I've been asked to put together a basic (and therefore relatively quick) introduction to Lean Six Sigma & DMAIC. While it’s not yet finished, I thought I would put it out there for people to comment on. Since the presentation is supposed to be training material there’s more text on the slides than I would prefer, but there are a few exercises and games to get the trainees involved. I've put the PowerPoint version on my blog: http://alesandrab.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/introduction-to-lean-six-sigma-dmaic/

1. 20%
80% of process defects
arise from 20% of the
process issues
Capacity = WORK + WASTE
Lean Six Sigma

2. What is Lean Six Sigma…
2 successful management strategies for improving business processes combined
LEAN
LEAN 6σ
6σ

3. Plan, Do, Check, Act
Plan = Define + Measure +
Analyse
Check + Act = Control Do = Implement
Can be used
alongside DMAIC
methods
Traditional PDCA
method
Lean six sigma
method

4. Benefits of Lean Six Sigma
Motorola has reported over US$17 billion in savings as of 2006. Another early adopter of
Lean Six Sigma is General Electric (introduced by Jack Welch). By the late 1990s, about
two-thirds of the Fortune 500 organisations had begun Lean Six Sigma initiatives with the
aim of reducing costs and improving quality.

5. Lean 6σ Project
Kaizen blitz
Different approaches
Fix specific problem or
workflow issue within
the organisation
Kaizen
=
Continuous
improvement
Large scale project
work to find route
causes & fix hidden
and obvious problems

6. ConsPros
 Happens in sporadic bursts
 Root causes not thoroughly
analysed to optimise the results
 Fixes the obvious issues at the
expense of learning about the
latent opportunities
 Kaizen is seductive & efficient.
 Delivers large scale results quickly
 Utilises the entire team’s collective
insight & experience
 Inspires curiosity about waste,
defects and constraints to
throughput
Kaizen
Lean Six Sigma, or DMAIC, fills in the gaps that Kaizen fails to address.
It supplies the analytical discipline necessary to thoroughly understand
the nature of processes and problems.
Short, focused bursts of continuous improvement

7. DMAIC
Kaizen
Just do it
Ongoing quick hits
Low risk &
investment
Discover and deliver new
value
3 – 6 months
Solve problems 2 – 4 months
Greater $$ and / or risk
ScaleApproach
Project / Risk relationship
~ 1 week
Streamline
Remove waste

8. Lean Control

9. What is Lean Control…
Lean is a philosophy and set of management techniques focused on continuous
“elimination of waste” and smoothing work flows so that every process, task or work
action is made “value adding” when viewed from customer perspective
How much product does the
customer really need?
Anything more is wasted
inventory
Extra
stored
product
Needed
stored
product

10. Examples of waste (muda)
1
2
3
4
5
6
Overproduction
Inventory
Motion
Waiting
Transportation
Over processing
Defects7

11. Exercise
Brainstorming &
negative
Brainstorming
Examples of muda
In pairs, use brainstorming and negative brainstorming
techniques to find a solution for one example of one of the
different types of muda in your workplaces
One of the tools
used in the DMAIC
method
Inventory
Motion
Defects
Brainstorming
Negative
Brainstorming

12. Streamlining the process
In addition to looking at wastes, lean also looks at streamlining the process using push /
pull processes and kanban systems to ensure the product is made just in time with as
little work in progress (WIP) as possible
Customer Service Production Quality Control Logistics
Information flow
Material
flow
Material
flow
Material
flow
Information flow Information flow
Push process

13. Chocolate experiment
Experiment 1
Each person will be given
a role / workstation.
As part of the work you
must pass the product on
to the next person in the
chain.
After 2 minutes count
how many products are
still inside the production
process (WIP) and how
many have been given to
the customer
Supplier
Production 1
Shipping
Quality control
Production 2
Customer
Production 3
Watch dog

14. Chocolate experiment 1 – part 1
Production 3Supplier
Supply a single
chocolate & order
to production 1
every second
Production 1
Production 2
Count each
chocolate then
send a batch of 4 to
production 3
Supply a batch of 3
chocolates to
production 2 every
3 seconds
Wrap chocolate in
paper, then send a
batch of 3 to
Quality control
Shipping
Quality control
Supply 1 wrapped
chocolate to the
customer
Check each
chocolate & pass 1
to shipping each
second

