Phases of Green Belt Projects

Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt is a professional who is well-versed in the fundamental to advanced parts of Lean Six Sigma Methodology, who leads improvement projects and/or participates as a team member in more sophisticated improvement projects led by a Certified Black Belt professional. Six sigma green belt certification online will help you get these relevant skills on the go and complete the course at your own pace. 

A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified professional has a full grasp of all components of the Lean Six Sigma Method, as well as subject matter expertise in the Define, Measure, and Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) phases, as described by the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Body.

What is a Green Belt Project?

It is a project that is centered on continuing to work on a problem in which the solution isn't really known, trying to identify the root cause of the issue, and then designing and implementing solutions to address them prior to actual execution. Such Projects require Green Belts, who are full-time personnel who have been trained in the Six Sigma improvement technique and are responsible for leading a process improvement team. 

Which Phases Are Involved in Maximum Green Belt Project? 

The phases involved in Maximum Green Belt Project are Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control and are termed together as DMAIC or DMADV. 

DMAIC

When we see DMAIC, we see that it is a five-phase method for enhancing a wide range of organizational processes, such as software development, manufacturing, and so on. While this method is often linked with Six Sigma, it can also be used to lean and other process-improvement strategies. 

DMAIC is a data-driven problem-solving method for identifying and addressing inefficiencies in a process, hence improving its outputs and making these improvements more predictable. 

Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control are the five phases, and the acronym is pronounced as "duh-may-ik." 

The DMAIC methodology owes its origins to statistician Walter A. Shewhart's PDSA ("plan, do, study, act") cycle created at Bell Laboratories in the 1930s. However, some of the world's top corporations, including Toyota, Motorola, GE, and Ford Motor Company, have developed the approach as we know it today. 

Why the DMAIC Process?

Before we get into the main process, there's one more step that some firms take to determine whether DMAIC is the best solution for their challenges and "Recognize" is the name of this step. 

Despite not being strictly part of DMAIC, this step is critical since DMAIC cannot be applied to every case. There are some circumstances in which this technique is a good fit for process improvement. Understanding whether DMAIC is the correct tool for you begins with recognizing the right conditions and selecting the right challenge to solve. 

What criteria do you use to assess those circumstances? Here are three vital things to think about: 

• The current process has several inefficiencies and flaws. 
• There is the opportunity to eliminate factors like lead times or other defects while increasing productivity or cost savings. 
• The state can be measured, and the results can be comprehended using quantitative methods. 

You can definitively establish if your process can benefit from applying DMAIC after evaluating the above factors. 

Five Phases of DMAIC

The DMAIC method is divided into five phases, each of which is designed to create the framework for process improvement, set goals, track progress, and analyze outcomes. The following are the five phases (along with an explanation of each): 

1. Establish a definition 

We choose the most significant and impactful possibilities for improvement during this phase. This phase also entails mapping the process, determining the emphasis, scope, and ultimate purpose, as well as determining how the problem affects all stakeholders. Crafting the problem statement is a great approach to get a DMAIC cycle started. 

At this point, there are a few more crucial measures to consider: 

• Determine the areas where there is a lot of room for growth. 
• Create a value stream map (VSM) to document each stage in the process and outline the project's scope. 
• To target client demands, create a voice of the customer table (VOCT). 
• Make a list of everyone involved. 
• Predict the scope and length of the project. 
• Recognize and record business opportunities. 
• Identify additional procedures that are similar. 

A productive defined phase assists you in moving forward with clear, well-defined project objectives and a timetable. 

2. Measure 

The baselines are established to measure a process's performance here. It's tough to measure progress without solid standards to compare against. As a result, we: 

• Develop the techniques for gathering data that will be used to assess success. 
• Recognize indications for intake, processes, and output. 
• Data about the present condition of affairs should be collected and examined. 
• Write a summary of the failure modes and impacts analysis. 
• Analyze the competence of the process 

Control charts, bar charts, and run charts, among other visual management tools, can help you achieve better outcomes at this stage. 

3. Analyze 

The purpose of this phase is to discover and test the underlying causes of problems in order to ensure that improvement occurs from the root of the problem. 

The following are crucial measures to take at this point: 

• Performing a thorough root cause analysis (RCA), which includes change analysis, events and causal factor analysis, and the Kepner-Tregoe Problem Solving and Decision-Making model, among other approaches and methodologies. 
• Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is used to detect all potential issue areas, inefficiencies, faults, defects, and flaws. 
• Using a Multi-Vari chart to provide a visual depiction of the variations within a particular process. 
• Putting process control in place 
• Creating an improvement strategy 
• You will be able to successfully collect and document all chances for change after this phase, and your action plan will begin to take form. 

4. Improve 

Now that you've completed the analysis and have the data in hand, it's time to get to work on making changes. 

The following actions are included in this stage: 

• Ideas for solutions should be brainstormed and presented. 
• To determine the projected advantages of a remedy, use a design of experiments (DOE). 
• Revise process maps and plans based on the information gathered in the previous step. 
• Plan and outline a test solution. 
• To enhance the process, we hold Kaizen events. 
• All parties should be informed about the solution. 

At this point, using improvement management software is beneficial. This facilitates the flow of the process, enables cross-functional cooperation, and allows management and executives to track the progress of a DMAIC project. 

