Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC)

DMAIC (an acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) (pronounced də-MAY-ick) refers to a data-driven improvement cycle used for improving, optimizing and stabilizing business processes and designs. The DMAIC improvement cycle is the core tool used to drive Six Sigma projects. However, DMAIC is not exclusive to Six Sigma and can be used as the framework for other improvement applications.

Six Sigma (6σ) is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement. It was introduced by engineer Bill Smith while working at Motorola in 1986. Jack Welch made it central to his business strategy at General Electric in 1995.

Six Sigma strategies seek to improve the quality of the output of a process by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods, mainly empirical, statistical methods, and creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization who are experts in these methods. Each Six Sigma project carried out within an organization follows a defined sequence of steps and has specific value targets, for example: reduce process cycle time, reduce pollution, reduce costs, increase customer satisfaction, and increase profits.

Please read this Wikipedia article on DMAIC for a deeper look at the DMAIC improvement cycle (continuous improvement)!

What is a Working Group?

A working group is a defined set of people, usually coming from multiple teams or disciplines, with a clear problem to overcome. Some have very specific goals and disband after a few months, others have existed over multiple years and evolved over time.

The basic steps of a Working Group are:

1. Establish a Goal.
2. Designate a Facilitator.
3. Define Operations.
4. Set Milestones.
5. Operate Transparently.
6. Evaluate Your Process.

Check out this article to review the basics of how to craft an effective working group.