dmaic problem solving template

The Easy Guide to Solving Problems with Six Sigma DMAIC Method

The most commonly used methodology in Six Sigma is the DMAIC process. Many use it to solve problems and identify and fix errors in business and manufacturing processes.

In this post, we will look at how to use the DMAIC process to solve problems. You will also find useful and editable templates that you can use right away when implementing DMAIC problem-solving in your organization.

• What are 5 the Steps of Six Sigma

DMAIC Process and Problem-Solving

Common mistakes to avoid when using six sigma dmaic methodology, how to use the dmaic methodology for problem solving in project management, what are the 5 steps of six sigma.

DMAIC is one of the core methodologies used within the Six Sigma framework. It is a data-driven method used to systematically improve the process. The approach aims to increase the quality of a product or service by focusing on optimizing the process that produces the output. This way DMAIC seeks to provide permanent solutions when it comes to process improvement.

It provides a structured problem-solving framework to identify, analyze, and improve existing processes. DMAIC guides practitioners through a series of steps to identify the root causes of process issues, implement solutions, and sustain the improvements over time.

Following we have listed down the 5 phases of the DMAIC process along with the steps you need to take when using it to solve problems. Different tools for each phase is provided with editable templates.

Step 1: Define the Problem

So there’s a problem that affects your customer or your company processes. In this first step of the DMAIC problem solving method , you need to focus on what the problem is and how it has affected you as a company.

There are a few steps you need to follow in this phase.

• Create a problem statement which should include a definition of the problem in quantifiable terms and the severity of the problem.

•  Make sure necessary resources such as a team leader and competent team members, and funds etc. are available at hand.

•  Develop a goal statement based on your problem statement. It should be a measurable and time-bound target to achieve.

•  Create a SIPOC diagram which will provide the team with a high-level overview of the process (along with its inputs, outputs, suppliers, and customers) that is being analyzed. You can also use a value stream map to do the same job.

•  Try to understand the process in more in-depth detail by creating a process map that outlines all process steps. Involve the process owners when identifying the process steps and developing the map. You can add swimlanes to represent different departments and actors responsible.

Step 2: Measure the Problem

In this step, you should measure the extent of the problem. To do so you need to examine the process in its current state to see how it performs. The detailed process map you created in the ‘Define’ phase can help you with this.

The baseline measurements you will need to look into in this phase, are process duration, the number of defects, costs and other relevant metrics.

These baseline measurements will be used as the standards against which the team will measure their success in the ‘Improve’ phase.

Step 3: Analyze the Problem

The analyze phase of the DMAIC process is about identifying the root cause that is causing the problem.

•  Referring to the process maps and value stream maps you have created, further, analyze the process to identify the problem areas.

•  Visualize the data you have collected (both in the ‘Measure’ phase and the analyze phase) to identify signs of problems in the processes.

•  Use Pareto charts, histograms, run charts etc. to represent numerical data. Study them with team leaders and process owners to identify patterns.

•  With the results of your process analysis and your data analysis, start brainstorming the root causes of the problem. Use a cause and effect diagram/ fishbone diagram to capture the knowledge of the process participants during the session.

 •  Using a 5 whys diagram, narrow down your findings to the last few causes of the problem in your process.

Step 4: Improve (Solve the Problem)

In this phase, the focus is on mitigating the root cause identified and brainstorming and implementing solutions. The team will also collect data to measure their improvement against the data collected during the ‘Measure’ phase.

•  You may generate several effective solutions to the root cause, but implementing them all would not be practical. Therefore, you will have to select the most practical solutions.

To do this you can use an impact effort matrix . It will help you determine which solution has the best impact and the least effort/ cost.

 • Based on different solutions, you should develop new maps that will reflect the status of the process once the solution has been applied. This map is known as the to-be map or the future-state map. It will provide guidance for the team as they implement changes.

•  Explore the different solutions using the PDCA cycle and select the best one to implement.  The cycle allows you to systematically study the possible solutions, evaluate the results and select the ones that have a higher chance of success.

Step 5: Control (Sustain the Improvements)

In the final phase of the DMAIC method , the focus falls on maintaining the improvements you have gained by implementing the solutions. Here you should continue to measure the success and create a plan to monitor the improvements (a Monitoring plan).

You should also create a Response plan which includes steps to take if there’s a drop in the process performance. With new process maps and other documentation, you should then proceed to document the improved processes.

Hand these documents along with the Monitoring plan and the response plan to the process owners for their reference.

Insufficiently defining the problem can lead to a lack of clarity regarding the problem statement, objectives, and scope. Take the time to clearly define the problem, understand the desired outcomes, and align stakeholders' expectations.

Failing to engage key stakeholders throughout the DMAIC process can result in limited buy-in and resistance to change. Ensure that stakeholders are involved from the beginning, seeking their input, addressing concerns, and keeping them informed about progress and outcomes.

Collecting insufficient or inaccurate data can lead to flawed analysis and incorrect conclusions. Take the time to gather relevant data using appropriate measurement systems, ensure data accuracy and reliability, and apply appropriate statistical analysis techniques to derive meaningful insights.

Getting caught up in analysis paralysis without taking action is a common pitfall. While analysis is crucial, it’s equally important to translate insights into concrete improvement actions. Strive for a balance between analysis and implementation to drive real change.

Failing to test potential solutions before implementation can lead to unintended consequences. Utilize methods such as pilot studies, simulation, or small-scale experiments to validate and refine proposed solutions before full-scale implementation.

Successful process improvement is not just about making initial changes ; it’s about sustaining those improvements over the long term. Develop robust control plans, standard operating procedures, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure the gains achieved are maintained and deviations are identified and corrected.

Applying DMAIC in a one-size-fits-all manner without considering the organization’s unique culture, context, and capabilities can hinder success. Tailor the approach to fit the specific needs, capabilities, and culture of the organization to enhance acceptance and implementation.

In the project management context, the Define phase involves clearly defining the project objectives, scope, deliverables, and success criteria. It entails identifying project stakeholders, understanding their expectations, and establishing a project charter or a similar document that outlines the project’s purpose and key parameters.

The Measure phase focuses on collecting data and metrics to assess the project’s progress, performance, and adherence to schedule and budget. Key project metrics such as schedule variance, cost variance, and resource utilization are tracked and analyzed. This phase provides insights into the project’s current state and helps identify areas that require improvement.

The Analyze phase involves analyzing the project data and identifying root causes of any performance gaps or issues. It aims to understand why certain project aspects are not meeting expectations. Techniques such as root cause analysis, Pareto charts, or fishbone diagrams can be used to identify factors impacting project performance.

In the Improve phase, potential solutions and actions are developed and implemented to address the identified issues. This may involve making adjustments to the project plan, reallocating resources, refining processes, or implementing corrective measures. The goal is to optimize project performance and achieve desired outcomes.

The Control phase focuses on monitoring and controlling project activities to sustain the improvements made. It involves implementing project control mechanisms, establishing performance metrics, and conducting regular reviews to ensure that the project remains on track. Control measures help prevent deviations from the plan and enable timely corrective actions.

What are Your Thoughts on DMAIC Problem Solving Method?

Here we have covered the 5 phases of  Six Sigma DMAIC and the tools that you can use in each stage. You can use them to identify problem areas in your organizational processes, generate practical solutions and implement them effectively.

Have you used DMAIC process to improve processes and solve problems in your organization? Share your experience with the tool with us in the comment section below.

Also, check our post on Process Improvement Methodologies to learn about more Six Sigma and Lean tools to streamline your processes.

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FAQs about Six Sigma and DMAIC Approaches

DMAIC and DMADV are two methodologies used in Six Sigma. DMAIC is employed to enhance existing processes by addressing issues and improving efficiency, while DMADV is utilized for creating new processes or products that meet specific customer needs by following a structured design and verification process.

• Used for improving existing processes
• Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
• Identifies problem areas and implements solutions
• Focuses on reducing process variation and enhancing efficiency
• Used for developing new products, services, or processes
• Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify
• Emphasizes meeting customer requirements and creating innovative solutions
• Involves detailed design and verification through testing

Problem identification : When a process is not meeting desired outcomes or experiencing defects, DMAIC can be used to identify and address the root causes of the problem.

Process optimization : DMAIC provides a systematic approach to analyze and make improvements to processes by reducing waste, improving cycle time, or enhancing overall efficiency.

Continuous improvement : DMAIC is often used as part of ongoing quality management efforts. It helps organizations maintain a culture of continuous improvement by systematically identifying and addressing process issues, reducing variation, and striving for better performance.

Data-driven decision making : DMAIC relies on data collection, measurement, and analysis. It is suitable when there is sufficient data available to evaluate process performance and identify areas for improvement.

Quality control and defect reduction : DMAIC is particularly useful when the primary objective is to reduce defects, minimize errors, and enhance product or service quality. By analyzing the root causes of defects, improvements can be made to prevent their occurrence.

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Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

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Free DMAIC template for rapid process improvement

DMAIC — a structured, five-step approach to process improvement — is integral to the Six Sigma initiative. It’s a popular and robust methodology for identifying areas of improvement and determining appropriate actions to remedy them.

Creating a brand new document every time the DMAIC model is used? Not ideal That’s where templates come in.

A DMAIC template lets product and project managers skip the document setup phase and dive into process improvement initiatives . It also ensures consistency across multiple departments and Sigma DMAIC studies.

This article will share the monday.com DMAIC template and explain how to use it to kickstart DMAIC initiatives. We’ll even showcase some helpful examples for inspiration.

Get the template

What is a DMAIC template?

DMAIC ( D efine. M easure. A nalyze. I mprove. C ontrol) is a business process improvement methodology that collects extensive data, analyzes it to find an opportunity for improvement, and suggests appropriate business changes. As a data-driven quality management framework, users of DMAIC need a formalized document for capturing this information (aka, the DMAIC template).

Download Excel template

A DMAIC template includes headers for each of the five high-level phases involved in the quality improvement procedure, with space to include information specific to the DMAIC study under each header.

Example: Here’s what a PowerPoint template for DMAIC might look like.

Why use a DMAIC template?

The main benefit of using a DMAIC template is efficiency. Rather than spending 20-30 minutes creating a document to capture the DMAIC data, simply save a copy of the template — keeping the original intact for future use — and get straight into identifying areas for improvement.

The main reason to use DMAIC is to identify opportunities to increase efficiency . Therefore, it makes sense to take the most efficient route to get there!

A few other benefits to using a DMAIC template include:

• Consistency : Use the same template across all departments, team members, and DMAIC studies. Data will be easier to understand and interpret across the board.
• Improved results : Use learnings from each DMAIC study to change the template and apply these learnings to subsequent studies.
• Professionalism : DMAIC templates are designed to look sharp and professional.

What are common use cases for the DMAIC template?

Let’s explore how different industries can use a DMAIC template to boost product quality and productivity.

Manufacturing

Repetitive and cyclical jobs (like manufacturing lines) are ideal candidates for DMAIC as they provide ample opportunity to capture data to analyze and improve upon.

Here’s how a company could use the monday.com DMAIC template to improve its manufacturing process:

• Define : Identify the specific products and workflows to monitor and the goal — for example, green widget, packaging workflow, increased throughput.
• Measure : Define the metrics. Monitor for a reasonable period to capture statistically meaningful data. For example: number of products packaged correctly. Monitor production for five days.
• Analyze : Identify and address outliers and look for trends. For example: production output drops between 3 PM and 5 PM.
• Improve : Put countermeasures in place. Monitor the process to ensure the desired improvement. For example: machine shut off from 2:30 to 3 PM to cool down and replace component A.
• Control : Implement measures to maintain. For example: install an output monitoring device to notify operators when production drops due to machine overheating.

By following the lead of this example, it’s easy to optimize any process within a manufacturing plant. It’s also easy to use a similar approach when developing software, apps, or other digital products.

All industries: improving company culture

DMAIC templates can also be used outside of the production realm. For example, it can be a helpful framework for improving company culture:

• Define : Live up to the company’s value statements.
• Measure : Determine the leadership behaviors that will influence cultural change — such as demonstrating the values in practice, communicating goals to employees, and conducting team meetings to identify paths to achieving the company vision.
• Analyze : Understand the gaps between the current and desired cultures. For example, leaders may not be observably demonstrating the defined values. Then, define the actions that will close these gaps — leadership focus on values, for example.
• Improve : Implement these measures. Provide training and coaching to leaders. Consider removing reluctant or incapable leaders. Conduct employee surveys and one-on-one interviews to understand the impact of new initiatives.
• Control : Establish a regular cadence for monitoring employee sentiment. Implement an employee of the month initiative based on company values.

Don’t be afraid to use the DMAIC template to improve various workflows and processes within the business.

monday.com’s DMAIC template

While most DMAIC templates are designed on word editors and presentation platforms like PowerPoint, we’ve decided to take ours further. The monday.com template includes everything you need to run a DMAIC study. It’s built on the monday.com Work OS , opening up a world of helpful process improvement and workflow management tools. Let’s look at a few.

1. Time tracking column

Use the Time Tracking Column in the monday.com work management board to measure the amount of time spent on each activity if your DMAIC study intends to identify areas of slow performance.

2. Custom reporting dashboards

Once the DMAIC review has been completed, and appropriate controls have been implemented, set up a custom dashboard in the monday.com Work OS with the relevant reports — stacked charts, performance by employee, and Pareto charts. Check at a glance that the controls put in place are doing what they’ve been designed for.

3. Multiple workflow views

Managing work on monday.com means teams can view upcoming tasks in whichever way they work most efficiently. For example, do you have one employee who likes Kanban and another who prefers data to be displayed in a table? Not a problem.

With monday.com, each employee can use their preferred view while simultaneously working on the same board!

DMAIC template tips & tricks

Unsure about the best way to use our DMAIC template? Here are a few helpful tips and tricks.

Choosing an appropriate goal

When defining project goals, choose tasks that make a meaningful and noticeable difference but aren’t too challenging to address. That’s the sweet spot where you’ll get the most return on investment.

