DMAIC (pronounced də-may-ick) stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. It is an essential element of Lean and Six Sigma business methodologies, but it can also be valuable for any organization seeking to support continuous improvement. Implementation teams use improvement cycles to change on purpose. Improvement cycles are based on a process of planning, doing, studying and acting.
Learn the basics of the Improvement Model and test small-scale changes using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. Introduction to the improvement model. The Improvement Model*, developed by Associates in Process Improvement, is a simple but powerful tool for accelerating improvement. Ultra offers expertise in business technology and process management to drive improved business performance for its customers.
By using this cycle in a formal way over and over again as problems or opportunities are addressed in the organization, an inherent use of the cycle will begin to occur, as people will get used to it and the culture of the organization will begin to adopt the idea of continuous improvement. Implementation teams use PDSA cycles to identify, resolve problems, and intentionally address these barriers and improve implementation. While there are many models of continuous improvement, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles provide implementation teams with a framework for resolving barriers to solving problems. Whether a company is following the path of efficient business performance, implementing a business resource planning (ERP) system, or making improvements somewhere in the organization, this five-step cycle can be very valuable.
In addition, to ensure equitable and faithful implementation, PDSA Cycles must focus on the voices, perspectives and experiences of those involved in the improvement process (e.g., this model is not intended to replace the models of change that organizations are already using, but rather to accelerate improvement).