5. Control 

It's time to put the process under control to ensure its long-term efficacy once the adjustments have been implemented and are effectively resolving the difficulties to enhance your operations. 

Here's where you'll: 

• Determine and record the new work standard. 
• Create a quality control strategy to guarantee that everyone in the team is using the same methodologies and measurements. 
• Confirm that the targeted cause is causing fewer failures. 
• Statistical process control (SPC) may be used to track the progress of a process and detect any problems that may occur. 
• Determine if any more adjustments are required to satisfy the process's goals. 
• Using the "Five S's" of Lean, streamline process improvements. 
• Integrate, document, and share what you've learnt. 

You can measure the whole impact of process modifications in terms of cost savings, efficiency, quality improvement, productivity boost, and customer satisfaction after the Control phase. 

This phase continues until fresh chances for improvement present themselves, at which point the DMAIC cycle is restarted from the beginning. Starting a DMAIC process takes time, work, and discipline, but once you get the hang of it, your team will feel at ease with it. 

DMADV

DMADV is a Six Sigma approach for designing new processes and guaranteeing that the result is delivered appropriately to the client. The DMADV methodology's purpose is to produce a high-quality product while keeping the customer's wants and requirements in mind throughout the project. 

The acronym DMADV stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify, and each letter stands for one of the five critical phases of a project improvement initiative: Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify. 

Phases of DMADV

We'll look at each phase of the process from the ground up in the sections below. 

1. Define DMADV's customer requirements 

The project leader identifies what the customer's most significant demands are in connection to the final delivery during the DMADV define process step. Data gathering, which includes any relevant historical information and client input, is used to draw this conclusion. 

The DMADV defined process phase's deliverables include: 

• A Six Sigma project team with clearly defined roles 
• The customer's goals and needs are defined in a project charter. 
• Measures that are critical to quality (CTQ) 

2. Measure 

The measure phase is the second process step in the DMADV Six Sigma approach, and it focuses on gathering and collecting data related to the CTQ measures developed during the define phase. The data gathered during the measure phase is critical to the process since it will be utilized to advance the remainder of it. 

The DMADV measure process phase's deliverables include: 

• Creating a list of essential procedures and assigning metrics 
• The use of tried-and-true process metrics 

3. Analyze 

The Six Sigma team continues to analyze and test the data gathered during the DMADV analyze phase, which runs concurrently with the measure phase. During the analyze phase, the project team concentrates on defining baselines that will be used to track the process's progress over time. 

The DMADV analysis process phase's deliverables include: 

• Identification of process enhancements that will improve the end delivery 
• The completion of procedures 

4. Design 

The design phase of the DMADV process entails the creation of a product or service that meets the demands of the client. During the design phase, the project team manufactures the customer's final delivery using the newly designed processes and makes any necessary improvements to the processes. 

The DMADV design process phase's deliverables include: 

• Processes that have been tried and improved 
• A delivery that is ready to receive feedback from the customer 

5. Verify 

The DMADV process's verify phase is in the final stage, yet it's also the most continuing. During the verify phase, the project team gets the customer's initial input and makes any necessary process improvements to suit the customer's demands. Additional CTQ metrics are also established by the project team in order to track client input once the final product is delivered. 

The DMADV verify process phase's deliverables include: 

• Final product that completes customer's requirements 
• Processes that have been updated and enhanced 
• Additional CTQ evaluations. 

A DMADV process improvement project might take anywhere from months to years to complete, but the ultimate result is a product or service that completely fulfils the customer's desires and requirements. 

DMAIC VS DMADV

DMAIC	DMADV
Identifying strategies to readjust and regulate the process is the emphasis of the Improve and Control stages.	The Design and Verify phases of DMADV are concerned with re-designing a process to meet the demands of customers.
DMAIC describes a business process and how applicable it is.	Whereas DMADV is used to describe the customer's demands in relation to a service or product.
DMAIC assesses a process's present performance	Whereas DMADV assesses client specifications and wants.
With DMAIC, control systems are built to maintain a close eye on the business' future performance,	But with DMADV, a proposed business model must be put through simulation testing to ensure its efficacy.
DMAIC focuses on making changes to a business process in order to decrease or eliminate faults	DMADV creates a business model that is tailored to the needs of the consumers.

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When Should You Use DMAIC and DMADV?

DMADV is typically connected with new services and product designs; however, it may or may not be compatible with existing goods and processes. DMADV may be used to create a new product or process if there isn't one already on the market. Another way to look at it is to employ DMADV when a process improvement falls short of expectations or fails completely. 

DMAIC is used to an existing product or process that no longer meets client demands and/or standards. Companies without prior Six Sigma expertise may choose to employ the assistance of specialists such as Six Sigma Black Belts and Master Black Belts, who may assist in determining the appropriate DMAIC and DMADV approach. 

Conclusion

The DMAIC process, which is a crucial component of the six-sigma technique, is intended to boost efficiency and production. Professionals who go for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification will not only understand DMAIC, but also how to implement these concepts in real-world scenarios. 

From the comfort of your home, KnowledgeHut Six Sigma green belt certification online course can help you pass the certification exam and get you career-ready in the newest Six Sigma methodologies.