Observe before acting

Use the DMAIC framework to improve the company’s process of designing content briefs for its freelance writers. Rather than simply setting this as a goal, spend some time observing first. A more appropriate definition would be to improve the keyword research aspect of that process.

The “mere measurement effect.”

Be careful of a scientific phenomenon known as the “mere measurement effect” — simply observing and measuring an action can influence how the action is performed and, thereby, the data you capture.

Solve this potential effect by spending extra time during the measurement phase — several days, for example — and ignoring the data captured in the first few observations.

FAQs about DMAIC templates

What is the dmaic procedure.

DMAIC is a five-step procedure (5 phases) for business process improvement :

• Define : Determine the problem you are looking to solve. What is the ideal outcome?
• Measure : Capture relevant data regarding the process and the problem.
• Analyze : Review data, identify cause-effect relationships between inputs and outputs, and determine potential solutions.
• Improve : Implement suggested solutions.
• Control : Establish standards to maintain going forward to ensure improvements are sustained.

How to write a DMAIC problem statement?

A problem statement in the lean Six Sigma/DMAIC technique should include the following information:

• A brief description of the problem
• The metric used to monitor and describe the problem
• Where the problem is occurring (the name of the process)
• The timeframe over which the problem has been identified
• The magnitude of the problem

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Guide: DMAIC

Author: Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

The DMAIC methodology is a popular problem-solving framework that is used to drive process improvements and achieve measurable results. Businesses can improve efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction by using a structured and data-driven approach to identify, analyze, and address issues.

The DMAIC Steps

Step 1: define.

In step one of the DMAIC process, you are focused on defining, which involves defining all of the elements of the improvement process and is one of the most important stages as it lays the foundation for stages that follow and ensures the project goes on the right track.

By the end of the define stage, the project should have the following defined:

• Define the problem
• Defined goal
• Defined the process
• Identify the customers and their needs ( VOC )
• Identify Stakeholders
• Define the project timeline

DMAIC Project Report Template- Page 1

Step 2: Measure

After successfully defining the problem you are looking to resolve or the process you want to improve, it is time to work on the measurement phase, which involves collecting data on the problem to verify what the problem is.

Within this you will work with a cross-functional team to initially create a data collection plan which will plan out what data is needed to verify the problem and also help with the analysis stage that comes next.

The data collection plan plans out what data will be collected, where it is collected from when it will be collected, the frequency, who will record it and the method. To get an in-depth understanding, take a look at the Data Collection Guide.

Once you have this data collected, you should be able to get a baseline measurement understanding of the process, which would be referred to as the current state. 

Another way the measure phase can be conducted is by creating a process map to define the process “as-is,” or the current state of how the process is being completed.

Detailed sub process map

By mapping out the process, you can analyse the current state and later create the future state process map that will look to improve the process and remove waste from the process in relation the 8 Process Wastes

Value add analysis example

Step 3: Analyze

Following the collection of the data needed to understand the problem, the next step is to conduct analysis, which in Lean Six Sigma is a huge topic as there are many ways analysis can be done depending on the problem and the type of data that you have.

In the analysis phase, some of the methods that can be used include Fishbone Diagram, 5 Whys and FMEA for non-numerical data. However, for numerical data, the list of tools includes the following:

• Hypothesis Testing
• Correlation Analysis
• Regression Analysis
• Pareto Chart
• Scatter Plot
• Time Series Plot

We could not cover all of these methods within this guide. However, if you are looking to use one or more of these methods, consult our guides section to learn more about them and how to conduct the analysis.

This analysis is done to verify the root causes of problems, understand what is causing them, and direct the improvement team to know what action needs to be taken to address them. 

DMAIC-Template-Example-Page-2

Step 4: Improve

After the analysis has been completed, and the root cause of the problem has been identified, the project team should conduct a brainstorming session to gather various potential solutions to the problem. 

Once the brainstorming has been done and the solutions have been identified, the team should then create a plan for implementation. This will likely be in the form of an action plan that sets out what the actions are when they need to be done, and who will do them.

The plan will likely involve pilot testing the improvements by conducting small tests or trials and analyzing the results before full implementation. It is also common practice to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to evaluate if it is feasible to take full advantage of the potential solutions.

Step 5: Control

Once the improvements are in place, they need to be controlled and sustained to ensure that they are long-term solutions and not short-term ones, following the improvement and then reverting back to pre-improvement levels. 

This is usually done using tools such as control charts that collect data at regular intervals to measure process performance, supported by updating documentation and standard operating procedures that confirm and formalize any changes to the process. It could also include updating any training to individuals involved with the process and regular audits of the process.

DMAIC-Template-Example-Page-3

DMAIC Template

If you are looking to use the DMAIC methodology you might find it useful to use the DMAIC project report template to structure and communicate your project to the business. Feel free to download it from the template section.

The DMAIC methodology is a proven, structured approach for process improvement that stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. As a backbone of Lean Six Sigma, it offers a comprehensive roadmap for problem-solving and optimizing business processes.

Starting with the ‘Define’ phase, the methodology emphasizes laying a strong foundation by setting objectives and assembling a team. The ‘Measure’ phase focuses on collecting relevant data to understand the current state. Then comes ‘Analyze,’ where the focus shifts to identifying root causes through a variety of analytical tools. ‘Improve’ involves brainstorming solutions and pilot testing, while the ‘Control’ phase ensures that improvements are sustainable over the long term. Altogether, DMAIC offers a complete, data-driven strategy for achieving measurable improvements in efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.

• Berardinelli, C.F., 2012. TO DMAIC or not to DMAIC? .  Quality Progress ,  45 (11), p.72.
• De Mast, J. and Lokkerbol, J., 2012. An analysis of the Six Sigma DMAIC method from the perspective of problem solving.  International Journal of Production Economics ,  139 (2), pp.604-614.

A: DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. It is a structured problem-solving methodology used in Six Sigma to improve processes and reduce defects.

A: The purpose of DMAIC is to identify and address problems or inefficiencies in a process, leading to measurable and sustainable improvements. It provides a framework for problem-solving and continuous improvement.

A: The steps in DMAIC are as follows:

• Define: Clearly define the problem and project goals.
• Measure: Gather data and measure the current state of the process.
• Analyze: Analyze the data to identify the root causes of the problem.
• Improve: Develop and implement solutions to address the identified causes.
• Control: Establish control mechanisms to sustain the improvements made and prevent future issues.

A: No, DMAIC is a versatile problem-solving methodology that can be applied to various industries and processes, including manufacturing, service, healthcare, software development, and more. It is applicable wherever there is a need for process improvement and reducing defects.

Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is a seasoned continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. With over 10 years of real-world application experience across diverse sectors, Daniel has a passion for optimizing processes and fostering a culture of efficiency. He's not just a practitioner but also an avid learner, constantly seeking to expand his knowledge. Outside of his professional life, Daniel has a keen Investing, statistics and knowledge-sharing, which led him to create the website www.learnleansigma.com, a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights.

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DMAIC Template

Dmaic templates.

Standardize your product and process improvement initiatives for business growth with a free DMAIC template.

• Eliminate paperwork with digital checklists
• Generate reports from completed checklists
• Free to use for up to 10 users

This DMAIC template allows Six Sigma professionals, project managers, and other project stakeholders to perform DMAIC studies for enhancing products and processes. Use this tool to delve deeper into the roots of the existing problems and develop appropriate solutions to resolve them. Fill out this template following these five steps:

• Define the goals of the project and their corresponding deliverables.
• Measure the current performance against quantifiable benchmarks.
• Analyze collected data to determine the root cause of the problem.
• Improve the process, system, or design by reviewing possible steps to address inadequacies.
• Control and keep track of the process or system in place.

What is a DMAIC Template?

A DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) template is a tool used to systematically tackle deficiencies in existing practices and strategize process improvement initiatives. It follows the five-step structure of the DMAIC method as a best practice for Six Sigma practitioners. This document is ideal for enhancing underperforming products, services, and systems in sectors such as manufacturing and healthcare.

The DMAIC method takes a data-driven angle to process and product improvement. Using a systematic approach, they can implement targeted solutions for resolving issues down to their roots. However, drafting DMAIC reports from scratch can take time to complete.

Enter the DMAIC template, a more streamlined route to carrying out the DMAIC method. Having a ready-made template allows Six Sigma practitioners to gather data in an efficient manner, as they only need to fill out the form in the order it’s structured. They no longer need to create reports from the beginning, for they can save this template on their device for future use.

By simplifying the paperwork side of things using a DMAIC template, Six Sigma professionals can focus their efforts on applying DMAIC effectively.

The DMAIC template consists of five components representing the phases of the DMAIC model: Define , Measure , Analyze , Improve , and Control . This section explores each of these phases as follows:

The first element in a DMAIC template calls for the project goals. In this section, you must specify the primary objective or problem of the DMAIC study in detail. Here are some guide questions to help you answer this portion effectively.

• What goal are you aiming to achieve? / What issue are you trying to address?
• Why is it important?
• What are its corresponding customer deliverables (both internal and external)?

After determining the main goal or issue, it’s also essential to include quantifiable metrics in obtaining the data you need. Consider the following guide questions when establishing benchmarks for your DMAIC report:

• Is there a data collection plan for quantifying the problem?
• Is the current performance of the process determined through measurable targets?
• On what basis can you determine if the data collection plan is successful?
• What outcomes are you looking for in the process?

The analysis component adds another layer to your DMAIC process template. In this portion, you will investigate the roots of the problem and categorize possible causes or key processes into different priority levels.

A sound DMAIC analysis follows the set of questions listed below:

• What are the performance objectives?
• What are the steps that add or provide no value to the process?
• Why did the issue happen?
• How does it impact the process outcomes?
• What are the primary root causes of the problem?

This component explains the possible courses of action to enhance underperforming processes or products. In this part, you will implement potential solutions based on the data you’ve gathered and analyzed in the previous section.

The following guide questions will steer you in the right direction while testing and setting out improvement measures:

• What solutions can you implement to resolve the issue?
• Are operating tolerances of the potential system well-defined?
• Were design experiments performed?
• Were potential improvements validated through pilot studies?
• Were potential solutions assessed and re-evaluated?

The DMAIC process doesn’t end after selecting the most viable solution for the goal or issue. There must also be a system to keep track of and maintain these enhanced processes in the long run. Here are some questions to guide you in monitoring your improvement initiatives:

• What is the monitoring and control system in place?
• Was the statistical process control applied?
• How will the handoff to the process owner proceed?
• Were benefits, cost savings/avoidance, and profit growth verified?

Example of a DMAIC Template

The image below illustrates how a DMAIC template works as a data-driven process improvement tool.

DMAIC Template Sample Report | SafetyCulture

In this example, the company investigates the reason for the increasing costs in three of its branches. Through this template, they can map out the problem, determine its root cause, and implement solutions to reduce their expenses.

FAQs about DMAIC Templates

Is dmaic a six sigma tool.

Yes, the DMAIC process is primarily used for enhancing systems and practices under the Six Sigma framework. However, you can also use this tool on its own or with other process improvement methodologies like Lean.

Who uses a DMAIC template?

Organizations implementing the Six Sigma methodology can benefit from using a DMAIC template. This tool is especially helpful for industries requiring consistent and high-quality results, such as manufacturing, healthcare, construction, education, and professional services.

How do you write a DMAIC report?

• Define the project goals and list their expected outputs.
• Lay down quantifiable benchmarks for data collection.
• Write down the possible root causes of the problem.
• List feasible solutions and note your observations during the testing stage.
• Verify the results of the test and monitor its effectiveness.
• Provide additional remarks not included in any of the previous sections.
• Affix your name and signature as proof of completion.

Utilizing DMAIC Templates for Process Improvement with SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor)

SafetyCulture is a comprehensive operations platform for improving organizational processes, systems, and practices. This mobile-first software includes functionalities for optimizing Six Sigma tools such as DMAIC, value stream mapping , and root cause analysis , thereby streamlining the groundwork for project managers and Six Sigma professionals.

Organizations can use the following SafetyCulture features to enhance their current practices:

• Standardize DMAIC analyses using ready-made templates from the Public Library.
• Generate custom DMAIC reports to Web, PDF, Word, and CSV formats.
• Access and store completed templates in a secure cloud-based document repository.
• Analyze recurring trends and detect inefficient processes through an intuitive dashboard .
• Proactively resolve process-related issues using the Actions feature.
• Export collected data to existing applications such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets .
• Utilize the data collected on your existing platforms through integration .

Free DMAIC Templates

Root cause analysis template.

Use this template in the Analyze phase of the DMAIC cycle to investigate recurring issues and address their root cause. Start by describing the problem and its impact. Then, list possible reasons why the issue happened, determine the root cause, and attach media (photo/video) for verification. Recommend preventive actions and establish intervention strategies before signing off the RCA template with digital signatures.

• 5 Whys Template

This template is a useful tool for determining the primary causes of process defects in the Analyze phase of DMAIC. Start with a clear statement of the problem and continue answering why the problem occurred until you reach its roots. Then, provide a solution to the root cause of the issue and create action items for immediate response.

Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA) Template

Use this template to Define and Analyze potential deficiencies in a product, service, process, or system and prevent their adverse effects. Begin by describing the process function and determine its potential modes of failure. Next, rate each mode’s severity and impact, and identify their Risk Priority Number (RPN). Create and complete corrective actions and validate the FMEA with digital signatures.

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DMAIC Model | The 5 Phase DMAIC Process to Problem-Solving

• 5 mins to read
• July 1, 2020
• By Reagan Pannell

Summary: An Introduction to DMAIC

Dmaic – the dmaic model.

The 6 Sigma DMAIC model remains the core roadmap for almost all Lean Six Sigma problem-solving approaches that drive quality improvement projects. It is used to ensure a robust problem-solving process is followed to give the best chance of the best solution being found.

A note about the structure and the approach used in this article.

Our approach to DMAIC follows Quentin Brook’s book “Lean Six Sigma & Minitab” which for anyone wishing to study Lean Six Sigma is a must for the  Green Belt Course  and the  Black Belt Course .

What is the dmaic model.

