide to pack healthy snacks every day so we can satisfy our hunger without vending machine visits. We also pre-plan one evening snack and eat it at the same time each night to develop a good routine.
We have a few slip-ups, but overall we follow our routine for three months, and achieve our 182 pound goal. Fantastic!
Control
Now comes the Control phase, which poses the following question: how will we keep the weight off?
For the disciplined individual –
- We will weigh-in once per week and track the results in a notebook.
- If our weight creeps above 185 pounds, we will begin logging our food intake and make adjustments as needed.
For the those who love snacks, we might need to resort to some mistake-proofing methods by (1) not bringing any money to work (takes care of the vending machine problem), and (2) keeping those tempting evening snacks out of the house.
So that’s one example of the DMAIC approach applied to an everyday challenge.
FAQs
Here's an example that many people can relate to: losing weight.
- Define. First we Define what we want to achieve in measurable terms. ...
- Measure. Next we Measure our baseline performance. ...
- Analyze. We begin the Analyze phase while we are collecting our baseline weight values during the first seven days. ...
- Improve. ...
- Control.
DMAIC consists of five steps: define, measure, analyze, improve and control.
What is the DMAIC process for dummies? ›
Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control is a DMAIC acronym. The process includes five phases: defining the problem, improving the activity, identifying the opportunities for improvement, setting project goals, and meeting the needs of the customer (internal and external).
How can DMAIC be used to solve problems? ›
DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) is a problem-solving methodology. -Define: Clearly outline the problem, project goals, and customer requirements. -Measure: Collect relevant data to quantify the problem and establish a baseline. -Analyze: Identify root causes using statistical tools and data analysis.
What is an example of Six Sigma in everyday life? ›
The Six Sigma approach to creating an organized space has five steps: Sort, Set, Shine, Standardize and Sustain. For example, if you want to make your home a more relaxing place, these steps will help you get started: Sort: Go through all your belongings and decide what should stay and go.
How is Six Sigma used in real life? ›
Six Sigma is a quality management process that aims to reduce the number of defects in manufactured products and services by identifying and removing the root causes of defects. The Six Sigma process can be divided into seven phases: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, Verify and Improve Continuously.
What tool is most commonly used in DMAIC? ›
However, some commonly used tools across the DMAIC phases include: Define Phase: Project Charters, SIPOC diagrams. Measure Phase: Data Collection Plans, Process Mapping. Analyze Phase: Cause-and-Effect Diagrams, Pareto Charts, Hypothesis Testing.
What is the most important step in DMAIC? ›
As the first stage in DMAIC, Define is arguably the most important. The first action it calls for, much like Six Sigma, is articulate the problem you face in a clear way. This can be anything, for example, you may experience slow production times, depleted costs, or decrease in quality.
What is DMAIC in Six Sigma with an example? ›
DMAIC is an acronym that stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. It represents the five phases that make up the process: Define the problem, improvement activity, opportunity for improvement, the project goals, and customer (internal and external) requirements.
When should I use DMAIC? ›
When to use DMAIC. When improving a current process, if the problem is complex or the risks are high, DMAIC should be the go-to method.
The main purpose of DMAIC tools is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization's existing processes. DMAIC is Six Sigma's core data-driven improvement methodology. When improving a process and the problem is complex, or the existing risks are high, DMAIC is the go-to method.
What is the DMAIC model in healthcare? ›
DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) is what can play an integral role in helping hospitals realize the above-mentioned benefits through Six Sigma. Here's a general overview of how it can be used in a hospital setting to improve patient care.
When to not use DMAIC? ›
To be effective, DMAIC must be used to identify root causes for problems and createsolutions for those problems. A common failure mode for DMAIC occurs when it is used when the root causes are obvious or the problem is trivial. Solving these pseudo problems with DMAIC does not justify the investments of time or effort.
Does Six Sigma always use DMAIC? ›
The DMAIC model is usually always connected to Six Sigma. This because it originates from that method and is explicitly used as the Six Sigma working model.
How do I start a DMAIC project? ›
Applying the DMAIC Steps for Project Management Process...
- “Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control” is the Roadmap to Improving Processes. ...
- Understand the Process and then Measure the Process! ...
- DEFINE. ...
- MEASURE. ...
- ANALYZE. ...
- IMPROVE. ...
- CONTROL. ...
- Making Better Decisions.
Healthcare professionals utilize the DMAIC method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to improve existing processes. The check-in procedure at a hospital is an excellent example of how DMAIC might be implemented. It identifies problems with the process and sets goals, e.g., shorter wait times.
What is an example of DMAIC manufacturing? ›
Another well-known example of the DMAIC process at work is how it was used to improve the production of the Toyota Prius. Engineers used the DMAIC approach to identify and correct issues causing production delays in this case. As a result of their efforts, Toyota increased production of the Prius by 30%.
What is an example of a problem statement in DMAIC? ›
Problem Statement Example #6: In analyzing our inventory management system, it was found that stockouts occur 18% of the time, impacting our ability to fulfill customer orders promptly and resulting in lost sales, highlighting the need for a Six Sigma DMAIC project to optimize our inventory control processes.
If we really want to take it all the way, we can run a gage repeatability study on our scale at this point, to ensure that our scale is not introducing too much variation. This might be important if we were trying to control our weight within a tight tolerance, let’s say one or two pounds. But changing our average body weight by ten pounds shouldn’t require a gage repeatability study on the scale. Just to be safe, we step on the scale ten times and see that our weight repeats within a half-pound – very reasonable.