TABLE OF CONTENTS The DMAIC methodology is a powerful five-phase approach to addressing a process that needs improvement. Using DMAIC, a team does not have to worry about "what comes next" in the project. They know because it has been outlined for them. And although a team will not do every item listed in each phase, they can pick those that work for them. This approach allows flexibility in the structure.
As a Black Belt reviews a project, there are some key signs that indicate a well-executed project. For each phase, these signs are listed in the table below.
Unfortunately, a project can hit some roadblocks as well. The team and the Black Belt need to recognize the problems and take action to get the project back on track. The common pitfalls and the associated steps to rectify the situation are listed below.
| Phase | Good Signs | |
|---|---|---|
| Define |
| Quick Wins were identified.Resources were adequately allocated to the project. |
|
| The Champion is responsible and involved. | |
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| The charter has been signed off and is supported by the team, the Black Belt and the Champion. | |
| Measure |
| The team developed a data collection plan. |
|
| Clear operational definitions were developed and validated. | |
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| The team showed conflict resolution skills. | |
| Analyze |
| The team used multiple tools to find root causes and validated the causes with data. |
|
| The team recognized the risks and power associated with the analyses. | |
| Improve |
| The team used non-traditional techniques to develop... |