DMAIC is short for: Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control. These are the key phases that each project must go through to find the right solution. This flow is the concept behind DMAIC Analysis of an issue and its the DMAIC cycle all projects must go through.

As you can quickly see from the 5 DMAIC phases they follow a logical sequence as we will go through in more detail below. But they also make sure you do not try to jump to implementing a solution before you have properly, defined and measured what you are going to be an improvement.

We all love to jump to solutions, but the DMAIC problem-solving structure helps us have a more rigorous approach so that we do not short cut the process and perhaps miss the best solution or perhaps implement the wrong solution as well. It can help companies better structure their problem-solving approaches and be more robust in their approach. 

DMAIC – The 5 DMAIC Process Phases

The phases throughout the DMAIC model have and can be broken down in many different ways. One of the best approaches we have found is from Opex Resources which shows how to examine the existing processes, and with a project team, and the sigma improvement process, we can solve complex issues.

DMAIC Define Phase

The purpose of the Define phase is ultimately to describe the problems that need to be solved and for the key business decision-makers to be aligned on the goal of the project. Its about creating and agreeing the project charter .

All too often, teams have identified solutions without actually defining what it is they will actually be trying to do or perhaps not do. This can lead to internal confusion and often solutions which completely miss the business requirements and needs.

• Define the Business Case
• Understand the Consumer
• Define The Process
• Manage the Project
• Gain Project Approval

DMAIC Measure Phase

In the measure phase, the goal is to collect the relevant information to baseline the current performance of the product or the process. In this stage, we want to identify the level of “defects” or the errors that go wrong and use the baseline to measure our progress throughout the project.

The key goal of this phase is to have a very strong and clear measure/baseline of how things are performing today so that we can always monitor our progress towards our goals. We need to understand our cycle times , process times, quality metrics.

Many projects are delivered without clear benefits being shown because the team never fully baseline the current status before making changes.

The Measure phase can be broken down into 5 key areas:

• Develop Process Measures
• Collect Process Data
• Check the Data Quality
• Understand Process Behaviour
• Baseline Process Capability and Potential

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DMAIC Analyse Phase

The goal of the DMAIC Analyse phase with the lean six sigma improvement process is to identify which process inputs or parameters have the most critical effect on the outputs. In other words, we want to identify the root cause(s) so that we know what critical elements we need to fix.

During this phase, the teams need to explore all potential root causes using both analytical approaches, statistical approaches or even graphical tools such as VSM’s and Process maps to uncover the most important elements which need to be changed/fixed.

The Analyse phase can be broken down into:

• Analyse the Process
• Develop Theories and Ideas
• Analyse the Data
• and finally, Verify Root Causes 

DMAIC Improve Phase

The goal of the improvement phase is to identify a wide range of potential solutions before identifying the critical solutions which will give us the maximum return for our investment and directly fix the root cause we identified.

During this phase, the team brainstorm, pilot, test and validate potential improvement ideas before finally implementing the right solutions. With each pilot, the team can validate how well it improves the key measures they identified back in Define and Measure. When the team finally roll out the solution, the results should be seen if the right solution has been found and implemented correctly.

The Improve phase can be broken down into:

• Generate Potential Solutions
• Select the Best Solution
• Assess the Risks
• Pilot and Implement

DMAIC Control Phase

The final part of the DMAIC Model is the Control phase where we need to ensure that the new changes become business as normal and we do not revert to the same way of working as before.

During this phase, we want to ensure that we close the project off by validating the project savings and ensuring the new process is correctly documented. We also need to make sure that new measures and process KPI’s are in place and, finally that we get the business champion to sign off on both the project and the savings. We may need to redesign the workplace following the 5S principles .

The Control phase can be broken down into:

• Implement Ongoing Measurements
• Standardise Solutions
• Quantify the Improvement
• Close The Project

The key closing documents of the Control Phase is a Control Plan that documents all the changes and process steps with key risks, standard work instructions and the Project Close-Out document signed by the business owners to accept the change and the validated benefits.

The DMAIC Model vs. A3 Management vs. 8D Problem Solving

The DMAIC model is not the only project management roadmap. Two others which are important is the A3 format which originally comes from Toyota and is very Lean focused and the 8D which draws more of the DMAIC structure but with the 1-page idea of the A3.

Everyone has their own preference but each method is interchangeable. The DMAIC Structure lends its self naturally to a multi-slide Powerpoint presentation. Whereas the A3 is a single-page document which is perfect for internal communication and adding into War Rooms and Control Towers.

What’s important is that every problem-solving approach follows the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check and Act) Scientific Problem Solving format. The reset is just a preference or using the right tool in the right circumstances.

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Reagan Pannell is a highly accomplished professional with 15 years of experience in building lean management programs for corporate companies. With his expertise in strategy execution, he has established himself as a trusted advisor for numerous organisations seeking to improve their operational efficiency.

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Define, measure, analyze, improve, and control with our DMAIC template

Identify your problems, then bid them farewell with roadmapping templates from FigJam’s expansive, all-angles toolkit.

DMAIC template

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Produce problem-free projects

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Structure your solutions: Simplify complex conundrums with strictly-defined guidelines.

Streamline your comms: Improve team- and organization-wide communication to guarantee alignment.

Stay on topic: Resolve the right issue the right way by defining and measuring the problem at hand.

With DMAIC, you’ll be A-OK

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What does DMAIC stand for?

DMAIC (which is pronounced “duh-may-ic”) is an acronym that stands for:

Define – Identify and explain the problem you’re trying to solve.

Measure – Quantify the issue as best you can.

Analyze – Dig deeper into the cause of the problem.

Improve – Work to solve the root cause of the issue.

Control – Continue monitoring to ensure your adjustments are sufficient.

What is a DMAIC template?

A DMAIC example template takes the five directives of the acronym (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) and turns them into a fill-in-the-blanks graphic. By following DMAIC examples, you can work toward solving inefficiencies in a system—even if you’re not 100% sure what the problem is.

As a problem-solving method geared toward quality control, the six sigma DMAIC approach can be used when you have an existing process that you want to streamline. DMAIC encourages you to work methodically through a process rather than jump into fix-it mode right away.

To see DMAIC project examples up close, download the template from FigJam and start locating and eliminating those pesky problems.

How is the lean six sigma process defined?

We can define the lean six sigma process by breaking its title into two parts.

The “lean” part refers to reducing waste—in other words, eliminating potential problems by streamlining a system as much as possible.

The “six sigma” part brings statistics and bell curves into the mix. In statistics, the Greek letter sigma refers to one standard deviation from the mean. If you have six sigmas, the chance of something deviating from the mean (here, causing an issue) becomes infinitesimally small.

Put it all together, and you have a process that helps you reduce errors and increase efficiency.

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How to use the DMAIC Methodology: 5 Steps + Example

DMAIC is a popular Six Sigma process in the world of statistics and business. There’s a good chance you’ve heard the term before, but what exactly is it? Each letter represents a particular part of the methodology. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Whether the industry is manufacturing, marketing, retail, military, or HR, Six Sigma practitioners can use the DMAIC process for improvement projects. Following the five steps allows businesses to systematically find and fix issues, ultimately boosting productivity and quality. This article will explain the DMAIC process steps and provide a DMAIC process example.

On this page:

Why the DMAIC Process is Important

5 steps in the dmaic process, dmaic process example.

The DMAIC process is important because it allows you to improve your business by creating a systematic approach for identifying problems, creating solutions, and measuring the success of your product or process improvement project.

First, the DMAIC process helps you get an overview of the situation and identify potential problems with your product or service. It’s also important to understand what success looks like in order to know how to measure it.

Second, the DMAIC process helps you look at your resources and see what you have available to tackle the problem. This will help you decide what’s feasible and what isn’t—and that’s especially important if you have a budget or timeline to stick to for improvements.

Third, the DMAIC process gives you a plan for tackling those issues so that when you’re looking at your data and making decisions about moving forward, they’re based on facts rather than feelings or assumptions.

In the DMAIC Define Phase , you will define the problem or opportunity. You’ll define what you want to improve in your process. This involves defining the goal and developing an understanding of what success will look like. You will also identify the current situation and how it compares to your desired outcome. This includes identifying any constraints or limitations and determining if there is adequate support for achieving success.

In the DMAIC Measure Phase , you will measure key aspects of the current process by collecting data to obtain quantitative evidence about its current state. You’ll compare it with the ideal state. You’ll measure defects or other metrics that indicate problems with your process. This evidence helps you identify where improvement opportunities exist to drive future actions.

In the DMAIC Analyze Phase , you will analyze the data to identify root causes. You’ll analyze trends in your data using statistical techniques such as control charts or ANOVA analysis to determine if there are any factors impacting quality that you can eliminate from your process. You may also use decision models such as Pugh charts or cause-and-effect diagrams to evaluate alternatives and select appropriate solutions for implementation.

In the DMAIC Improve Phase , you will improve the process by implementing solutions based on what you learned during the analysis. These solutions require clear specifications so they can be implemented consistently. In addition, you should document these changes in case they need to be replicated later.

In the DMAIC Control Phase , you will control the new process to prevent problems from recurring. You’ll monitor results after making improvements to ensure they are working as planned.

So how does this all come together in a real-life scenario? Let’s walk through a hypothetical scenario of how a nonprofit organization uses DMAIC methodology .

Let’s say the nonprofit company wants to increase its fundraising success with outbound calls made to clients who signed up for newsletters on their website but chose not to make an online donation.

1. Define Stage:

The company would first need to define what success looks like with outbound calls and how it will be measured.

In this case, the company aimed to increase conversion rates from 45% to 50%. The company used the length of contact and conversion metrics to define successful and unsuccessful calls. They defined a successful call as lasting longer than two minutes. Additionally, they defined conversion as when a donation was made during a call.

2. Measure Stage:

Key aspects of the call experience would then be identified and monitored.

Now that the Six Sigma project team has defined the goal and metrics, they must collect data about the successful and unsuccessful calls. In this case, the company created a process map to understand the current process. They recorded data regarding several factors, such as the script used during the call, the time of day the outbound team made the call, and how much time had passed since the user had signed up for the newsletter before the outbound team made the call.

The project team brainstormed potential explanations for the unsuccessful calls. The conversion rate was the primary metric, so a fishbone diagram was utilized to depict the link between the many factors at play.

3. Analyze Stage

Data would be collected and analyzed to identify any areas where the calls were more likely to lead to a successful call or a conversion.

After gathering information, the next step is to analyze it statistically. The project team devised a preliminary hypothesis testing the call data. This testing revealed that the time of day the outbound team made the call and the time lag between the newsletter sign-up and the outbound call both had a substantial impact on the success of the call and the conversion rate.

Design of experiment (DOE) tools assessed the significant factors from hypothesis testing. The designed experiment optimized critical factors and responses. The DOE results showed how critical factors interacted and affected the main measure, including the time of day and the appropriate sign-up-to-call lag time.

This analysis showed that afternoon calls made within 24 hours of the online sign-up were most effective.

4. Improve Stage

Implement solutions to improve the call experience in those areas.

There was initially at least a 24-hour lag between sign-up and follow-up calls because the outbound team had been using a third-party firm to compile lists of users who had signed up for the newsletter but had not donated. With the help of the newly implemented internal reporting system, the outbound team could generate this list within hours, significantly reducing call times. The outbound team also began prioritizing afternoon calls.

The team documented these changes and updated the process map to reflect the improvements.

5. Control Stage

New processes would be monitored to ensure that successful calls and conversions continue.

The Six Sigma project team completed three months of monitoring after the company implemented the improvement measures. According to an analysis, the project’s conversion rate increased to 52% from 45%, achieving the project goal.

The Six Sigma DMAIC process is an effective tool that can be used in any industry. It gives businesses the ability to analyze and improve their processes, leading to better results. By reviewing the example and following the five steps of the DMAIC Process – Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control – businesses can create meaningful changes in their operations.

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The History of Six Sigma

Originally developed by Bill Smith at Motorola in 1986, the Six Sigma Training program was created using some of the most innovative quality improvement methods from the preceding six decades. The term “Six Sigma” is derived from a field of statistics known as process capability. The term 6 Sigma refers to the ability of manufacturing processes to produce a very high proportion of output within specification. Processes that operate with “six sigma quality” over the short term are assumed to produce long-term defect levels below 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Six Sigma’s goal is to improve overall processes to that level of quality or better.

DMAIC Analysis Template

Use the DMAIC process (or Six Sigma Map) to solve problems using a structured approach. The letters in the acronym represent the five phases that make up the process.

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About the DMAIC template

From software development to manufacturing, the DMAIC Template helps project teams improve their processes. While it’s part of the Six Sigma initiative (a method for improving the manufacturing process), it’s now widely adopted as a quality improvement procedure.

Using this five-step framework, you can identify and address inefficiencies in processes across your entire business. As a result, you’ll improve the quality of your deliverables and help your business get better results. 

What is a DMAIC analysis? 

DMAIC is an acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. Performing a DMAIC analysis allows businesses to do the following:

Improve existing processes

Identify new processes

Perform structured change management

A DMAIC analysis is a data-driven quality strategy. It strongly emphasizes measurement and analysis, helping companies identify process improvement initiatives based on real data. This makes sure that any changes have the most positive impact on the business. 

The 5 factors of DMAIC 

To better understand the DMAIC process, let’s outline the five main steps in more detail. To perform a successful DMAIC analysis, you must follow the process steps in this order. 

1. Define: Start by defining your team’s project, problems, and goals. Be as specific as possible. The more specific you are, the easier it’ll be to solve each concrete problem and complete the project. You can use the SMART goals template to make sure your project goals are specific, and take a look at this Problem Framing Template to identify your challenges. You should also outline your project scope in a project charter to clearly display all the key project information. 

2. Measure: During the Measure phase, you need to figure out how to measure the solution. What key metrics can you track? How will you know whether you have succeeded? You need these in place to track progress and measure success. 

3. Analyze: With your measurements in place, it’s time to analyze the data. This will help you identify the root cause of your problem. Start by listing and prioritizing potential causes of the problem. Then, prioritize root causes (or key process inputs) and identify how they affect outputs. You can use process maps to analyze your existing processes better. 

