6 Ways to use Six Sigma DMAIC Approach for Business in 2024 [Updated]

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Six Sigma is a process of reducing errors by utilizing data analysis and statistical analytic methods. It was first introduced in 1980 while working for Motorola Company. Six Sigma helps to minimize the errors in a product.

For example, A manufacturing company is facing some issues in their production. The production rate is low, and the quality is not up to the mark. Now, the company is searching for solutions to solve these problems. Six Sigma is the solution to resolve these issues.

Six Sigma helps to increase production in less time with minimal errors. It helps to satisfy the customer’s needs and maintains variability. Six Sigma helps increase customer loyalty which helps in improving the brand image and also helps in enhancing the employee morals towards the organization in getting higher productivity. It mainly focuses on reducing wastage by reducing the changeability in the business process and creating a good flow in each step of the business.  

Six Sigma has majorly two methodologies 

1. DMAIC – Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

2. DMADV – Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify.

What is the DMAIC approach?

This blog explains more about the DMAIC approach to developing business.

Define:- includes determining the issues we are facing, opportunities for improvement, and customer needs. 

Measure:- Identify each step of the process. Measure the quality and quantity of the product. Collect and check the data.  

Analyze:- Find out the reason for the issue. Identify the exact reason for the issue.

Improve:- Improve the step at which the problem arises. Make a map to change the process. 

Control:- Correcting all the defects and decreasing the production time helps to achieve goals.  

For a successful business, the first important thing is to identify the customer’s needs. 6 Sigma helps to identify the customer’s needs.

Six ways to use Six Sigma in business:-

Collect Data from customers:-

The important step in Six Sigma is to collect data and requirements from businesses.

Explain the current process.:-

There might be some errors in a process that results in business laws. A clear explanation of the current process is necessary to rectify the process. 

Get rid of waste efforts:-

There are many directions in which business runs. To run a successful business, instead of concentrating on all the ways, find out a particular way that helps to gain profits. 

Continuous improvement is necessary:-

With an increase in process, continuous improvements are necessary. It increases the profits of a company.

Decrease the cost:-

Unnecessary costs need reduction to help spend on necessary profits.

Get customer reviews:-

Get reviews from customers after the successful completion of a process.

Six Sigma also helps many companies in many ways-

• Six Sigma helps to reduce output errors.
• It helps to reduce production costs.
• It helps to retain more customers. 
• It helps in employee empowerment. 
• It helps to use resources efficiently.
• It helps to gain profits.

Six sigma decisions are taken based on the data collected. The data help to find out the areas of improvement of a company. It also helps to increase the process based on current trends.

Six sigma process improvement managers engage with senior leaders and direct the lean six sigma initiatives. It helps leaders to understand the issues and start their steps toward success.

Lean six sigma process improvement example:-

Let us learn this with some examples- 

In the manufacturing industry:-

The manufacturing industry is one of the necessary industries in the world. Manufacturing is not about a particular sector but includes textile, mobile, motorcycle, etc. Thousands of companies manufacture their products regularly. Though they use huge machinery to manufacture these items, they face issues like delays in the production of the items or the production of defective pieces. Six Sigma helps to resolve these issues. 

Consider a bike manufacturing company and a step-by-step process of manufacturing bikes. The company is facing loss due to less production of vehicles and defective pieces. DMAIC process can rectify this defect.

Define:- Identify issues the manufacturing company faces, methods to rectify them, and company needs.

Measure:- Note the number of bicycles produced in a day, the number of defective pieces, and the machine that makes more defective cycles. 

Analyze:- Find the machine that causes more defective pieces and the reason for the low production count. Suppose the production is slow at a step to identify it. 

Improve:- Now, repair the machine that produces more defective pieces, or replace it. Also, make necessary modifications to speed up the process at a particular step.

Control:- As the final step, identify the increase in production count with a minimal number of defective bicycles.

In the healthcare industry:- 

The healthcare industry is one of the crucial industries in the world. The healthcare industry includes hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, and pharmacies. If we consider hospitals, tensions, visit a hospital based on the reviews or previous experiences. Most patients select hospitals based on the time taken to resolve their issues. 

The healthcare industry also needs help with many issues. For example, if we consider a hospital, patients wait for long hours due to improper appointment schedules, or the disease may take a long time to cure due to a lack of proper diagnosis. Six Sigma helps to resolve some of these issues.

Define:-Identify the requirement or issue of the patient.

Collect patients’ feedback, like satisfaction and budget issues, and make a note of them.

Measure:- Now analyze the causes of the issues based on statistical methods.

Analyze:- Make necessary changes to the entire approach to treating patients.

