Overview of DMAIC A Systematic Framework for Problem Solving Organization: Name: Date: 1 2 3 4 5 DEFINE MEASURE ANALYZE IMPROVE CONTROL This module provides a quick tour through all steps of DMAIC. Later modules explore each step in depth. DEFINE: Define the Project Define the project’s purpose and scope and get background on the process and customer MEASURE: Measure the Current Situation Focus the improvement effort by gathering information on the current situation ANALYZE: Analyze to Identify Causes Identify root causes and confirm them with data IMPROVE: Implement Solutions & Evaluate Results Develop, try out, and implement solutions that address root causes Use data to evaluate both the solutions and the plans used to carry them out CONTROL: Standardize & Make Future Plans Maintain the gains by standardizing work methods or processes Anticipate future improvements and preserve the lessons from this effort

Why Use an Improvement Method? Provides a framework Provides common language Provides a checklist to prevent skipping critical steps Allows you to improve how you improve

Overview of DMAIC 1 2 3 4 5 DEFINE MEASURE ANALYZE IMPROVE CONTROL This module provides a quick tour through all steps of DMAIC. Later modules explore each step in depth. DEFINE: Define the Project Define the project’s purpose and scope and get background on the process and customer MEASURE: Measure the Current Situation Focus the improvement effort by gathering information on the current situation ANALYZE: Analyze to Identify Causes Identify root causes and confirm them with data IMPROVE: Implement Solutions & Evaluate Results Develop, try out, and implement solutions that address root causes Use data to evaluate both the solutions and the plans used to carry them out CONTROL: Standardize & Make Future Plans Maintain the gains by standardizing work methods or processes Anticipate future improvements and preserve the lessons from this effort

DEFINE: Define the Project 1 2 3 4 5 DEFINE MEASURE ANALYZE IMPROVE CONTROL Goal Define the project’s purpose and scope and get background on the process and customer Understand current situation Output A clear statement of the intended improvement and how it is to be measured A high level map of the process A translation of the “Voice of the Customer” into “Critical To Quality” What is the objective? Voice of the customer – what is important to them

Stake-holder Analysis DEFINE, cont. Approach Identify Key Players Stake-holder Analysis Create Charter Map the Process Voice of the Customer

DEFINE, cont. Tools Charter (Passport) to proceed Link to Business needs High-level flow analysis depicting the major components of your process Charter Purpose: Importance: Resources: Scope: Schedule: ____ A project charter documents what the project is supposed to achieve and what resources are available to you. A written charter is an important communication and reference tool. A SIPOC analysis (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) helps you understand the key elements of your process and define the boundaries and scope for your project. Note: We’ll give a brief overview of the tools here. They will be covered in greater depth later, so don’t worry about memorizing them now.

DEFINE, cont. Tools Customer research such as interviews, focus groups, surveys, complaints, data Pareto chart(s) depicting why this project is important to the customer Data from customers will help you understand what’s important about your project and set priorities if the project needs to be narrowed in scope. A Pareto chart helps you focus your effort on the problems that are causing the most trouble—helping you identify the areas where your efforts will have the biggest payback. Note: Depending on what kinds of data you are already collecting, you may also be able to use other data tools that help you quantify the opportunity or gap. For instance, if you have time plots or control charts, you can mark the goal or customer criteria on those charts.

MEASURE: Understand the Current Situation Goal Focus the improvement effort by gathering specific information Output Data that pinpoints problem location or occurrence Baseline data on how well the process meets customer needs Understanding of how current process operates More focused problem statement 5 1 CONTROL DEFINE IMPROVE MEASURE 4 2 ANALYZE 3

MEASURE, cont. Approach Collect baseline data on defects and possible causal factors Plot defect data over time and analyze for special causes Calculate process capability Create & stratify frequency plots and do Pareto analysis (if appropriate) Create detailed process maps

MEASURE, cont. Tools Process behavior charts or time plots help you look for patterns over time (variation) Frequency plots reveal differences in how often a problem occurs in different settings Control charts help you quantify the current capability of your process and identify when special events interrupt usual operations Stratified frequency plots help you identify process characteristics that may provide clues on the potential causes of problems

MEASURE, cont. Components of the problem Tools Pareto charts used to stratify the indicator into its major contributors Subcomponents of Problem A A B C D A1 A2 A3 A4 Problem Statement “We’ve pinpointed where a specific problem occurs most often. Biggest payback will come from focusing our attention here.” As in DEFINE, Pareto charts help you focus your attention and develop a detailed problem statement.

MEASURE, cont. Tools Process sigma calculations that describe current process capability Flowcharts that depict process problems (such as steps that don’t add value) Calculating a baseline process sigma level provides a gauge for you to evaluate your progress Flowcharts will help you identify problems in the process that are contributing to waste and defects Value is something the customer is willing to pay for, done right the first time, and changes form, fit or function

ANALYZE: Investigate to Identify Causes Goal Identify root causes and confirm them with data Output A theory that has been tested and confirmed 5 1 CONTROL DEFINE IMPROVE MEASURE 4 2 ANALYZE 3

ANALYZE, cont. Approach Develop a focused problem statement Brainstorm potential causes Use statistical methods to quantify cause-effect relationship Collect data Organize potential causes

ANALYZE, cont. Tools Cause-and-effect diagrams or other tools that show potential causes Tree diagram Cause-and-effect diagrams and tree diagrams are perhaps the most common tools used to depict the links between root causes and their effects on an identified problem. Laying out potential causes in this way helps you make sure you haven’t overlooked important causes, and encourages you to dive deep into underlying causes. The deeper you can push for causes, the more likely your solutions will be long-lasting. Other tools you can use to depict potential cause relationships include relations diagrams and affinity diagrams.