4. Improve: By the time you reach this step, you’ll probably already have a possible solution to your process. Now, it’s time to visualize how it’ll pan out. Review the solutions and anticipate how each of them will perform. If you find potential consequences, you might have to go back to the Measure or Analyze steps. If things look good, take the necessary steps to improve your process . 

5. Control: After the Improve stage, you need to Control the process. Monitor the improvements and adjust as needed to ensure continued and sustainable success.

Although DMAIC may be sequential, it’s not always linear. For example, if you get to the Improve stage and realize that your solutions aren’t viable, you’ll have to backtrack to a previous stage. 

This is where using a template can be helpful. You can easily track the process and visualize everything in one location. If you need to go back or make changes to the process, it’s easy to do.

Why use a DMAIC Template? 

A DMAIC analysis is complex. There are a lot of moving parts to analyze and different solutions to contend with. 

A DMAIC Template makes the process easier to manage. Here’s how: 

Easily identify opportunities. The clear structure and format of a DMAIC Template make it easier to spot areas of improvement and opportunities for the future. 

Standardize the process. Create consistency across the business by using the same template. This makes it easier for everyone in the business to perform a DMAIC analysis and fully understand the process. 

Display information professionally. If you need to share your findings with key stakeholders or clients, using a professional and visually-appealing template gives them a good impression. It also helps them understand the analysis and visualize your plan of action.

Increase efficiency. Instead of creating a document from scratch, a ready-made template allows you to get straight into identifying areas for improvement. You’ll spend less time figuring out how to design the analysis and more time doing it. 

Create a DMAIC analysis with Miro 

Miro’s digital workspace is the perfect location for collaborative teams to plan and share new ideas. Using our DMAIC template, you can easily share your analysis and identify the best process improvements with your team. 

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Select this template. Get started by selecting this DMAIC template. It’s free to use, and you can easily customize it to your team’s specific needs. Drag and drop items , add new text , or upload your own files and visuals. 

Step 2: Add the relevant information. Populate the template with all the information you have from your DMAIC analysis. You can add charts , images, and any other relevant information. 

Step 3: Share the template with your team. Get your team involved in the process and share the template . They can access the template from anywhere and add visual notes with questions or feedback. 

Step 4: Collaborate and make changes. If your team has any feedback, dedicate some time to discussing their thoughts. When you’re all on the same page, make any necessary changes to the analysis. 

Step 5: Create a plan of action. With your DMAIC analysis in place, it’s time to create an action plan for the future. This will outline how you plan to make improvements to your processes. 

Connect teams, optimize business processes, and scale your organization with Miro's process mapping tool .

Who should use DMAIC?

A Project Manager usually uses DMAIC to improve project processes. Ultimately, anyone that wants to improve their business processes can use it.

Get started with this template right now.

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10 Free Six Sigma & DMAIC Templates for Process Improvement

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

June 27, 2024

Ever wondered about the origins of the Six Sigma approach? It all began at Motorola in the mid-1980s! Originally developed to reduce manufacturing defects, Six Sigma has since evolved into a popular data-driven methodology used by various industries to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.

But here’s the kicker: How do you put Six Sigma into action? Well, pre-built templates are the answer you’re looking for. They’re your trusty partners in problem-solving, process optimization , and fostering continuous improvement, all while adhering to the Six Sigma approach in a standardized manner.

Join us as we delve into the top 10 free Six Sigma templates to help you discover the ideal template for your business and inch closer to perfection. 👌

What Is a Six Sigma Template?

• How to Choose the Best Six Sigma Template for Your Project 

1. ClickUp Process FMEA Lean Six Sigma Template

2. clickup dmaic template, 3. clickup process improvement wbs template, 4. clickup process audit and improvement template, 5. clickup pdca process whiteboard template, 6. clickup communication plan template, 7. clickup chatgpt prompts for six sigma template, 8. excel project charter template by goleansixsigma, 9. excel a3 problem solving template by citoolkit, 10. excel sipoc diagram template by goleansixsigma.

In its purest form, Six Sigma is a statistical concept that refers to a quality measurement denoting 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

In project management , Six Sigma encourages the pursuit of near perfection . It’s a structured approach to improving the quality of products, services, and processes. Think of it as a guiding roadmap for continual enhancement, waste reduction, and increased customer satisfaction.

Six Sigma templates are pre-designed tools that assist in implementing Six Sigma methodologies in process improvement. They provide a structured format to gather and process data, visualize processes, and apply Six Sigma techniques effectively.

How to Choose the Best Six Sigma Template for Your Project

Here’s a quick guide on how to choose the best Six Sigma template for improving your project management processes:

• Understand your project : Gain a solid understanding of the project’s specifics, like its scope, key objectives and goals, and its unique characteristics
• Identify the problem : Define your project’s problem or improvement opportunity to select a template that matches your goal, whether it’s error reduction, efficiency enhancement, or process optimization
• Assess data availability : Consider the availability of data relevant to your project. Some templates are suitable for extensive data collection and analysis, while others are more qualitative
• Select the right tool : The Six Sigma approach uses tools like process maps , fishbone diagrams, control charts, and Pareto charts. Pick the template with tools that match your project’s requirements (e.g., control charts are great for monitoring processes, while fishbone diagrams are suitable for pinpointing root causes)
• Consider your team’s expertise : If your team has experience with a specific tool, choose a template that offers it to ensure more efficient project execution

10 Free Six Sigma Templates for Process Improvement and Project Management

Choosing the right Six Sigma template is like picking the perfect Sigma tool for a job—it can make all the difference between a smooth, successful project and a bumpy road full of uncertainties. 🏞

Let’s explore the top 10 Six Sigma templates in ClickUp and Excel to set your project up for success!

Introducing the ClickUp Process FMEA Lean Six Sigma Template , your go-to solution for identifying process risks, illuminating areas for improvement, and crafting the perfect corrective action plan.

Combining Six Sigma techniques with Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a guaranteed recipe for success—pinpoint areas for improvement through FMEA and use Lean Six Sigma tools to reduce defects, increase efficiency, and enhance process and product quality. 👨‍🍳

This template offers a visually intuitive structure for assessing your processes with the following views:

• FMEA List view : Provides a rundown of process failures with details like function, severity, probability of occurrence, and potential causes, all neatly organized through Custom Fields
• By Occurrence Board view : Shows process failures in the form of Kanban cards, sorted by their likelihood of happening, probability of detection, or level of severity
• The RPN Computation Table view : Displays failures along with their severity, likelihood of occurrence, probability of detection scores, and the resulting Risk Priority Number (RPN) to help you prioritize processes in your action plan

The ClickUp DMAIC Template is the perfect Six Sigma tool for D efining, M easuring, A nalyzing, I mproving, and C ontrolling any business process.

DMAIC is like a secret detective, uncovering hidden problems where you least expect them. It’s the ultimate Six Sigma project management strategy for problem-solving and process improvement. 🕵️‍♂️

This Whiteboard template simplifies DMAIC analysis with color-coded sections for each stage and customizable sticky notes for assessing your problem. ClickUp Whiteboards offer flexibility, allowing you to adapt colors and shapes, add/remove notes, and include images or charts to suit your project’s requirements .

Let’s say you’re in the business of making cupcakes and want to employ DMAIC to improve the quality of your product. Use the template to:

• Define : Identify the problem (cupcakes of varying quality) and set specific goals (cupcakes that are consistently perfect)
• Measure : Gather data to understand the issue—make multiple cupcake batches and record the production and quality variations
• Analyze : Examine the data to identify the root cause . This can be oven temperature, the quality and quantity of ingredients, or inconsistent mixing
• Improve : Develop and implement solutions to address the cause. E.g., calibrate your oven for consistent temperature, source ingredients from the same supplier, or create a standardized mixing process
• Control : Establish control measures to maintain the improvements. Monitor baking times, regularly calibrate the oven, and train your staff to follow the standardized mixing process

Unlock a new level of efficiency with the ClickUp Process Improvement WBS Template . As its name suggests, it provides a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and turns complex projects into manageable tasks for complete workflow optimization .

The template comes with numerous elements to aid your process improvement exercise, most notably:

• List view : See all of your tasks grouped by stages like Initiation , Planning , and Execution for easier progress tracking and prioritization
• Custom Statuses : Determine if a task is Ready , In Progress , or In Review
• Custom Fields : Attribute your tasks by identifying assignees, setting due dates, and adding comments 💬

If you want to visualize how your process improvement project is coming along, the Status Board view displays associated tasks as cards categorized by status. Drag and drop the cards across the board to change their status, or click on individual cards to view more details like deadlines, stages, and the person in charge.

Don’t let outdated or inefficient processes hold you back. Give them a makeover with the ClickUp Process Audit and Improvement Template , a tool designed to keep your workflow optimized even as your business grows. 🌱

This handy template empowers you to conduct thorough process audits, identify bottlenecks that impact efficiency and profitability, and take the necessary steps to eliminate them.

The template divides your audit plan into four sections:

• CATWOE Analysis : Used to analyze and understand complex situations or problems by considering the perspectives of the Customer, Actor, Transformation, Worldview, Owner, and Environment
• Change Management : Covers all tasks related to change preparation, management, and reinforcement
• Model Conception : Defines your audit plan, offering a task Summary List view and a Timeline view
• Process Analysis : Lists the processes you’ll be auditing and establishes your criteria for assessment

Within each section, you can effortlessly create tasks, assign and prioritize them, and set due dates. Keep an eye on progress using Custom Statuses like Not Started and Archived .

The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process—a continuous improvement cycle—offers a smarter path to streamlined quality management. To simplify your PDCA exercise, use the ClickUp PDCA Process Whiteboard Template that lets you effortlessly arrange entries by stage.

PDCA can be integrated into both lean and agile methodologies , as it’s all about identifying issues, experimenting with solutions, measuring results, and making adjustments, which can lead to more efficient processes and better outcomes.

This Whiteboard template contains a pre-made PDCA diagram neatly divided into four transformative stages:

• Plan : Focus on seizing opportunities and crafting a strategic plan for success
• Do : Include activities for testing the plan’s feasibility
• Check : Delve into review and evaluation, ensuring every step aligns with your goals
• Act : Apply the actions that lead to positive and desired outcomes

To add your entries, open the template’s List view, click the New Task button, and categorize the entry under the relevant PDCA stage. Then, find the entry via the ClickUp Cards icon on your side menu and drag and drop it onto the whiteboard. 🖱️

The ClickUp Communication Plan Template is your handy tool for crafting a winning business messaging strategy . It assists you in enhancing both internal and external communication through pre-designed ClickUp Docs sections for detailed planning and analysis.

Create your roadmap to success by populating the template’s sections such as:

• Data collection : Start by gathering valuable data for in-depth analysis, laying the foundation for a strategic execution plan
• PEST analysis : Dive into the Political, Economic, Social, and Technological (PEST) analysis section to identify external factors shaping your business landscape
• SWOT analysis : Harness SWOT Analysis to inspect your company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
• Tool selection : Identify essential tools to drive goal attainment
• Strategy crafting : Develop your strategy by addressing the What, When, and How of your communication plan

But that’s not all! This template features an evaluation section to gather invaluable feedback from your team, ensuring continuous evolution and improvement of your communication plan . 📈

Generate ideas and content effortlessly with the ClickUp ChatGPT Prompts For Six Sigma Template . It’s a collection of over 190 ChatGPT prompts designed to support teams implementing the Six Sigma approach across a spectrum of business processes and projects. Whether trying to improve your quality management, budgeting, or cost control, this template has you covered!

To illustrate its use, here’s an example of a Six Sigma prompt :

“Create a comprehensive guide for project managers in ‘{specific industry}’, explaining how ‘Quality Control’ in Six Sigma can enhance ‘{specific outcome or effect}’.

Fill in the variables with relevant information to use the prompt. For example:

“Create a comprehensive guide for project managers in the healthcare industry, explaining how ‘Quality Control’ in Six Sigma can enhance patient satisfaction and safety.”

Then, lean back and let ChatGPT do the heavy lifting for you . 🏋🏻

Feel free to get creative! You can customize this Doc template to fit your project management methodologies and needs by modifying, adding, or removing prompts. Mix and match or combine prompts to create unique and engaging challenges for your project team.

Take the first step in Lean Six Sigma and easily outline your process improvement plan for your project with the Excel Project Charter Template by GoLeanSixSigma. The template provides sections for all the necessary project charter elements so you can analyze the issue at hand, the rationale for addressing it, and the definition of “success” from the project team’s perspective. 🤝

The elements included in this template are:

• Problem statement : The issue is documented through measurements (frequency, time of occurrence, impact, etc.)
• Business case : Your business reasons behind the project
• Goal statement : The target of the process measurements
• Timeline : The time when each project phase will be completed
• Scope : What falls within the project scope and what doesn’t
• Team members : A list of project participants

The template comes with practical use case examples in areas like manufacturing, finance, and healthcare, and it offers pre-made questions to guide you through project charter stages.

This Six Sigma Excel template is fully customizable to fit your project requirements . Add new rows and columns, change table colors and formatting, and adapt cell style to your liking.

A3 thinking is a structured, globally embraced problem-solving approach within Lean project management . It involves using a single A3-sized sheet of paper to capture the essence of a problem, its analysis, and proposed solutions.

The Excel A3 Problem Solving Template by CIToolkit adheres to the A3 thinking problem-solving method and streamlines it further. It uses a spreadsheet instead of a piece of paper to help you solve issues more efficiently. 🚩

The template is structured into a sequence of sections, allowing you to:

• Define current and target conditions
• Identify cause-and-effect relationships
• Craft effective solutions
• Validate outcomes and plans for continuous improvement

The tool is adaptable to your unique requirements—you can incorporate additional sections and expand the implementation or include a follow-up plan by adding more rows. You can also adjust headers and spacing to align with your specific needs.

This template is available in two variations : the first is simple and beginner-friendly, while the second one encourages a more comprehensive information input.