Improve:- Now utilize new protocols to ensure increased functionality of the healthcare industry.

Control:- Many hospitals increase their revenues, fasten life-saving procedures and reduce the time to wait for patients.

In the banking industry:- 

Every life is directly or indirectly related to money and transactions. These transactions are made possible with the help of the banking industry. Though the banking industries are following a set of rules, there are some defects in the banking industry. 

Define:- Define the issue customer is facing in the banking industry. It may be related to accounting openings, online transactions, money withdrawals, and deposits. 

Measure:- Measure the issues most of the customers are facing.

Analyze:- Analyze the step-by-step process to find out the issues. 

Improve:- Improve the process by making necessary changes in the steps after consulting the branch manager and the concerned staff members. 

Control:- Check whether the new process is good. If not, start with the first step. 

This way, banks utilize Six Sigma to improve their process.

In the software industry:-

The software industry is necessary for our day-to-day activities in this digital world. Software industries also face many issues, and Six Sigma is a solution. Let us discuss this with an example.

A company has been designing a web application for a company. The software is practically not good. So the software company uses the DMAIC approach to resolve its issues.

Define:- Define the issues come customers are facing with the software. For insurance, there is an error in uploading the. Pictures.

Measure:- Measure the number of customers facing the same or any other issues.

Analyze:- Analyze the reason for the issue. There might be a coding problem or any other issues.

Improve:- Improve the coding to resolve the issue.

Check:- Check whether the picture upload is perfect.

This way, software companies improve software using the DMAIC approach.

Six Sigma in an educational institution:-

The education sector is necessary for the growth of our nation. The education system is growing day by day and needs continuous observation. In this competitive world, every institute needs to observe its defects and rectify them regularly to get a good number of admissions. Six Sigma helps to solve the issues in the education system.

Define:- To identify the problems, form a team to note the institution’s requirements and students’ issues and document all the information related to the institution.

Measure:- In this step, measure the level of causes, types of variations, measurement accuracy, and process capability, and determine process capability.

Analysis:- This system helps to analyze the data collected in the previous steps and understand the cause of the problem. It helps create new solutions and analyze the risk in applying the solution. 

Improvement:- This stage is crucial to discuss, approve and implement the plans to resolve the issues. 

Control:- This stage helps to apply the plans in other areas as required and check whether there is real growth in the process.

Several six sigma methodologies pdfs available in various resources help to understand it better and apply it in various other fields.

Various levels of 6 Sigma certification:-

6 Sigma certification consists of multiple levels, including white belt, yellow belt, green belt, black belt, and master black belt. 

White belt:-

It is the basic level of Six Sigma certification. At this level, you learn how to resolve common issues in the team working on a project.

Yellow belt:-

At this level, one will understand how and where to apply the Six Sigma process. You will also understand problem-solving. Techniques and can help project teams.

Green belt:-

At this level, you will help black belts in the data collection and analysis. They also help you understand, analyze and resolve problems that are related to quality.

Black belt:- 

At this level, you will become an expert and agent in changing the quality of a business. You can also provide training to new candidates.

Master black belt:-

It is the highest level. 6 Sigma. At this level. U can conduct training sessions for black in green Belt candidates. You can act as a consultant. And develop shape strategies in the key metrics.

Check Out Our Other Courses:

Six Sigma Green Belt Certification

Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

Six Sigma Master Black belt Certification

Six sigma certifications:- 

Many companies provide six sigma certifications:-

Some companies include

1. Henry Harvin:-  Six Sigma DMAIC Approach for Business

Henry Harvin Contact No: +91 9891953953 | Chat on WhatsApp with Henry Harvin

Henry Harvin provides the best six sigma certification courses at affordable prices. 

It offers gold membership to its students. 

Some benefits are live classes, access to its resources, internship opportunity, and job-guaranteed programs. 

2. American Society for Quality (ASQ):-

3. The Institute of industrial engineers:-

4. Breakthrough Management Group:-

Henry Harvin also provides these courses

• Spanish Language Course
• German Language Course
• French Language Course

Henry Harvin Provides Six Sigma Course in these Cities:

Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam

Media Coverage

Henry Harvin Ranks #1Six Sigma Certification Course Amongst Top 5 by Business Standard, India Today , Prime Insights

Recommended Reads

• Top 25 Best Six Sigma Certification in India
• Top 14 Best Six Sigma Certification in Bangalore
• Top 25 Six Sigma Certification Costs
• Top 30 Six Sigma Interview Questions & Answers
• 10 Facts About Certified Six Sigma Black & Green Belt Salary

People come and go but the process stays. -Anonymous

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