Add Standardization to DMAIC Phases in Six Sigma (DMAICS)

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Add Standardization to DMAIC Phases in Six Sigma (DMAICS)

In my experience I implemented the Six Sigma process following 6 instead of just 5 phases. The first five are the classical phases (DMAIC) for the analysis, solution implementation and solution effectiveness confirmation...
And in the last phase we freeze the improvement. We call this extra phase Standardization. In this phase we establish and approve the procedures / work instructions and perform the training session in order to include the improvement in the process best practices.

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		4 Ramesh Ch, MBA, PMP, Six Sigma BB Business Consultant, India
	DMAIC + S = a Threat to Kaizen? Hi Beniamino, you've said this well. However, I firmly believe standardizing sigmas at one point or another doesn't make much sense in this quickly evolving world of changes. Since 'change' is inevitable, the best way to accommodate change is Kaizen. So this way of freezing leads to a non-pro Kaizen. Your counter arguments are welcome anyway :-).

		8 Jagdish B Acharya Consultant, India
	Control in DMAIC is Dynamic Standardization The control in DMAIC is actually a kind of dynamic standardization or documentation of the process for reacting to changes. So there is no need of separate standardization in it. Process documentation helps in keeping process under statistical control, as Juran has mentioned while explaining breakthrough. Often standardization is understood as static rules and that may be countered by Kaizen as pointed out by Ramesh. In my opinion standardization is better left out from the process to keep it dynamic and improvement-centric rather than target-centric.