Initiating your process improvement plan with a SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer) diagram provides a standardized process definition, ensuring your team’s alignment from the start. With the Excel SIPOC Diagram Template by GoLeanSixSigma , your diagram is already in place—all you need to do is fill in the relevant details. 📊

This diagram serves as the foundation for creating a detailed process map during the Define Phase of the DMAIC strategy. The template transforms the typical SIPOC diagram into an Excel table, making it easy to edit and adapt to your needs.

Let’s once again imagine that you’re running a cupcake-baking business and want to improve your delivery process. Using the template would look like this:

• Supplier : Flour suppliers, sugar suppliers, and suppliers for other baking ingredients
• Input : Baking ingredients, customer preferences, and delivery addresses
• Process : Mixing ingredients, baking the cake, decorating it, and planning the delivery route
• Output : Finished custom cakes, ready for delivery
• Customer : People who placed cake orders and are awaiting delivery

When you have a well-defined process map, all you have to do is stick to it, and everything else is a “piece of (cup)cake.” 🧁

Master the Six Sigma Process with Free Templates to Ensure Quality Improvement

Perfectly executing your projects is a breeze when using these 10 free Six Sigma templates . They empower you to elevate your products, services, and processes with minimal effort, ensuring customer satisfaction and the thriving success of your company. 🏆

Interested in exploring more ready-made frameworks for improving all kinds of processes? Visit the ClickUp template library with 1,000+ templates for FMEA , risk assessment , and efficient process management .

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Free DMAIC Template: Streamline Process Improvement with Six Sigma

Lean Six Sigma and the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology is a data-driven approach to process improvement that can help organizations streamline operations and improve quality. Using a free DMAIC template can provide structure and guidance to Six Sigma projects to ensure successful results. This article will outline what DMAIC is, the benefits of using a template, and provide a customizable DMAIC PowerPoint template to manage process improvement initiatives.

What is DMAIC and Six Sigma?

DMAIC is a five-phase problem-solving methodology used in Six Sigma projects. It provides a structured framework to identify and solve problems to improve business processes.

The five phases of DMAIC are:

Define - Identify the problem, goals, stakeholders, and create a project charter.

Measure - Measure the current process and collect relevant data.

Analyze - Analyze the data to identify root causes of problems.

Improve - Generate solutions and implement changes to address root causes.

Control - Control the improved process and prevent defects.

Six Sigma itself is a quality management methodology developed in the 1980s by Motorola. It utilizes statistical tools and techniques to improve quality by minimizing variability and defects in processes.

The DMAIC methodology is an integral part of Six Sigma, providing the framework to carry out process improvement projects. Organizations use DMAIC and Six Sigma principles to increase customer satisfaction, reduce costs, and improve bottom line results.

Benefits of Using a DMAIC Template

Using a pre-made DMAIC PowerPoint template can provide the following benefits for Six Sigma projects:

Provides structure - The template gives a clear roadmap to follow through each phase.

Saves time - A template has the basic slides already created, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Ensures consistency - Using a standard template helps maintain consistency in reporting across multiple projects.

Organizes information - Slides are logically organized to walk through the methodology.

Aids analysis - Built-in tables, charts, and visuals help gather, analyze, and present data.

Facilitates teamwork - Provides a tool for teams to collaborate and track progress.

Creates presentations - The completed template can be used to create presentations to update stakeholders.

Documents results - The finished template serves as documentation of the project.

In summary, a DMAIC template jumpstarts Six Sigma projects, provides an organized structure, and facilitates superior results.

Free Downloadable DMAIC Template

Below you can freely download a customizable DMAIC PowerPoint template to structure Six Sigma process improvement initiatives:

[Link to downloadable template]

This template includes an organized set of slides to guide teams through the DMAIC methodology. It contains agenda slides, data collection tables, analysis tools like fishbone diagrams, as well as tabs for each phase. The template can be easily customized by adding a project name, company logo, changing colors, and inserting relevant data.

Let's take a look at how to use this free DMAIC template.

Using the DMAIC Template

The DMAIC template includes a title slide, agenda, and tabs for each of the five phases as below:

Define Phase

The Define phase starts with an overview of the problem statement, project goals, scope, stakeholders and timeline. This phase involves defining the goals and parameters of the Six Sigma project.

Next are tools to identify the current process, Voice of Customer Analysis, and metrics. A SIPOC diagram, swim lanes, and high-level process map can be completed to visualize the existing process.

Measure Phase

In the Measure phase, the current process is measured and relevant data is collected. Tools include a data collection plan, measurement system analysis, process capability analysis, and metrics dashboard.

Charts are included to display data such as a process metrics dashboard, Pareto chart, and control charts. Data should be reviewed to identify problem areas.

Analyze Phase

During the Analyze phase, root causes of problems are identified through analytical techniques. Tools include fishbone diagram, 5 Whys, failure mode analysis, and hypothesis testing.

The data is analyzed to find correlations and pinpoint vital factors driving defects and bottlenecks. Analytical tools help uncover root causes to address.

Improve Phase

In the Improve phase, solutions are developed and implemented to remedy root causes identified from data analysis. Potential solutions are evaluated and changes are made to the process to improve quality and performance.

Tools include brainstorming techniques, solution selection matrix, FMEA, pilot studies, and implementation plans. Changes should be tested before full deployment.

Control Phase

Finally, in the Control phase processes are monitored through dashboards, statistical process control, audits, and control plans. The improved process is standardized and controlled to sustain gains.

The purpose is to ensure improvements are maintained over time through process controls, monitoring, training, and documentation.

Get Started with Process Improvement

In summary, the free DMAIC PowerPoint template provides a structured methodology to streamline and control business processes. The Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control phases guide teams through a data-driven approach to problem-solving.

Using this ready-made template saves time, provides consistency, and facilitates organizational process improvement. It can kickstart any Six Sigma project and be customized as needed for superior results.

Download the free DMAIC template today and get started on improving efficiency, reducing costs, and boosting quality!

Key Takeaways:

DMAIC provides a structured approach to process improvement used in Six Sigma.

Benefits of a template include time savings, consistency, analysis tools, and presentation. 

Free downloadable DMAIC template to streamline Six Sigma projects.

Template includes slides for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control phases.

Customizable format to add project data and company branding.

Following the template guides teams through data-driven problem solving.

How to Solve Your Problems With Lean Six Sigma (Free DMAIC Checklist)

Elisabeth Swan is the co-author of “The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit” and co-host of “The Just-in-Time Cafe Podcast.” She’s been a process improvement consultant, speaker, and innovator for over 30 years. She’s the Chief Learning Experience Officer for GoLeanSixSigma.com, a former cast member of ImprovBoston, and – if asked – may still be able to ride a unicycle.

Surgeon Atul Gawande made headlines when he told the world that a simple checklist could drastically reduce unnecessary deaths in The Checklist Manifesto .

Yet, checklists conjure images of forklift drivers on loading docks with clipboards counting boxes. How could they transform healthcare?

“ He has… produced a 90-second checklist which reduced deaths and complications by more than one-third in eight hospitals around the world – at virtually no cost and for almost any operation. ” – James Clarke, reviewing The Checklist Manifesto,  Ulster Med J. 2011 Jan; 80(1): 54.

Aviation was transformed decades earlier when management and engineers at Boeing Corporation created the pre-flight checklist after the 1935 crash of the prototype Boeing B-17 at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. Checklists have become so essential to the airline industry that most crashes can be traced to the misuse or failure to complete a checklist.

A New York Times reviewer noted, “no matter how expert you may be, well-designed checklists can improve outcomes”. Since the purpose of process improvement is improving outcomes, Lean Six Sigma and checklists are natural companions.

To prove that, this Process Street blog post will show the relationship between checklists and lean six sigma, and provide you with a free  DMAIC Improvement Project Tollgate Checklist that you can use right now.

Use the links below to jump to that section of the post:

Lean Six Sigma and the role of problem-solving

Lean six sigma & the checklist, introduction phase, define phase, measure phase, analyze phase, improve phase, control phase, checklists and lean six sigma, use process street to reduce error.

Or, if you just want the checklist, check it out below!

Let’s get started.

For those unfamiliar with Lean Six Sigma and process improvement, it is a structured approach for organizations to scrutinize how things are done, poke at data and processes to uncover waste and then cut out things like extra forms, out-dated approvals and other time-wasting steps.

It’s a customer-focused, 5-step problem-solving model that engages entire workforces to constantly seek a better way of doing things.

Proof of Lean Six Sigma’s influence is evident in today’s hiring practices. A poll by GoLeanSixSigma highlights that hiring managers prefer a person who is “ Green Belt Certified ” – having substantial Lean Six Sigma skills – by an almost 80% margin. In an interview with the former head of Twitter, problem-solving emerged as the top skill sought by today’s most influential hiring managers.

In other words, problem-solving (especially via Lean Six Sigma) is an absolutely vital skill.

If problem-solving is a must-have skill and checklists are key to good outcomes, then combining the two makes sense.

DMAIC – Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve & Control – is the 5-Step model for Lean Six Sigma and there’s a set of required tollgates at the end of each phase. These tollgates outline what has to be done in order to move the problem-solving process forward.

Using the tollgates as an outline, we created a dynamic  Process Street template  that you can use for free and run checklists from to track your progress!

Before you can start solving problems, you need a problem to solve.

Picking a process issue – and finding someone in leadership to support you – are two required tasks in this first tollgate. Scoping the project is important (bigger than a “just-do-it” and smaller than “solving world hunger”) but even more critical is finding a Sponsor.

Finding a Sponsor

In a poll asking Lean Six Sigma practitioners what they considered the biggest obstacle to process improvement success, “Getting Leadership Support” accounted for almost a third.

When we coach team leads who tell us they can’t find someone to back their project, we let them know, “No Sponsor, no project”. If nobody in charge has any skin in the game, there’s no point in attempting the process fix. Find a different project that leadership supports.

One thing that helps when searching for leadership backing is being able to explain what Lean Six Sigma is and why it makes a difference. Since the checklist template is dynamic we inserted a video in the Define Phase within the checklist item, “Enlist a Project Champion/Sponsor who will support you and the project”. The team lead can share the video with managers or directors who they consider Sponsor candidates.

There’s also a Project Selection Guide Template embedded in the checklist so users can take a project idea and put it through a few screening questions. Is it a repeating problem? Is there a way to measure it? The checklist serves as a reminder, a source of templates, supporting videos and other just-in-time guidance.

The next set of tollgate tasks cover the Define Phase of DMAIC. This is where problem-solvers clarify the problem, the process impacted and customers of the process.

There is a journey of discovery during this phase as everyone agrees on the issue to solve. One of the big challenges is the tendency of ambitious team leads—or equally ambitious Sponsors—to try to “shoot the moon.”

Shooting the moon

They might want to reduce cycle time, reduce defects , improve margins, and increase customer satisfaction all by next Tuesday. But a project that focuses on everything accomplishes nothing. It’s okay to measure the cost reduction that results from reducing defects. But pick one of those to be the goal. Success is more possible if you focus on one goal at a time .

It takes practice and discipline to develop a manageable goal statement. Another moon shot is aiming for perfection out of the starting gate. When we see a goal statement that claims the team will, “reduce defects from 25% to 0%” then we know there is a sizable risk of failure and disappointment.

That’s why the Define Phase of the checklist includes a Goal Builder Template along with a blog providing tips on how to create well-crafted goal statements.

The primary focus of the Measure Phase is to baseline the process. If you’re trying to reduce defects, you need to know how you’re doing at that now. What’s your track record? You need to know the baseline of the process in order to measure whether or not you made a difference with your improvement when you get to the Improve Phase.

You need to know the gap, so you can close the gap.

The data’s in the system, somewhere…

One of the issues we run into in this phase is problem solvers assuming that data is sitting in a system somewhere waiting to be accessed. If they simply run a report, they’ll have the baseline. Check that off the list. But that rarely goes according to plan.

Maybe there’s system data, but was it entered with care? Is it reliable? We’ve seen teams struggle to use data that didn’t make sense. They could access cycle time data, but it didn’t take into account that the workday ended at 5:00. I had another team looking at why healthcare invoices had to be manually adjusted. They looked up the defect codes and the biggest category was “Other”. System data existed, but it was useless.

Most of the time, it helps to collect some data manually. In order to think through your approach, you need a Data Collection Plan. That involves listing the data you want and considering things like stratification factors—the “who, what, when, where” of data. If you’re looking at defects, should you collect data on defects by product? Defects by the fields on a form? Defects by customer type?

Within the task: “Develop a Data Collection Plan with Operational Definitions and create Check Sheets as Needed”, we’ve embedded a template (The Data Collection Plan) and a video to guide the process.

You’ll learn a lot by collecting the data firsthand, so if the perfect data set is not magically sitting in the system, it helps to have a plan.

Analyze is the crux of the DMAIC method. This is where learners drill down and discover the root cause of the process problem they’ve been chasing. Once you do that, you can solve the problem for good.

But if you have not determined the root cause then you might be solving a “symptom,” putting a bandaid on the problem or implementing a change based on a hunch. All of this means there’s a high likelihood the problem will remain and the efforts will have been in vain.

Finding the smoking gun

If you’ve always been told, “don’t bring me a problem, bring me a solution,” that’s an encouragement to jump right past this step into the fun of solutions. I’ve seen teams go with their assumptions regardless of what the data says or the process analysis reveals. I’ve seen Sponsors who tell teams what solutions they want to be implemented right from the get-go.

How do you stick with analysis long enough to find the smoking gun? The trick is to keep collecting the clues in the Cause & Effect Diagram , aka The “Fishbone Diagram”. It’s an aptly named tool, popularized by Dr. Ishikawa , which resembles a fish skeleton. Its construction allows teams to develop root cause theories around a problem as they build their knowledge of the process.

Each time they collect data, interview process participants on a Gemba Walk or map the process steps, they uncover potential reasons for defects. Making the most of the Fishbone Diagram is key but, during a poll, users reported where they fell short.

Solutions masquerading as problems

Over a third of respondents reported the issues of “listing solutions” on the Fishbone instead of causes. What we hear are phrases like, “the root cause is a lack of training”.

