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Lean Tools, Training, and Systems

DMAIC Tools

DMAIC templates for the DMAIC process for quality improvement

It is not uncommon to hear the question:

Do you have a DMAIC Tool?

And the correct answer is:

"There is no such thing as a DMAIC Tool."

DMAIC Tools

150+ DMAIC templates

There is the DMAIC Process,

and there are (literally) hundreds of quality improvement tools, lean tools, DFSS tools, and other process improvement tools that are each useful in different circumstances in each of the 5 phases of the DMAIC process.


The DMAIC Process

The Lean Six Sigma DMAIC process is a scientific method for process improvement

(similar to PDCA)

Define problems, customer wants, processes, and project boundaries.

Measure the process as it was, as it is, and as you want it to be.

Analyze sources of variation, performance gaps, and priorities to improve.

Improve the process by designing & implementing creative ways to fix and prevent problems.

Control the improved process — and prevent backsliding into old habits.

DMADV

In Design for Six Sigma, the process is similar, but a little different

Define problems, customer wants, processes, and project boundaries.

Measure the process as it was, as it is, and as you want it to be.

Analyze sources of variation, performance gaps, and priorities.

Design the product or process.

Verify that the design accomplishes the objectives.


When and Why to use

the DMAIC Methodology

DMAIC tools were never intended to be used in isolation

Coaching

Every lean tool needs
a corresponding
Lean Coaching System

You will get a lot more from any Lean Six Sigma tool
when it is used within a framework that consists of:

When to choose the DMAIC Methodology

There are lots of problem solving tools and methods to choose from.

The DMAIC process is the right choice when:

  1. The problem that you're trying to solve is related to an issue with Quality
  2. It's an operational problem (not a design problem)
  3. Your boss doesn't have some other problem solving method that he or she prefers to use

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how

How to use your

DMAIC templates

This training section provides a roadmap of the DMAIC process,

with special emphasis on which templates might prove most useful for each of the DMAIC phases.

Before getting started

We are assuming that you already completed the foundational Quick Start Training

so that you know how to find and open your templates,

and you know how to find help and training for every one of your 150+ templates.

DMAIC Phase 1)

Define

Define problems, customer wants, processes, and boundaries

Tools to consider using for this first phase might include:

DMAIC Team Charter template

Team Charter

Most commonly, you will use your Team Charter template (TeamCharter.xlsx)

but for some types of teams, some leaders prefer:

SIPOC (SIPOC.xlsx)

A3 Report (A3Report.docx)

Team Leadership templates

When you download your free trials,

you also receive leadership templates to launch any team

that you can use for the rest of your career (as a free gift)

Voice of the Customer templates

You have an entire suite of Voice of the Customer templates to make it easier to:

Customer Wants
  1. Gather data from your customer listening posts
  2. Interpret it consistently
  3. Translate customer comments into engineering specifications
  4. Perform Kano Analysis
  5. Maybe use your Cause & Effect Matrix
  6. Maybe do a (very) thorough QFD House of Quality

Lean Management Systems

One of the primary purposes of Lean Management Systems is to make really obvious what is normal, and what is (at the moment) abnormal (and therefor needing management attention)

DMAIC tools

DMAIC Phase 2)

Measure

Most of the tools specified above to Define the problem also have features to collect and measure relevant data.

There are literally hundreds of additional tools to measure processes in different ways.

Some of the most popular include:

DMAIC Tools

DMAIC Phase 3)

Analyze

Most of the tools specified above for Measure also have features to Analyze the data that you collected.

Some of the most popular tools for process analysis include:

Money flow

Why is flow so important?

Process Flow

Lean (not six sigma) is particularly focused on optimizing flow

DMAIC Phase 4)

Improve

The primary tool used to improve a process is the human mind.

There is no substitute for Hansei questions to stimulate Lean Thinking.

Some tools that are particularly effective to stimulate and guide human thinking include:

DMAIC Phase 5)

Control

By far the most important tools for control are your Standard Work tools.

messy boys

Who needs standard work?

Additional tools that are also useful for control include:


 

Own all of these DMAIC templates

 

to empower every team member

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burning the candle

Can't you just create a few tools in your free time?

 

 

Free time

How much free time
do you have?

to re-invent and support
home-made tools?

 

 

Download Free Trial

If your organization has
not yet provided a license,
download your free trial now

 

 

 

 

 

 

Training and Coaching

Consider Training and Coaching to support your teams to succeed

 

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Training to get you started.
Tools you won't outgrow.

 

 

 

Schedule a Conference

Schedule a conference
to discuss your challenges
with an experienced lean advisor