15. Chocolate experiment 1 – part 2
Watch dog
Customer
Accept a delivery of
chocolate from
shipping
Monitor the time
taken, and the
movement of the
people during the
exercise. Count the
WIP and goods
received by the
customer
Customer
Production 2
Production 1Production 3Shipping
Quality controlSupplier
Watch dog
Room layout

16. Watchdog feedback
Push production
What did you learn?
How much work was in process (WIP)?
Was creating batches efficient or did it slow the process down?
Was the work station layout effective?
How could we improve things?Learning about
flow, push and pull
production in Lean

17. Takt time
Taktzeit
=
cycle time
d
a
T
T
T 
Td
Time demand (customer
demand), e.g. [units
required / day]
Ta
Net time available to work
e.g. [minutes of work / day]

18. Example
If Customer demand = 400 units/day
To make product in 1 shift,
takt time must = 1 part / minute
Shift time = 8hrs (480mins)
Break time = 30mins (2 x 15mins)
Lunch break = 30mins
Team brief = 10mins
Maintenance checks = 30mins
Net Available Time to Work
480 - 30 - 30 - 10 - 10 = 400mins
If Customer demand = 600 units/day
To make product in 1 shift,
takt time must = 1 part / 40secs

19. Chocolate experiment 2
Experiment 2
Try the simulation with
the layout of the room as
shown…
Send the chocolates
through the system
without batching.
Note there are new tasks
for some roles!
What happens now?
Customer
Production 3
SupplierProduction 1Production 2
ShippingQuality Control
Watch dog
Room layout

20. Chocolate experiment 2 – new roles
Watch dog
Customer
Only accept a
delivery if the first
one arrives in 10
seconds. 10 must
arrive within 1
minute
Don’t accept if they
are wrapped!
Monitor the time
taken, and the
movement of the
people during the
exercise. Count the
WIP and goods
received by the
customer
Quality control
Due to
maintenance issues
you can now only
check a chocolate
every 8 seconds

21. Watchdog / customer feedback
Push production
What did you learn?
Was there a bottleneck?
Was this a push or a pull process?
How could we improve the production flow?
Was the customer satisfied?
What about the company profits and losses?
How could we find out what the customer really wants?
Which processes added value and which steps had over
processing wastes?
Learning about
inventory control,
WIP, kanban
Voice of the customer
Value added processes

22. Chocolate experiment 3
Experiment 3
Use kanban stations to
control the flow of goods
through the process
Find out what the
customer really wants
(VOC) and compare it to
the voice of the process
(VOP)
See how a pull system
works!
Customer
Production 3
SupplierProduction 1Production 2
ShippingQuality Control
Watch dog
Room layout
K K
K
K
K K
K
Only put a chocolate onto the next kanban
station if the kanban station is empty!!!

23. Watchdog feedback
Push production
What did you learn?
How much WIP was there in the process now?
Where was the process being pulled from?
Was the customer satisfied?
Does VOC = VOP now?
Is it necessary to keep ANY over processing steps in the
production cycle?
Learning about
inventory control,
WIP, kanban
VOC / VOP
Business necessary steps &
value added steps

24. Origins - Lean
Taiichi Ohno, Shigeo Shingo and Eiji Toyoda
developed the TPS system between 1948 and
1975
Lean derives from Toyota Production System
or Just In Time Production, Henry Ford and
other predecessors
Toyota, Aichi, Japan
Detroit, USA

25. Lean timeline
TAYLOR
Standardised
work / Time study
WHITNEY
Interchangeable
parts
GILBRETH
Process charts
/ Motion study
FORD
Assembly / Low
lines
DEMING
SPC
TQM
TOYODA/OHNO
TPS Just in time, no
stock production
LEAN
Lean used in
manufacturing
1850 1900 1950 2000

26. Six Sigma

27. Example
Pareto principle
The Pareto principle is named after an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed in
1906 that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population
Microsoft noted that by
fixing the top 20% of the
most reported bugs, 80%
of the errors and crashes
would be eliminated
University of Florence,
Italy

28. What is 6σ…
Six Sigma seeks to identify and remove these 20% of causes of defects and errors in
business processes. It uses a set of management methods, including statistics and creates
a dedicated infrastructure of people within the organisation who are experts in these
methods.
Production lines
Percentageyield
Lines where there is a
significant defect
Target
By focussing resources on
the areas where significant
defects occur, we can
stabilise and improve
performance!