The problem with “lack of” anything is that it’s a sneaky way of putting a solution on the Fishbone.

The question is, “what is the training addressing?” Is it lack of user knowledge? If that’s the problem, could it be solved with helpful visuals, a simpler process? There are a lot of ways to address user knowledge before jumping to more employee training.

This is when you want to behave like the persistent detective – think Columbo, the classic 70’s TV icon. Every question helps you accumulate clues. People working through the process may have the answer without knowing it. The trick is to keep looking upstream until you find potential culprits. Dig past the symptoms.

To help with this phase, the checklist includes both a Fishbone Diagram Template as well as a video on how to get the most out of the Fishbone.

The Improve Phase is a long-anticipated step in the journey. It’s the step teams generally want to jump to from the start. Testing countermeasures, piloting solutions, watching the problem disappear, that’s the fun of process improvement. If you’ve done a proper job of Define, Measure, and Analyze, this phase falls nicely into place.

The ripple effect

The catch? Unintended consequences.

If you toss a stone into a lake you can see the ripples flow out from the center. The same principle holds true for process change. If you remove a step, change a form, skip an approval , will things fall apart? For that, we look to the Failure Modes & Effects Analysis or FMEA for short.

It’s a methodical way of assessing the potential for things to go wrong. It Involves deciding the potential severity and frequency of future problems and then mistake-proofing the process to prevent them. The technique originated at NASA since they couldn’t risk trial and error when sending men to the moon. By thinking through the risks of change they developed the kind of contingency plans you saw on display in movies like Apollo 13.

That’s why there’s an FMEA Template and a video on how to use it tucked into the main checklist from this post.

It’s okay to make changes. It’s simply key to think through the impact of those changes on other parts of the business.

Process Improvement can happen quickly and have a dramatic impact, but it’s critical to “stick the landing.” The Control Phase exists to see the improvement through to stability.

If teams move on and everyone takes their eyes off the ball, things may start to slip. What they need is the ability to continuously see the performance of the new process.

Sticking the landing

Have you ever tried to watch a game without a scoreboard? How would you know who was winning? Or how much time was left?

It’s the same with process work.

How does your team know how they’re doing? How do you stay aware of how the new process is performing?

By making the data visible.

Keeping an eye on Process Performance can be done with a single metric — you need to focus on one thing. If the goal was to reduce defects, then the single metric would be tracking the daily percentage of defects. A great way to measure success is with a Control Chart.

Control Charts are time charts. You might know them as Line Charts or Run Charts. They include a measure of variation so they are often referred to as “Run Charts that went to college”. They can be created in Excel , but they can also be drawn by hand.

Teams often set up whiteboards in the shared workspace to track things like defects. People can rotate responsibility for updating the chart. If people can see the measure and are responsible for it—they pay attention to it. What gets measured gets managed.

The Control Chart Template is embedded in the checklist for the Control Phase.

Process Improvement is a mainstay of Operational Excellence and checklists are simple but effective ways to make sure you get the outcomes you want. The following quote comes from the interim CEO/President of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence ( AME ).

“ I am a big fan of checklists for ensuring quality at the source. They serve an important purpose in reminding us of all that’s needed in a particular process or project. Without checklists, we risk missing or overlooking something by mistake. Checklists work best when ticking off items as they are completed, not en masse once the entire project is done. The key point is to use and follow them, not “pencil-whip” them from memory after the fact. While not foolproof, checklists can help us cover the details and result in more thorough, successful improvement efforts. ” – Jerry Wright , President, AME

Checklists have transformed healthcare, aviation, and countless other industries. Run this Process Street DMAIC Tollgate Checklist and make sure your next improvement effort gets great results.

Process Street is a powerful piece of workflow software that lets you crush the human error in your organization.

By creating process templates (like the free DMAIC checklist in this post) you can give your whole team a central location for them to see what they have to do, and how exactly they should do it.

No more confusion, no more errors.

Take advantage of our powerful feature set to create superpowered checklists, including:

• Form fields
• Conditional logic
• Variable user permission levels
• Exporting and printing templates
• And much, much more!

Check out our intro webinar to see the app in action!

Stop leaving the success of your processes up to chance. Get started with a free trial of Process Street today!

How do you manage quality control in your business? Let us know in the comments!

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Ben Mulholland

Ben Mulholland is an Editor at Process Street , and winds down with a casual article or two on Mulholland Writing . Find him on Twitter here .

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What is DMAIC?

DMAIC is a 5-Stage Problem solving tool, based on Data analysis .

• It analyzes the Variables and Processes involved in a given Problem, proposes different Solutions and establishes Controls to prevent recidivism.

This tool is commonly used in Continual Improvement Processes such as Kaizen, 8D or 6-sigma.

Its name is an acronyms of its 5 Stages:

Let’s see what they mean:

DMAIC Five Steps

1. Define :   In this Stage, you have to Define your Problem or Goal .

• What is your final Objective.

2. Measure :  In this Stage, you have to Define your Variables .

• What are the variables involved and what measurement system will you use.

3. Analyze :  In this Stage, you have to Define your Potential Scenarios .

• What can be done, and what would be the result.

4. Improve : In this Stage, you have to Implement your Solution .

• Once you have analyzed all your potential scenarios, you have to choose your final scenario.

5. Control :  In this Stage, you have to Implement your Controls .

• This Controls should guarantee that the final solution is optimal, and avoid recidivism problems.

DMAIC Steps explained.

Let’s see the first example so that you understand it better:

• We’ll give you a much more detailed example later.

DMAIC example

Let’s imagine you own an e-commerce Site .

Your Site sells handmade products.

• Sales depend exclusively on the users you receive: you just sell through your Site.

Lately, you have been experiencing a decrease in sales.

• You receive fewer visitors to your Site.

Since you are decided to solve this issue, you decide to develop a DMAIC process:

• This is a synthesized DMAIC.
• That is your ultimate Goal.
• It is not the same as users received: if you had more users but they didn’t see your products, you wouldn’t sell anything .
• We recommend you to visit our “ Ishikawa Fishbone Diagram ” Page.
• Receive more users organically .
• Promote your products in other Sites .
• Create more content.
• Start a YouTube channel showing how your products are made.
• You also decide to promote your products on other specialized Websites , paying a small commission.
• This way, you’ll be able to study if the measures taken are effective and which one is better.

Check how, by pointing the correct Variable, the analysis and the conclusions obtained can be very different .

• If you had focused on profitability, you may have had to increase prices, for example.

There are always almost infinite “solutions” to one same problem.

• It all depends on how you approach it .

Why is DMAIC important?

There are different reasons why DMAIC is one of the best Problem Solving tools.

Here are some of them:

• Not just the problem or what you want to solve.
• Other methods just focus on the problem itself.
• Often, even more important that the variables themselves.
• We all tend to settle for the first option we find.

And, most important of all: it is a Step-by-Step framework that anyone can follow.

Think about this: when you want to solve something… do you usually follow any guidelines?

What do the best engineers do when they have a problem in an airplane turbine (for example)?

• We’ll tell you: they have a sequence of steps to follow .

Now, let’s explain when you should use the DMAIC process:

When should you use the DMAIC process?

As we mentioned in other Problem-Solving methods:

• Whenever you have a Problem you want to solve .
• When you have a Goal that you want to achieve .

You shouldn’t be using DMAIC just at work.

We recommend that you to use this methodology in your day to day .

• That way, you’ll get used to being strict and methodical when solving problems .

Let’s see some examples:

DMAIC examples

Now, we’ll use the DMAIC process in one day-to-day problem: Baking the perfect Bread .

We’ll explain each Step individually so that you understand the entire process perfectly.

Let’s begin:

Define Step - DMAIC example

In the first Step, you Define which is your Problem and your Goal:

You are tired of baking mediocre breads:

• You want to make the perfect Bread .

You have tried several times and each time you make bread you have a different result .

You want to obtain the perfect recipe .

Measure Step - DMAIC example

In this Stage, you decide to develop an Ishikawa Fishbone Diagram to find out the Main variables involved.

• Check our “ Ishikawa Fisbone ” Page.

Ishikawa Fishbone Diagram – DMAIC Measure Stage.

According to the Ishikawa diagram, the most important variables to study are:

• Oven Temperature.
• Kneading method.
• Final form of the Dough.
• Room Temperature and Humidity.

All these variables can be easily measured, with the exception of the Kneading and Final shape of the dough.

• You’ll evaluate these variables at a glance.

Analyze Step - DMAIC example

In this Stage, you test :

• Different water/ flour ratios.
• Different temperatures.
• Different rest times.
• Different Kneading methods.
• Different Final forms.

For each test , you write down:

• Quantities.
• Temperatures.
• Fluffiness.
• Crust Crunchiness.

This tests take time, of course.

• But remember: This recipe will be the best possible, and you’ll have it forever.

Improve Step - DMAIC example

Once you have the results, you decide which one you will use.

You can make this decision based just on Taste, Crunchiness and Fluffiness, but you can also consider:

• Imagine that you find a very good recipe, but it takes 8 hours to develop while the 2nd best option only takes 45 mins.
• Imagine that you find an amazing recipe, but you need a type of flour that is very expensive and difficult to find.

Since your Goal is literally “to Bake the perfect Bread” , you decide to judge the result according to Taste, Crunchiness and Fluffiness.

• If your goal was “an affordable, good quick-to-make bread” perhaps you could consider other variables.

Control Step - DMAIC example

Since weather changes, you decide that:

• As soon as summer arrives (or winter) you’ll recheck the variables related to room temperature .

The quantity of flour, water, etc… aren’t affected by weather conditions.

If you see any noticeable changes, you’ll define different recipes for different seasons.

• Maybe, you could link the resting time of the dough to room temperature .

Summarizing

If you have a Goal, or want to solve a Problem, you should consider developing a DMAIC process.

The DMAIC tool is a 5-Stage Problem solving method that focuses on Data Analysis.

Its name is an acronym for the 5 Stages on which it is based:

Even though it may seem obvious to some people, it offers a step-by-step guidance that can be very helpful for reaching your goals.

And there nothing better than being methodical and strict when you want to achieve something .

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What is DMAIC in Six Sigma? How to Use the DMAIC Model?

• Written by John Terra
• Updated on January 20, 2023

Today’s forward-thinking businesses are constantly looking for ways to improve and skilled professionals to help them achieve this. Given our current commercial atmosphere of increased competition and economic uncertainty, that’s a prudent strategy. Only companies that evolve and quickly solve problems will flourish and last.

The DMAIC model is a valuable resource that helps businesses improve performance while dealing quickly with issues. This article explains DMAIC processes, DMAIC models, DMAIC phases, and the impact of DMAIC. We’ll also share a Lean Six Sigma program that helps professionals learn how to utilize this method.

So, what’s DMAIC, anyway?

What is DMAIC?

DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. It is a problem-solving and quality improvement methodology businesses use to improve performance. It’s a customer-focused, structured approach that also serves as a foundation for Lean Six Sigma.

Business improvement happens during the DMAIC process by taking things project by project. In this context, projects are defined as problems scheduled for solutions. The whole point of the DMAIC process is to introduce structure to problem-solving.

Some people like to shorten the term and pronounce DMIAC as “de-may-ick,” while others say “duh-may-ick.” Either way, the pronunciation issue is another example of “po-tay-to” versus “po-tah-to.”

Now, look at the classic DMAIC template based on its established steps.

Note: An effective Six Sigma Project Charter should clearly define project goals, scope, timeline, and team roles, providing a roadmap for success and effective stakeholder communication.

Also Read: What Is Process Capability and Why It’s More Interesting Than It Sounds

The DMAIC Model and its Phases

Here’s where we break down the DMAIC methodology into its distinct phases. This setup is the basis for every DMAIC template used to solve problems and improve efficiency.

The team asks, “What problem are we trying to fix?” In this first stage of the DMAIC model, Six Sigma professionals state the issue, specify the customers, outline the process, and set goals. We can subdivide this phase into:

• Identify the problem, also known as an opportunity for improvement
• Delineate the project’s scope
• Develop the client’s requirements
• Estimate the project’s impact
• Identify the project’s stakeholders
• Create the team

The team asks, “How big of an issue is this, and how does the process currently perform?” In the Measure stage, the team quantifies parameters, decides how best to measure them, gathers pertinent data, and performs the measuring by experimentation. We break down this phase as follows:

• Develop data collection methods
• Identify the input, processes, and output indicators
• Collect and analyze the current data
• Perform and finish failure modes and effects analysis

This step concerns one simple question, “What is causing the issue?” The team identifies the gaps between the desired and actual performance, determines what is causing the gaps, ascertains how process inputs affect the outputs, and ranks or prioritizes improvement opportunities. We break down the Analyze phase as follows:

• Develop the problem statement
• Write a root cause analysis
• Implement process control
• Create necessary measurable improvement experiments
• Figure out an improvement plan, sometimes called a “goal statement.”

Now we ask, “How will the project team address the root causes of the issue?” The Analyze phase identifies the issue, and the Improve phase prompts us to take action. This phase is where the team devises potential solutions, recognizes the solutions most accessible to put into action, tests likely hypothetical solutions, and then implements actual improvements:

• Discuss and generate ideas for solutions
• Determine the expected benefits of the solutions
• Develop a revised process map and related plan
• Define a pilot solution and plan
• Relay the answers to stakeholders

And finally, there is one question left, “How do we sustain the improvements?” The team must devise a detailed solution monitoring plan, watch implemented improvements for success, regularly update the plan’s records, and sustain a workable employee training process. Control is broken down into:

• Verify that failure incidents have been reduced
• Determine if additional improvements will be needed to meet the goal
• Identify and document the new work standards and procedures
• Integrate the latest strategies and share the learning experience with the appropriate parties

Although teams use the DMAIC model for Six Sigma, it shouldn’t be confused with a similar Six Sigma process known as Sigma DMADV. DMADV is an acronym standing for “define, measure, analyze, design, verify.” The Six Sigma team applies these steps to new processes to ensure they achieve the desired Six Sigma quality standards.

