The purpose and the origin of the process six sigma is the result of need for business improvement through customer satisfaction, reduced costs, production of high quality products with less defects and increased profits. Hence the fundamental aim of the six sigma methodology is the implementation of a systematically based measurement strategy focusing the improvement process. Within this improvement aspects the six sigma methodology includes the responsibilities of the improving the team, helping the team in identifying the process, the defects and the corresponding measurements. It is because of this wide range of flexibility in quality improvement, six sigma methodology toolkit is the best existing software process implementation.
Six sigma implements the quality improvement process through the application of six sigma improvement projects. These projects are accomplished with the help of the use of two six sigma sub-methodologies: DMAIC & DMADV.
DMAIC method: the six sigma methodology is consisted of five steps which include Defining, Measuring, Analyzing, Improvement and Controlling. DMAIC involves in the improvement of an existing business process. Here the six sigma methodology deals with defining of the process improvement needed for setting the goals on the basis of customer demands and the enterprise strategy. Once the goal defining is done the project conductors are asked to measure the current strategy of the process or the work done and then to collect the data for the future comparisons. The third step is of analyzing the relationship between the cause (data) and with the result and defining it, making sure that all factors involved are taken into consideration. The fourth step follows the analysis report, by providing with sufficient improvements using the techniques like Design of Experiments. It should be ensured that all the variances are corrected before it result it defects. This is done through the controlling of the process, which is the final step in six sigma process of systematical improvement of the process.
DMAIC Six sigma leader roles are to establish the selection criteria of the project, approving the projects, selecting the project leaders, providing the resources and training, reviewing the Black Belt and Green Belt projects monthly, ensuring the communication process, reviewing the entire process every 3-6 months, establishing and linking the rewards with the performances, and finally being accountable for the success of the effort.
DMADV methods: as in the DMAIC method, here also it has 5 steps like defining, measuring, analyzing, designing and verifying. DMADV method is used in creating a new product or process, setting designs for predicting and then ensuring defect-free performances. The method deals with the duties like defining the goals, which comes out form the designed activity which is related to the customer demands and enterprise strategy. Once the goals is defined out of the activity, measuring and identifying the quality, product capabilities, production process capability and risk assessments are done.
The third step of the method involves in the analyzing process for developing the designing alternatives, creating high level design, evaluating designs and selecting the best design. Then comes the step, where detailing about the design selected, optimizing the design, and setting plans for the verification of the designs. This step is required simulations. At the final step the design set is verified and the pilots are run. There by the production process is implemented and the process is hand over to the process owners.
Apart from the above said six sigma methods there are other designs for six sigma methodologies. They are:
CDOC – conceptualize, design, optimize, control
DCCDI – define, customer concept, design and implement
DCDOV- define, concept, design, optimize, verify
D-IDOV-M – define, identify, design, optimize, verify, monitors
DMADOV – define, measure, analyze, design, optimizes and verify
DMAI C – define, measure, analyze, improve, implement, control
DMEDI – define, measure, explore, develops and implement
IDOV – identify, design, optimizes and validate
I2DOV – invent, innovate, develop, optimize, validate
MEDIC – map and measure, explore and evaluate, define and describe, implement and improve, control and conform
VCPCIA – visualize, commit, prioritize, characterize, improve, achieve