DMAIC:

The 5 Phase Method That Underlies Lean Six Sigma

Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control
 What Is Lean Six Sigma?
• Lean Six Sigma is simply a process for solving a problem.
It is a system of management that results in a steady
pulping of projects that are ready for improvement

• It consists of five phases, aka DMAIC (“duh-may-ik”)

• Lean Six Sigma provides guidelines to help you select the

right projects at the right time

• Once projects are selected, improvement teams use

DMAIC to refine projects & deliver quantifiable,
sustainable results
 Why DMAIC?
• DMAIC is a methodology for root cause analysis

• DMAIC should be used when:

• there is a problem and the root cause is unknown

• the stakes are high and we need to be absolutely

sure the solution fixes the problem

• a problem exists, solutions have been tried, but the

root cause is still unknown
Selecting the Right Projects
• Before beginning a Lean Six Sigma process
improvement project, choose projects that are good
candidates for improvement. A good project for
improvement:

• has an obvious problem within the process

• has the potential to result in increased revenue,

reduced cost, or improved efficiency

• has collectable data

 DMAIC Methodology
• DMAIC is the Six Sigma
methodology to conduct root
cause analysis

• Define

• Measure

• Analyze

• Improve

• Control
 Define

• Define is the first phase of the

Lean Six Sigma improvement
process. It consists of defining
the problem, the goal, the
process, and the customer

• Project Charter

• Voice of the Customer

• SIPOC
 Measure

• In the Measure phase, the team

focuses on data collection,
which takes time and effort

• Select Measures

• Data Collection Planning

• Operational Definitions

• Baseline Data
 Analyze
• In the Analyze phase, the team
reviews data collected during
the measure phase. The goal is
to narrow down and verify root
causes of waste and defects

• Process Analysis

• Brainstorm Root Causes

• Pareto Charts

• Develop Hypothesis
 Improve

• In the Improve phase, teams

move on to solution
development

• Create Flow

• Mistake-Proofing: Poka-Yoke

• Visual Management & 5S

 Control
• The Control phase is the final
phase of Lean Six Sigma. The
team focuses on how to sustain
newly achieved improvements
by passing it on to other
employees

• Process Control Plan

• Monitoring & Response Plan

• Documentation & Storyboard

 Start Improving Today.
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