Note: The Central Limit Theorem is a fundamental concept in statistics. It states that the means of many independent and identically distributed random variables will be approximately normally distributed.

Also Read: Demystifying the Theory of Constraints

DMAIC Tools per Phase

There are tools that teams should use to carry out each DMAIC process phase. Here’s a quick breakdown.

• Stakeholder analysis
• Collect the customer’s voice using the VOC matrix
• Translate the voice of the customer to critical to quality (CTQ). In other words, get customer feedback and see how it translates into expectations, preferences, and dislikes.
• SIPOC diagrams/high-level process maps.
• Data Collection Plan
• Detailed Process Mapping
• Juran’s Pareto Analysis
• Value Stream Maps
• Why Analysis
• Brainstorming
• Calculating Sigma Level
• Cause and Effect Diagrams
• Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
• Graphs and Charts
• Scatter Diagrams
• Impact Control Matrix
• Stratification
• Barriers and Aids Chart
• Benchmarking
• Mistake Proofing
• Pilot Study
• Pugh Matrix
• Solution Matrix.
• Control Charts
• Process Control Plan

The Impact of the DMAIC Model

The DMAIC model is a game-changer, a valuable framework for any organization that wants to reduce waste, improve efficiency, deal with problems, and improve customer relations. Here is how the DMAIC methodology delivers a positive impact.

1) It ensures that quality thinking becomes the default way of conducting business, focusing on customers and building and sustaining customer loyalty.

2) It applies recognizable and effective quality tools to improve the organization’s goods and services and help the company achieve breakthrough performances.

3) It defines quality process performance metrics, tying them to the organization’s goals.

4) It creates a culture centered on quality that is also fun and offers a practical, measurable, and pragmatic means of achieving greater process quality levels.

5) It identifies the projects needed to drive improvements that yield sustainable results and superior quality.

The DMAIC methodology is a roadmap that keeps the team and the project moving forward efficiently. Some Six Sigma professionals refer to DMAIC as the “boss of the project” because the team’s leader, although in charge, still follows the outlined steps to complete the project and ensures that everyone on the team does so. If the team omits a step, it could prevent a business from wasting resources, devising ineffective solutions, and causing unnecessary negative culture issues.

Why Use the DMAIC Process and When Should You Use It?

Although the DMAIC process is helpful, it only fits some situations. That’s why most organizations take the extra step of determining why they think DMAIC is the correct methodology. This additional step is called “recognize.”

When evaluating the whys of the DMAIC process, consider these three factors:

• The existing process has apparent inefficiencies and defects
• There is a reasonable probability of reducing variables like lead times or other flaws while improving variables such as productivity or cost savings
• The condition is assessable; outcomes can be appropriately understood through quantifiable means.

If the above three factors apply to your situation, use DMAIC.

The Benefits of DMAIC

DMAIC offers benefits such as:

• Faster cycle times
• Improved collaboration
• Support for a culture of improvement.
• Greater impact from improvement measures.

The Differences Between DMAIC and DMADV

Both DMAIC and DMADV are part of the Lean Six Sigma philosophy. The chief difference between DMAIC and DMADV is that DMAIC improves existing processes, and DMADV emphasizes developing new processes, services, or products. So, DMAIC measures a process’s performance, while DMADV measures customer needs and specifications. Furthermore, DMADV develops business models to satisfy customer requirements, and DMAIC focuses on improving business processes by reducing and eliminating defects.

Long story short: use DMADV when launching new products or features, and use DMAIC when enhancing or improving existing products, processes, and services.

The Differences Between DMAIC and PDCA

The main difference between DMAIC and PDCA is that the former represents a data-driven improvement approach to improving, enhancing, and stabilizing business processes through five stages: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. Meanwhile, PDCA is a repetitive four-stage model: Plan, Do, Check, and Act, which is implemented to achieve continuous improvement in business process management.

The PDCA approach is mainly used in Lean, while DMAIC is widely utilized in Six Sigma. Also, DMAIC uses advanced statistical resources, while PDCA relies on more straightforward, simple tools.

Now, let’s check out some DMAIC examples.

Examples of DMAIC Usage

DMAIC can be used in many different industries and situations. For example:

• Evidence-Based Care Affecting Hospital Outcomes. Infections are a massive concern in hospitals, so a process like DMAIC can be used to define the problem, measure the current rate of infections, determine the underlying causes, implement a series of measures to combat infections, train and reinforce the culture among the staff, and report the successful results.
• Improving a Manufacturing Shop Floor’s Yield. Here, we’re looking at a repetitive manufacturing process. The goal is to enhance the yield. First, identify the products in question and the goals. Next, define the metrics used in the process and gather the needed data. Then, analyze the data for trends, deviations, and outliers. Once the issues have been identified, define and install countermeasures to answer the problems. Then, implement the measures to sustain improved performance. And finally, apply the process to future machines and products.

Also Read: Value Stream Mapping in Six Sigma

How Do You Use the DMAIC Model in Six Sigma?

So, how do we use the DMAIC template? An organization should follow four easy steps to implement DMAIC and start seeing positive results.

1) Training. Begin your organization’s DMAIC journey by training your team in the DMAIC methodology and how you expect it to be employed. Place a strong emphasis on the model’s data collection characteristics. After all, knowledge is power.

2) Line up your support and DMAIC tools. Since the DMAIC model is strongly associated with Lean Six Sigma, it’s not surprising that many Lean Six Sigma tools are compatible with the DMAIC life cycle. These tools include the Five Whys, fishbone diagrams, control charts, and Catchball. Decide which tools your team can use and how they will be shared and documented. Use improvement management to store all your DMAIC-related documents and progress notes.

3) Provide examples. Prevent confusion and reinforce DMAIC understanding by providing your team with examples of new or existing processes within your company that can benefit the most from DMAIC implementation. People typically grasp things faster and better if given practical application examples. Once everyone on the team understands how DMAIC can be used, create an atmosphere where it’s easy for the team members to suggest process improvement opportunities.

4) Initiate a pilot project. Now that you have gotten this far and laid the groundwork, it’s time to take DMAIC out for a quick spin. Pilot projects are initial, small-scale tests that show how the full-scale project will work in practice. So, pick a simple project that draws in people from multiple teams. This exercise helps test cross-team cooperation and collaboration, an essential element in future projects. Then, carefully monitor every cycle step and ensure each step is complete before moving on to the next.

Do You Want to Learn About Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a proven methodology that helps businesses reach their full potential and remain relevant in today’s highly competitive marketplace. If you’re intrigued by Six Sigma and want to learn more, Simplilearn, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts, offers a post graduate program in Six Sigma training that will sharpen your skills.

When you attend the program’s live interactive classes and work on real-world business problems via case studies and projects, you will pick up valuable Six Sigma skills like:

• Agile Management
• Digital Transformation
• Lean Management
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Every course is aligned with IASSC-Lean Six Sigma and features real-world case studies and a capstone project that provides you with the real-world experience you need to master Six Sigma. Additionally, graduates earn certificates and membership in the UMass Amherst Alumni Association.

According to Salary.com , the median salary for Green Belt Lean Six Sigma professionals working in the United States is $115,800 and ranges over $128K at the high mark. So, whether you want to start a new career in Six Sigma or just upskill to enhance your skill set, this post-graduate program will undoubtedly provide you with the valuable Six Sigma training that today’s business world wants in its new candidates. Sign up today!

Q: What does DMAIC mean in Six Sigma?

A: DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Q: What is the DMAIC process used for?

A: The DMAIC process is a data-driven process improvement cycle that aims to optimize, improve, and stabilize business designs and processes.

Q: How does Six Sigma use DMAIC?

A: DMAIC is a problem-solving approach that drives Lean Six Sigma. DMAIC’s five-phase method, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, improves existing process problems with unknown causes.

Q: What are the DMAIC tools?

A: DMAIC tools are, by phase:

• Define Phase: Project Charters, SIPOC Diagrams
• Measure Phase: Data Collection Plans, Process Mapping
• Analyze Phase: Cause-and-Effect Diagrams, Pareto Charts, Hypothesis Testing
• Improve Phase: Brainstorming, Design of Experiments (DOE)
• Control Phase: Control Charts, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Q: What is the benefit of DMAIC?

A: DMAIC offers benefits such as:

• Support for a culture of improvement
• Greater impact from improvement measures

You might also like to read:

Demystifying Kaizen Lean Six Sigma

A Deep Dive Into the Five Phases of Lean Six Sigma

Ultimate Guide to Six Sigma Control Charts

DMADV: Everything You Need to Know

Describing a SIPOC Diagram: Everything You Should Know About It

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The DMAIC Model

In this article:

The DMAIC model is a problem-solving method used to identify flaws and improve inefficiencies in business processes.  

In a situation like this, you might look at customer feedback to find and fix the problem. You could also use your experience to try to resolve the problem. But what happens if the problem is complex and resurfaces because you haven’t properly resolved it?

This is where DMAIC comes in. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. It is a data-driven iterative approach that you can use to improve a process or fix a problem. 

DMAIC is Part of Six-Sigma

DMAIC is a core part of the six-sigma quality improvement methodology.  

Six-Sigma is a business management strategy that aims to improve the output of processes by removing variation and errors in both manufacturing and business processes. With a focus on continuous improvement, it uses a series of quality management methods. DMAIC is one of those methods.

The five steps of the DMAIC model are: 

Each step builds on the previous step in the sequence. As you use the DMAIC model and come to understand the bigger picture of an improvement project, you may need to iterate through the whole process or a subset of it several times.

Let’s take a closer look at each step of the DMAIC framework and how to use it in day to day business.

1. Define Phase 

Some questions to ask to define the project are:

2. Measure Phase 

The measure phase aims to gather reliable information to quantify the problem. The data collected in this phase will establish a baseline to compare against improvement later.

Some questions to ask in this phase include:

Some useful tools to assist in this phase are basic Pareto charts, trend charts, and process flowcharts.

3. Analyze Phase 

In this phase, you can use tools like brainstorming, fishbone diagrams,  or the 5-Whys to help you find the root cause.

4. Improve Phase

Many different factors can influence a solution, so a well-designed solution most likely to resolve the root cause is what you’re looking for.

5. Control Phase 

Dmaic model example.

Imagine you are a luxury watch manufacturer. Following a quarterly review, you learn that your profit margins are lower than you’d expect but you are not sure why. 

You decide to use the DMAIC model to help you to get to the bottom of the problem. 

Step 1: Define

For our example, we know that margins are going down even though the price we charge hasn’t changed. Our aim is to find and rectify the situation quickly.

During this step we also decide to put a team together, representing all the different parts of the business, to investigate the problem and ensure that no stone is left unturned.

Step 2: Measure 

For our watch manufacturer, we decide to map out the entire production process and monitor the time it takes to move between each and every step.

Step 3: Analyze 

For our example, we decide to hold a brainstorming session and use the 5 Whys technique to attempt to identify the root cause of the problem. During this process, we uncover that a stage in the middle of the manufacturing process is taking much longer than we would expect. 

Upon further investigation, we find that this is happening because a small but necessary component is often out of stock. When this happens the team creating the watches has to wait until more stock arrives before they can resume the manufacturing process. According to the team, this is happening because the supplier is unreliable.

Step 4: Improve

You decide to always hold a high level of stock for the component so that the problem doesn’t happen again.

Step 5: Control

The final step is to ensure that the problem doesn’t happen again, or that if it does happen you know about it almost immediately.

DMAIC Model Template

We have created a DMAIC Model Template in PDF format, which you can use to perform your own DMAIC project. You can download it here .

Advantages and Disadvantages

Dmaic model summary .

The DMAIC model is a framework for fixing a business problem or improving a business process. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control. It is part of the six-sigma continuous improvement methodology.

Cite this article

Originally hailing from Dublin, Denis has always been interested in all things business and started EPM in 2009. Before EPM, Denis held a leadership position at Nokia, owned a sports statistics business, and was a member of the PMI's (Project Management Institute’s) Global Executive Council for two years. Denis now spends his days helping others understand complex business topics.

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The ladder of inference, force field analysis, the kano model, the ooda loop, fishbone diagram tutorial, elaboration likelihood model, pareto analysis (the 80/20 rule), the action priority matrix, rapid decision making model, decision matrix analysis, in our course you will learn how to:.

So if you’ve always wanted to be your own boss and have the flexibility and freedom that entails, then…

Six Sigma Basics: DMAIC Like Normal Problem Solving

Published: February 26, 2010 by Chew Jian Chieh

What is the usual way most people go about solving problems? Most people and organizations consciously or unconsciously use this method, as illustrated in Table 1 below.

This is not a bad method, provided what one thinks is causing the problem is really causing the problem. In this case, if a person is fat simply because they do not exercise enough and eat too much, then by exercising and eating less, they should weigh less. And if they do lose weight after taking such action, then the theory is validated. People solve a fair number of problems in this manner – using conventional wisdom and gut theories that also happen to be correct. In those cases, there is little need for Six Sigma – it is just a waste of time. Just do the above.

How Six Sigma Problem Solving Is Different

How is the Six Sigma problem-solving methodology different? Actually it is really not so different from how people normally go about solving day-to-day problems, except in Six Sigma, nobody knows what is really causing the problem at the beginning of the project. And because all attempts to solve the problem in the past have failed, largely because conventional wisdom and gut theories were wrong about the cause of that problem, people conclude that the problem cannot be solved.

These types of problems are really the best candidates for Six Sigma. The Six Sigma DMAIC methodology differs from conventional problem solving in one significant way. There is a requirement for proof of cause and effect before improvement action is taken. Proof is required because resources for improvement actions are limited in most organizations. Those limits preclude being able to implement improvement actions based on 100 hunches hoping that one hits the mark. Thus, discovering root causes is at the core of the methodology.

Here are the steps in the DMAIC process:

• Define phase: Understand what process is to be improved and set a goal.
• Measure phase: Measure the current state.
• Analyze phase: a) Develop cause-and-effect theories of what may be causing the problem; b) Search for the real causes of the problem and scientifically prove the cause-and-effect linkage
• Improve phase: Take action.
• Control phase: a) Measure to verify improvement has taken place; b) Take actions to sustain the gains.

