Difference between PDCA and DMAIC

We people have a lot of problems, and we also find the solutions for the problems when we think and understand the problem. Different people understand a problem in their own perspectives. So, there are some techniques used in getting a perfect solution for a problem. The PDCA and DMAIC are the problem-solving techniques they also help in reducing the steps required for solving a problem. The PDCA and DMAIC are the models of the problem-solving techniques. We are going to know briefly about both PDCA and DMAIC in this article. Both models have some similarities and differences.

What is PDCA?

PDCA is a circular or repetitive four-step model for generating the solution for a problem. In PDCA, four process or works are done each letter of the PDCA represents each process in the repetitive process of PDCA. Plan, Do, Check and ACT are the processes present in the PDCA. The PDCA is one of the methods that is derived from the concept of Total Quality Management. The PDCA can be used in a lot of works like manufacturing or production. The PDCA is not limited to manufacturing or production it can also be used in project management. The company uses the PDCA for the human resource management also. The PDCA is far different from the PDSA which is also called as Deming wheel or Deming cycle. To represent the PDCA we can use any type of cyclic graph to represent PDCA.

Now, we are going to know about each component of PDCA

Plan

Planning is the initial stage for every process or a company. This stage is very important because it is like pillar to the building without correct planning the process or a company cannot be successful. In planning one should properly know about what the problem or opportunity is present. The information about the problem or an opportunity should be studied well and analyze the problem carefully. In planning we should also assess the improvement methods to deal with the problem. We also analyze the resources which are available and knowing the other resources that are required for solving a problem. This is the first component of the PDCA .

Do

Do is the second component of PDCA. It is also a every important component of PDCA. In the DO stage the changes are made according to the requirement or on the demand of the client to improve the efficiency of the solution. Only the changes are referred for the small scale. The minor changes are done in this stage in the test environment. The implementation of the planned steps is done in this stage.All the stake holders are informed about the changes made. The implementation is also carried out in stages. It helps with any unpredicted problems that might arise during the implementation. This is all about the second component of the PDCA.

Check

The third component of the PDCA is check. This is also a very important stage because all the analysis is done in this stage. The results of the tests are analyzed in this stage. The outputs from the tests are also assessed in this stage. We also measure the outputs against the success factors which we came up with in the planning stages. If an issue is encountered in the tests all the issues are documented together for the further process in solving the irregularities in the solutions. This stage will be pivotal in terms of avoiding any recurring mistakes and in terms of introducing the efficiency of the outputs from the tests that have done in this stage.

Act

This is the last and final component of the PDCA, and it is the last stage in this model. The final implementation is done in this act stage. In this stage the solution for the problem is executed in the large scale or a wider scale as defined in the planning stage. The outcomes of the initiative against our set standards are also monitored. If there is a problem identified or if any further improvements are anticipated, then we can once again go to the planning stages and repeat the cycle until the desired level of efficiency is achieved

What is DMAIC?

DMAIC is one of the models in the problem-solving techniques. The DMAIC is widely used by the different companies as well as businesses. It is also used in the improvement of the process and problem-solving techniques. The DMAIC method will be not repeated. It helps in simplifying a problem and finding a solution for a specific problem. The DMAIC contains different stages. In every stage there will be procedure done in acquiring a specific solution for a specific problem. Every letter in the DMAIC is a process and it is defined as Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, control. The DMAIC comes from the lean six sigma quality improvement methodology. The graphical representation of DMAIC is done in a linear way that all the stages are represented in a straight line. DMAIC can be used in handling the problem and finding a solution in a simplest way as possible. Now we are going to study briefly about each concept present in the DMAIC method of problem solving.

Define

It is the first stage in the DAMIC method. It is one of the important stages in the DMAIC. In this stage the problem is identified or defined. Every problem of the process is encountered or every opportunity available will be highlighted. In this stage we also look at customer requirements. If the problem or the opportunity arose from a customer need, we would also need to gather feedback from the relevant and potential customers of a company. In DMAIC it is a common practice to draft a project charter. A project charter is essentially a document that outlines the scope of the project the approach taken and the motivation of the team.

Measure

Measure is the second stage or the second concept of the method. The data required to solve the problem or an opportunity that has been found in the first stage that in Define stage. In this stage the data is not only collected but it is also quantify the issue. Unless the issue or the opportunity is quantified it is difficult to formulate the actions to correct the course or to introduce improvements. This stage is also used to plot the relevant baselines

Analyze

Analyze is the third stage of the DMAIC method. It is a very important stage in which we look at the data gathered and look for the root cause of the problem at hand. One of the ways of doing this would be to run a root cause analysis.

Improve

It is the fourth stage of the DMAIC process. In this stage we are going to implement the changes required in the solution according to the customer requirements. The changes are communicated with the customers or the stake holders of the company or a business.

Control

It is the final stage of the DMAIC method. To solve a problem, it is important to also ensure that the problem does not reoccur in the future. This is where the control stage comes in here you essentially put mechanisms in place to ensure that improvements are sustained. This consists of a monitoring plan to continually track the improvements generated and a plan to deploy corrective actions in case there are deviations in performance.