29. Exercise
Normal distribution
curves
Normal distribution curves
A normal distribution of data means that most of the examples
in a set of data are close to the "average," while relatively few
examples tend to one extreme or the other.
Each person should take one of the targets and some silly
putty. Affix the target to the wall, and throw ten pieces of
putty at the target and see where they land
We are then going to use this data to plot our first statistical
graph!
Mean and Sigma

30. Target
Target scoring
Score your results based
on the diagram shown
Then count up the
number of times you hit
each ring of the target
and plot the results on
the graph
5
1
2
4
3
0

31. Sample target results
Target ring
Noofhits
2
4
6
8
10
0
1 2 3 4 5
Paul Simon
JackSarah
What factors (inputs, Xs) affect
the outcome (output, Y)?
How can you calculate the mean? =
2.85

32. HistogramsNoofpeople
Height in metres
Histogram showing
no of people at
each height
Height
in
metres
Mean height = 1.8m
Minimum = 1.6m
Maximum = 2.0m
Imagine performing a survey of everyone’s height
in a factory. The results would be similar to the
graph below

33. Normal distribution curve
If you draw a line over the
top of the histogram, you
get what is known as a
normal distribution curve
Not all data sets will have graphs that look this perfect. Some will have flat
curves, others will be steep. Sometimes the mean will lean a little bit to one side
or the other. But all normally distributed data will have a similar "bell curve"
shape.
1
2
Normal
distributio
n curve
Mean

34. The standard deviation σ is a measure of how
much variation there is in the data
Standard deviation
σ
Statistics show that 68 percent of the
data in this group falls within 1σ of the
mean (either side)
3
4
When the data is tightly bunched together
and the bell shaped curve is steep, the
standard deviation is small.
When the data is spread apart and the bell
curve is relatively flat, the standard deviation
is large
Small
standard
deviation
Large
standard
deviation
σ

35. Sigma levels
We can measure the sigma level of a process by
graphing the number of defects / day
The data should show normal distribution
A process with a 1σ score will have 69% defects and 31%
yield
To have a 2σ score, there would be 31% defects and
69% yield
σLevel
%Defects
%Yield
1
2
3
4
5
6
69 31
31 69
6.7 93.3
0.6 99.4
0.02 99.98
0.0003 99.99
5

36. But what is 6σ?
The term "six sigma process" comes from the notion that if you can measure six
standard deviations between the process mean and the nearest specification limit,
practically none of the products will fail to meet the specification
6σ
σ 2 3 4 5 6 σ- σ-2-3-4-5-6 σ μ
Upper
specification
limit (USL)
Lower
specification
limit (LSL)
68% of the data

37. Six sigma methodologies
We use the six sigma methodologies, then, to find the causes of the defects in our
processes to allow us to get a higher sigma score…
Some causes of defects are obvious, others hidden…
Traditional Quality costs
Tangible
Easy to measure
Hidden Quality costs
Intangible
Difficult to measure
Inspection
Warranty
Scrap
Rework
Rejects
More setups
Expediting costs
Lost sales
Late deliveries
Lost customer loyalty
Excess inventory
Long cycle times
Costly engineering changes

38. INPUTS
Xs
OUTPUTS
Ys
PROCESS I
Process parameters
Most of the time, we know that we have a problem, although we are not always
exactly sure where. Using six sigma we can Define the problem exactly, and then
Measure the inputs (X) and outputs (Y) of the process
Once we can identify the anomalous data we can Improve and Control it. IF the
anomalous data is affecting costs!
We Analyse this data to determine if our performance is reliable and consistent, it
follows a pattern, or if we have an unreliable or out of control process with significant
levels of defects and / or special events

39. Origins – Six Sigma 6σ
6σ started in Motorola by Bill Smith 1986
Illinois, USA
In 1920 Walter Shewhart showed that 3σ from
the mean is the point where a process requires
correction

40. Define
Analyse Improve
Control
Measure
?
The DMAIC method

41. What is the DMAIC method?
Improve
A structured
approach to problem
solving
Team led project work
A Japanese fad that
won’t last long?