Using a More Mathematical Language

The above steps can be phrase in another way – using more mathematical language (Table 2). (This kind of mathematical language should not put anyone off. If it is a concern initially, a person just needs to remember than whenever a Y shows up in any sentence, just replace it with word “effect,” or the phrase “outcome performance measure.” And whenever an X shows up , just replace it with the word “cause.”)

The key assumption in Six Sigma is this: If the true causes of any problem can discovered, then by controlling or removing the causes, the problem can be reduced or removed. Now is that not just common sense?

A Series of Common Sense Questions

In summary, Six Sigma DMAIC methodology is really just a series of common sense questions that one asks in order to solve any problem and eventually sustain the gains that come from solving the problem.

• Define: What is the Y that is not doing well?
• Measure: What is Y’s current performance?
• Analyze: What are the potential Xs? What are the real Xs?
• Improve: How can the real Xs be controlled or eliminated?
• Control: How can the Xs continue to be controlled to sustain the gains in Y?

Six Sigma’s DMAIC methodology is nothing but a search for the real causes of problems. With this understanding, what remains for those learning Six Sigma are the various tools and techniques used to answer these questions.

About the Author

Chew Jian Chieh

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• Root cause analysis: Digging to find ef ...

Root cause analysis: Digging to find effective solutions (with examples)

Root cause analysis (RCA) finds the root causes of a problem and helps you identify and implement solutions. Instead of treating surface-level symptoms of a problem, RCA digs deeper and finds the underlying issues. By taking the time to analyze the real reason why a problem is occurring, you can solve the problem for good instead of opting for a quick fix. In this piece, you’ll learn how RCA can be the key to corrective action.

“Let’s get to the root of the problem” is an idiom people commonly use when looking for solutions. This idiom can be visualized in the form of tree roots below the surface. Tree roots aren’t visible, but their growth is obvious above ground. Sometimes this growth is positive and results in a beautiful tree, and sometimes it’s negative—damaging sidewalks and foundations. 

What is root cause analysis?

A root cause analysis (RCA) involves finding the root causes of a problem in order to identify and implement solutions. RCA treats the underlying causes of a problem instead of the surface-level symptoms of the problem itself. 

For example, if your company is suffering from a low retention rate, hiring more team members is a quick solution. But with RCA, you can instead discover why team members aren’t staying with the company so you can increase retention long term. Root causes of low retention rate could include:

Lack of professional development opportunities

Poor team member benefits

Low pay compared to market range

Low team morale

After considering possible root causes, you can use research to determine one or multiple root causes. Once you understand those root causes, it’s easy to implement a solution. RCA addresses problems systematically instead of placing a bandaid over problems and taking the risk that the problem will occur again. 

Key principles of RCA

Root cause analysis can resolve recurring project issues or larger bottlenecks within business processes. If you want to reap the unique benefits of this method, keep these key principles of RCA in mind:

Instead of correcting the symptoms of a problem, focus on its root causes.

Focus less on who caused the problem and more on how and why the problem occurred.

Find cause-and-effect evidence to support the root causes you’ve identified.

Develop an informative action plan to support your solutions.

Consider how you can prevent root causes from reoccurring in the future.

Remember that you can have multiple root causes for a problem, and it’s not out of the ordinary for this to happen. End with the root causes you feel are most accurate and be prepared to tackle them with strong solutions. 

How to perform a root cause analysis

There are various strategies you can use to identify root causes in RCA. Use the steps below to guide your team through the RCA process. 

1. Define the problem

You’ll need a clearly defined problem to perform a root cause analysis. If you have multiple problems you want to solve, it’s best to start with one and perform multiple RCAs to find solutions for each. By tackling one problem at a time, you’ll have a better chance of finding the cause of each issue and addressing it quickly.

Defining your problem also involves getting everyone on the same page. For example, you may want to perform RCA because you think your team is suffering from low productivity. But if your team doesn’t feel like their productivity is low, then you can’t move forward. Because productivity is subjective, you may need to define your problem in a more measurable way and move on to step two where you’ll use evidence to learn more about the problem. 

2. Collect data

You’ll now need to collect evidence to support the idea that the problem exists. You can also use company research to better understand the symptoms of the problem. Questions you should ask during this step include:

How long has the problem existed?

Who is suffering because of this problem?

What is the short-term and long-term impact of this problem?

What are the key symptoms of this problem?

What evidence do we have to support the idea that there’s a problem?

Once you know more about how this issue impacts your company and team members, you can brainstorm potential causes of the problem. 

3. Identify possible root causes

Identifying possible root causes is the most important part of the root cause analysis process. The causes you find in this step will eventually lead you toward a solution and action plan. Common problem-solving strategies include:

Cause-and-effect flow chart: The free root cause analysis template provided below features a cause-and-effect flowchart. This flowchart breaks down the problem into symptoms, possible causes, and actual causes in order to find a logical solution. 

5 whys approach : You can also use the 5 whys approach to get to the root cause of a problem. Instead of taking the problem at face-value, ask "why" until you uncover a process or system that isn't working the way it's supposed to. When you don’t settle for the first answer you land on, you can discover layers of issues that weren’t noticeable right away. 

4. Determine the root cause

To determine the root cause of your problem, you’ll go through as many possible root causes as you can. Once you’ve exhausted every possibility, ask the following questions:

Are there any similarities between the root causes I’ve identified?

Are there reasons to eliminate any of these possible root causes?

Which root cause seems most problematic?

Similar to the strategies you used when looking for possible root causes, there are strategies you can use to get to the actual root cause. These strategies include:

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA): FMEA is a tool similar to risk analysis where you’ll look at the possible root causes you’ve identified and eliminate the ones that are most likely to result in failure later on. 

Impact analysis: Use an impact analysis to assess the positive and negative impacts of each possible root cause you’ve identified. When you make this hypothetical pro and cons list for each cause, you can feel more confident narrowing down your list.

You may struggle to identify a singular root cause of your problem, and that’s okay. If you think your problem has multiple contributing factors, don’t feel pressured to choose just one to solve. It’s nice to streamline your action plan, but sometimes you’ll need to create multiple plans to address an issue.

5. Implement solutions

Once you’re confident in the root causes you’ve identified, it’s time to find solutions for these causes and take action. The solutions you come up with should address the root cause, but as a result, these solutions will work their way back up the chain and address your initial problem. 

Ask yourself these questions when developing solutions:

How will we implement this solution if we choose it?

What roadblocks will we face when implementing this solution?

How long will it take to implement this solution?

Who will implement this solution?

Could implementing this solution lead to other problems?

Once you’re ready to create your implementation plan , make sure it’s shared in a tool that all stakeholders can view. Project management software makes it easy for your team to collaborate and coordinate deliverables as needed. It may take several weeks to implement your plan, which means some of your objectives may become dependent on other milestones. Use Gantt charts to view project dependencies and collaborate in real-time.

Root cause analysis template and example

An RCA template makes performing root cause analysis simpler because you can visualize your problem and its underlying causes in flowchart form. Just like the roots of a tree, this cause-and-effect flow chart expands in different directions from the initial problem. 

If you follow the root cause analysis example below, you’ll see how the template begins with one problem and then breaks down into the symptoms the problem displays. From the symptoms, the root cause analysis template helps you determine possible root causes before settling on actual root causes and finding solutions. 

In this example, the company is suffering from a loss of website views. The root cause analysis flows as follows:

Website views are down

Reduction in brand visibility

Lack of online purchases

Low domain authority

Possible root causes:

Technical issues with our website

Competitor ranking higher in SERPs

Customers don’t like our product

Customers can’t find our website to make purchases

Poor quality content

Irrelevant backlinks

Actual root causes:

Lack of SEO content

Website isn’t ranking in the SERPs

Lack of relevant keywords

Revamp content

You can download a free root cause analysis template below and use it to identify possible causes and solutions for problems you’re experiencing at work. An RCA template can help you address underlying issues that may not have been obvious at first.

Root-cause analysis tools and methods

Root cause analysis stands as a cornerstone in continuous improvement and risk management efforts. It offers a systematic process to unearth the real root causes of problems or incidents. 

By going beyond symptoms, root cause analysis tools empower RCA teams to delve into the deeper, underlying causes of issues. This deep dive doesn't just lead to temporary fixes; it leads to more effective, long-term resolutions—transforming challenges into opportunities for lasting improvement.

Pareto charts

Pareto analysis, based on the Pareto Principle (also known as the 80-20 rule ), is a decision-making technique that helps in identifying the tasks or problem areas with the biggest payoffs. Pareto analysis is particularly effective when there are multiple causes leading to a single effect. This method is widely applied in various business and organizational sectors, helping to prioritize actions that have the greatest impact.

The 5 Whys method is an iterative interrogative method used to analyze the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a specific problem. It involves repeatedly asking the question "Why?" to peel away layers of symptoms, leading to the real root cause of a problem. The Five Whys technique is widely used in lean methodologies to solve problems, reduce costs, and improve quality.

Ishikawa fishbone diagram

The fishbone diagram, also known as the Ishikawa diagram, is a visual way to look at cause and effect. It helps in brainstorming to detect potential root causes of a problem and is used for product design and quality management. The Ishikawa diagram displays the effect or problem at the mouth of the fish, with potential causes added to the smaller "bones."

Fault tree analysis

Fault tree analysis is a graphical tool that uses Boolean logic—in which the answers to every question are "yes" or “no"—to determine the cause of system-level failures. It's suitable for risk assessment in industries like pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and software engineering. The tool arranges events in sequences and uses logic symbols to show dependencies among events.

Failure Mode and Effective Analysis (FMEA)

FMEA involves reviewing components, subsystems, and assemblies to find weak links in a system and their causes and effects. Developed in the late 1950s, it is both a quantitative and qualitative analysis method used in designing products, processes, or services and for creating control plans for new or modified processes.

Scatter diagram

The scatter diagram is a graphical tool that plots pairs of numerical data, with one variable on each axis, to examine the relationship between them. When variables are correlated, the points will align along a line or curve. How closely the points cluster around the line indicates the strength of the correlation. This root cause analysis tool is regarded as one of the seven basic quality tools and is essential in determining the relationships between different variables in root cause analysis.

DMAIC template

DMAIC, standing for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, is a structured approach used in Six Sigma to optimize processes. It provides quantifiable evidence of improvements and is a repeatable and easy-to-understand method for detecting issues and developing solutions. This template is excellent for project managers and RCA teams.

8D report template checklist

The 8D report template is used for detailed root-cause analysis based on eight disciplines of problem-solving. It's widely used in industries influenced by customer feedback, such as automotive and healthcare. The template helps in identifying and eradicating the problem, focusing on the "escape point," which represents the point when the issue first went undetected.

Events and causal factor analysis

Events and causal factor analysis identifies the sequence of events and the causal factors that led to an issue or problem. This analysis focuses on understanding the chronological order of events and the specific conditions or actions that contributed to the problem. A cause-and-effect diagram is particularly useful in complex situations where multiple factors interact to cause an issue. 

Change analysis

Change analysis is a key component of effective root cause analysis, particularly in quality management and continuous improvement efforts. This method involves examining and comparing the situation or system before and after the occurrence of a problem. 

By identifying what changed, you can isolate causal factors more accurately. Change analysis is valuable in scenarios where the issue emerged following alterations in processes, materials, personnel, or equipment, helping to pinpoint the real root cause of the problem swiftly.

Barrier analysis

Barrier analysis is a problem-solving process that examines the controls and barriers that were in place to prevent an incident and why those safety checks failed. By analyzing the breakdown or absence of these barriers, root cause analysis teams can identify human error, system flaws, and other potential root causes. Barrier analysis contributes to the development of more robust systems and processes, preventing future occurrences of similar issues.

Tips for conducting an effective root cause analysis

Have you ever wondered how to not only solve problems but also prevent them from recurring? Root cause analysis methods are the key. These methods go into the heart of issues, address their underlying causes, and pave the way for lasting improvements. 

This approach doesn't just offer a temporary fix; it ensures the same problems don’t resurface, fostering continuous improvements in processes and outcomes.

Encourage team collaboration

Promoting team collaboration can significantly enhance the effectiveness of root cause analysis. Diverse perspectives and expertise contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the issue and the development of effective solutions.

Example: Consider a manufacturing company facing frequent equipment breakdowns. By forming a cross-functional RCA team with members from engineering, maintenance, and operations, they can pool their insights to identify the root cause. 

An engineer may pinpoint a design flaw, while a maintenance worker could identify wear and tear issues, and an operator might highlight operational errors. This collaborative approach leads to a comprehensive problem statement that results in a multifaceted and effective solution.

Ask open-ended questions

Open-ended questions are key in root-cause analysis. Asking questions encourages a detailed exploration of the issue, allowing team members to consider various possibilities and delve deeper into the underlying causes.

Example: In a healthcare setting, if there's a rise in patient readmissions, asking open-ended questions like "What are the common factors among these readmissions?" or "How do our discharge processes vary for patients who are readmitted?" can reveal deeper issues. 

These questions could uncover that certain discharge procedures aren't being followed consistently, leading to the root cause of inadequate patient education at discharge.

Avoid blame

An essential aspect of successful root cause analysis is focusing on the process and not on individual blame. Concentrating on the "why" and "how" of the problem rather than "who" was responsible creates an environment conducive to genuine problem-solving and improvement.

Example: In a software development team experiencing frequent project delays, focusing on the process rather than blaming individuals can be more productive. By analyzing the “why” and “how,” such as asking, "Why are these delays happening?" or "How can we optimize our project management strategies?" they might discover that the root cause is not individual incompetence but an unrealistic timeline or unclear communication channels. 

This shift from blame to process-oriented thinking helps create a more effective and harmonious problem-solving environment.

Turn solutions into action with workflows

RCA doesn’t come with instant results, but getting to the root cause of a problem solves it for good. After coming up with an effective solution, you’ll need to put a plan into action. Asana workflows provide a single source of truth to set goals, monitor progress, and watch your problems fade in real-time.

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