Six Sigma DMAIC Control Phase Checklist
The DMAIC methodology should be used when a product or process is in existence at your company but is not meeting customer specification or is not performing adequately. For DMAIC milestone reviews, there are certain deliverables, checkpoints, questions and concerns that the Black Belt and improvement team should be aware of prior to a tollgate/milestone review.
How often should this be used?
When working through a DMAIC Control tollgate review
Library
Categories
Six Sigma DMAIC Control Phase
Monitoring Plan
Questions To Determine Appropriate Application:
- What is the control/monitoring plan?
- How will the process owner and team be able to hold the gains?
- What key inputs and outputs are being measured on an ongoing basis?
- How will input, process, and output variables be checked to detect for sub-optimal conditions?
- How will new or emerging customer needs/requirements be checked/communicated to orient the process toward meeting the new specifications and continually reducing variation?
- Are control charts being used or needed?
- How will control chart readings and control chart limits be checked to effectively monitor performance?
- Will any special training be provided for control chart interpretation?
- Is this knowledge imbedded in the response plan?
- What is the most recent process yield (or sigma calculation)?
- Does the process performance meet the customer’s requirements?
Control plan in place for sustaining improvements (short and long-term).
Process Standardization
Questions To Determine Appropriate Application:
- Has the improved process and its steps been standardized?
New process steps, standards, and documentation are ingrained into normal operations.
Documented Procedures
Questions To Determine Appropriate Application:
- Is there documentation that will support the successful operation of the improvement?
- Does job training on the documented procedures need to be part of the process team’s education and training?
- Have new or revised work instructions resulted?
- Are they clear and easy to follow for the operators?
Operating procedures are consistent.
Knowledge gained on process is shared and institutionalized.
Response Plan
Questions To Determine Appropriate Application:
- Is a response plan in place for when the input, process, or output measures indicate an ‘out-of-control’ condition?
- What are the critical parameters to watch?
- Does the response plan contain a definite closed loop continual improvement scheme (e.g., plan-do-check-act)?
- Are suggested corrective/restorative actions indicated on the response plan for known causes to problems that might surface?
- Does a troubleshooting guide exist or is it needed?
Response plans established, understood, and deployed.
Transfer of Ownership (Project Closure)
Questions To Determine Appropriate Application:
- Who is the process owner?
- How will the day-to-day responsibilities for monitoring and continual improvement be transferred from the improvement team to the process owner?
- How will the process owner verify improvement in present and future sigma levels, process capabilities?
- Is there a recommended audit plan for routine surveillance inspections of the DMAIC project’s gains?
- What is the recommended frequency of auditing?
- What should the next improvement project be that is related to the process?
- What quality tools were useful in the control phase?
Transfer ownership and knowledge to process owner and process team tasked with the responsibilities.