42. Exercise
15 word flip chart
One of the tools
used in the DMAIC
method
What is the DMAIC method?
In teams, choose one of the following topics, then using post
its and a flip chart, write 15 words to describe:
• What you think the DMAIC method is
• What are the origins of DMAIC
• Why DMAIC is important to business
Text
Text
Text

43. The “D” (Define) in the DMAIC process focuses on selecting high-
impact projects and understanding which underlying metric(s) will
reflect project success
The M-A-I-C steps in DMAIC
comprise a number of tools
aimed at understanding and
controlling root causes.
Projects create additional work, and
the management team must be
convinced that the project is worth
the additional work required to
deliver breakthrough results.
A good DMAIC project is focussed and team driven

44. Who is who in Lean Six Sigma…
Champions / Sponsor
Usually high up, who sponsors a Lean Six Sigma project through the business. The first few
Lean Six Sigma projects may encounter some technical, political, or institutional obstacles
in the business environment. It's critical that someone is there to help the project and the
project members overcome any obstacles and resistance.
Black Belts
Does Lean Six Sigma "full time." Their entire work effort is focused on finding defects, wherever
they might be, and eliminating them from the business processes. They move from department to
department, heading Lean Six Sigma projects.
Green Belts
This is a title for someone who is involved with a Lean Six Sigma project "part-time." They have a
job with normal duties, added involvement in a Lean Six Sigma project.

45. Brief overview
Define
Analyse
Improve
Control
Measure Measure the process to determine current performance
Define the project goals and customer deliverables
Improve the process by eliminating defects
Analyze and determine the root cause of the defects
Control future process performance
D
M
A
I
C

46. DMAIC in Everyday Life
D M A I C
My baseline weight
is 192 pounds, and
my target weight is
182 pounds. The
measurement error
is acceptable
Pack healthy snacks
so we don’t use the
vending machine.
Pre-plan 1 evening
snack to develop a
good routine
Weigh-in 1/wk and
track the results. If
weight creeps
above 185 pounds,
log food intake and
make adjustments
Using the DMAIC, how would
you tackle a problem
involving trying to lose
weight?
I want to lose
ten pounds…
We take in 24% of
our daily calories
with evening
snacks, & another
19% by hitting the
vending machine at
work
I want to improve my health. Reaching a
healthy body weight will increase my energy
level and prevent a number of problems
down the road. The research I have done
says that I need to lose ten pounds.”

47. Pillars
The original Toyota Production
System could be described as a
house with pillars.
JIT (just in time)
Smooth out production /
resource utilisation
Jidoka
Quality
production,
defect free
Lean control
Respect for people
HEIJUNKA
(levelled production)
KAIZEN
STANDARD
WORK
Flow, pull
processes, waste
reduction

48. Paper tower exercise
A4 sheet of paper
Using a single sheet of A4 paper only & no other
materials, construct the tallest free standing structure, in
5 minutes
Creative thinking
Working under
pressure, planning,
team working

49. Selecting a project team
Once you have identified
that you have a problem,
you need a team!
All teams are only as strong as
their weakest member!
Should all of the project team be process
experts?
More team members means more time!
It’s difficult to engage operators
Most project teams end up being the same usual
suspects doing all of the work

50. 5-words
What makes a good team player?
2 teams must battle it out to see who is the
most creative, innovate and show better
team skills!
Choose 5 words:
1. Animal
2. Mineral
3. Famous place
4. Food
5. Clothing / Jewellery
Give your words to the opposing team and
then in 15 minutes write a script containing
the 5 words you have been given. When the
time is up, be ready to perform!
During the game, think
about the way you and
your team members
interact. What was good
and what is bad?
!

51. Storyboards
Good storyboards are essential!
Why use it?
To track data, decisions, and
actions and create a graphical
or pictorial record of your
DMAIC project.

52. Storyboards
What does it do?
• Facilitates decision making
• Helps maintain forward
momentum
• Helps prevent rework
• Provides a quick, visual
summary of a team’s work
• Can also be used as
presentation materials.
• Other employees can have
access to the improvement
team’s work.