ANALYZE, cont. Tools Scatter plots that show the relationship between two variables can help verify causal relationships Stratified frequency plots can also confirm patterns Made the sale Did not make the sale Scatter plots are one of the few data tools that let you examine two measurable characteristics at the same time—and therefore see the relationship between the two. Stratified frequency plots are created from data on one characteristic or outcome (such as “time with customer,” shown above) that has been sorted into categories. As with scatter plots, they help you understand relationships that can confirm underlying causes of problems.

IMPROVE: Implement Solutions & Evaluate Results Goal Develop, try out, and implement solutions that address root causes Use data to evaluate both the solutions and the plans used to carry them out Output Planned, tested actions that eliminate or reduce the impact of the identified root causes Before and After data analysis that shows how much of the initial gap was closed A comparison of the plan to actual implementation 5 1 CONTROL DEFINE IMPROVE MEASURE 4 2 ANALYZE 3

IMPROVE, cont. Approach Brainstorm many possible solutions to identified root causes Select solution(s) Develop plan(s) Pilot plan(s) Implement plan(s) Quantify results Evaluate the benefits of the improvement

IMPROVE, cont. Tools Prioritization matrix Responsibility chart A prioritization matrix is a tool that helps you objectively evaluate alternative solutions. The key is reaching consensus on the relative importance of different criteria first, then scoring the alternatives against those criteria. Responsibility charts and Gantt charts help you keep track of your implementation plans. Ranking the alternatives to sort out good ideas from effective ideas

IMPROVE, cont. Tools Gantt chart Reduce Call Transfers Update extension lists ID 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dept supv. update job responsibility lists Mark responsibilities on phone ext. list Update names and extension numbers Revise auto-attendant Assemble team Examine data Decide what options should be given Pilot and test new language Task Name 5/31 6/7 6/14 6/21 MAY JUNE 6/28 Calvin, Max, Sheryl Maria Calvin Team, TBD

IMPROVE, cont. Tools Process behavior charts or time series plots showing both past and present performance of the indicator Revised Pareto chart from MEASURE that confirms reduction of the root causes Before After Good } Improvement } Remaining Gap Changes implemented Target Time Since time plots and control charts show plots of results as time passes, they are excellent tools for seeing whether a solution has had any real, lasting effect on your process Comparing Before and After Pareto charts is another way to objectively see how much progress has been made

IMPROVE, cont. Tools Revised Process performance calculations showing new process capability (sigma) The true gauge of the effectiveness of any solution will show up in the new process sigma level.

CONTROL: Standardize & Make Future Plans Goal Maintain the gains by MISTAKE PROOFING and standardizing work methods or processes Anticipate future improvements and preserve the lessons from this effort Output Documentation of the new method Training in the new method A system for monitoring its consistent use and for checking the results Completed documentation and communication of results, learnings, and recommendations 1 2 3 4 5 DEFINE MEASURE ANALYZE IMPROVE CONTROL

CONTROL, cont. Approach Develop and document standard practices Train Perform ongoing monitoring Build process for updating procedures Summarize and communicate learnings Make recommen-dations for future plans

CONTROL, cont. Tools Training Process management “Conspicuous standards” that make new methods obvious Training Many tools help you monitor and control processes. Simply thinking in terms of Plan-Do- Check-Act (PDCA)—or in this case, SDCA (Standardize-Do-Check-Act)—creates a mentality of constantly checking the effectiveness of current methods. Training ensures consistency of application, as do “conspicuous standards” that make it easy for people to do the job correctly. “Kanban” is the Japanese for indicator(s)

CONTROL, cont. Tools Process Management Chart Self-Audit Question: Knowledge/Understanding No (Never) Mostly Some- times Yes (Always) 1. Have the performers seen the written procedure? 2. Are the performers literate in the language of the procedure? 3. Do the performers have a common understanding of the words in the Process Management charts document your PDCA—the Plan for Doing the work, how to Check the results, and how to Act if something undesirable or unexpected shows up A self-audit is a tool for checking how well and how consistently the new standards are being applied

CONTROL, cont. Tools PDCA Report / Storyboard Any kind of documentation that helps you communicate effectively with the rest of the organization can be used in CONTROL. Typical documents include a succinct final report and a completed “storyboard” that captures the project in graphics. The PDCA wheel is simply a reminder to think of improvement as continuous: where can you go next to make the process even better?

DMAIC Review 1 2 3 4 5 DEFINE MEASURE ANALYZE IMPROVE CONTROL DEFINE: Define the Project • Define the project’s purpose and scope and get background on the process and customer MEASURE: Measure the Current Situation • Focus the improvement effort by gathering information on the current situation ANALYZE: Analyze to Identify Causes • Identify root causes and confirm them with data IMPROVE: Implement Solutions & Evaluate Results • Develop, try out, and implement solutions that address root causes • Use data to evaluate both the solutions and the plans used to carry them out CONTROL: Standardize & Make Future Plans • Maintain the gains by standardizing work methods or processes • Anticipate future improvements and preserve the lessons from this effort