Friday, December 19, 2008

Six Sigma and the DMAIC Process

By Craig Calvin

Many people in the corporate world know about Six Sigma's results driven style of analysis, but few understand how Six Sigma certification can change their company. Six Sigma certification will teach your employees how to define and measure every process in your company, then use these results to implement a marked and measurable change. How does Six Sigma make this huge difference in a company? It all begins with a five step process known as DMAIC.

1. Define goals and scope of the business. Most companies know exactly what they want to achieve, but really don't have the skills needed to do it. It is during the first step of defining goals that the Six Sigma training teaches how to identify what the goals really are.

2. Measure. Measuring the current procedures numerically includes isolating critical quality characteristics and analyzing ineffective processes. This base measurement will allow future comparisons to be made to gauge results.

3. Analyze the data at hand to determine causes of the results the company's been getting. Cause and effect is important when fixing problems and must be considered. Minitab software use in Six Sigma training is invaluable in this and can be applied by any Six Sigma certified employee to identify a company's strengths and weaknesses.

4. Improving your company's processes based on measurements and analysis will lower defects and streamline processes. Six Sigma training will teach your staff to look at data in a new way, increasing efficiency and eliminating ineffective processes.

6. Control the process. Once changes have been made, it is important to assure all deviations are dealt with early before they have a negative effect. Once the goal of high efficiency and minimal waste has been met, there's no reason to move away from it. Ongoing measuring and analysis will assure that your hard earned changes don't go down the tubes. Six Sigma certification will give your employees the tools to bring you long term success. If your company needs a makeover, then Six Sigma is your answer. - 16755

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