Learning Journal

The Learning Journal is a space where you should reflect upon what was learned during the week
and how it applies to your daily life and will help you with your life (career) goals. For this
week’s reflection, please write an essay of complete and well composed paragraphs (200 word
minimum for the entire essay) where you describe the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze,
Improve, and Control) process and how it relates to Six Sigma project theory.

Profit from Six Sigma, by G. Knowles, pages 31-66. Available for reading online at
http://www.bookboon/ , or free download directly from the course homepage.

DMAIC is an acronym for the five phases - Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control

[ CITATION Kno12 \l 1033 ]. According to American Society for Quality, DMAIC is a data-driven

quality strategy used to improve processes [ CITATION ASQ18 \l 1033 ]. It is an integral part of a Six

Sigma initiative. But it can also be implemented as (1) a standalone quality improvement

procedure, or as (2) part of other process improvement initiatives.

There are essentially 5 phases in the following order:

1. DEFINE: What problem would you like to fix? A Project Charter, a high-level map of the

process, is created in this phase to understand the needs of the customers of the process. Then the

team outlines the project focus and the leadership. 

2. MEASURE: How does the process currently perform? Data are collected, on both the process

as well as the wants of the customers. Initially, you focus on either reducing lead time or

improving quality. Then the team refines the measurement definitions and draw the current

performance/baseline of the process. 

3. ANALYZE: What is causing the problem? The teams brainstorm potential root causes,

develop hypotheses, and then work to prove or disprove their hypotheses. Process analysis and

data analysis are taken into account. These have to completed BEFORE developing solutions.

4. IMPROVE: How will the team mitigate the root causes of the problem? Once the root causes

are completed, solutions can be developed. The teams brainstorm solutions, pilots process

changes, implements solutions and collects data [ CITATION gol18 \l 1033 ]. Improvements

must be measurable to ensure there is success between the baseline and the new process. 

5. CONTROL: How do you sustain the improvement? The team must ensure that the process

maintains the improvement. A Monitoring Plan is created to measure the newly improved

process. A Response Plan is also developed in the case of decline in performance.

In summary, The Six Sigma DMAIC methodology is a roadmap for problem solving and

product/process improvement. There are always rooms-for-improvement in operation in any

business. The Six Sigma provides guidelines to select the right projects at the right time

[ CITATION gol18 \l 1033 ]. Then the DMAIC can be used to further refine the projects and deliver

measurable results.

References

ASQ. (2018). The Define Measure Analyze Improve Control (DMAIC) Process. Retrieved from

Amercian Scoiety for Quality: http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/six-

sigma/overview/dmaic.html

goleansixsigma. (2018). DMAIC – The 5 Phases of Lean Six Sigma. Retrieved from Go Lean Six

Sigma Website: https://goleansixsigma.com/dmaic-five-basic-phases-of-lean-six-sigma/

Knowles, G. (2012). Profit from Six Sigma. bookboon.com.