DMAIC and DFSS

When somebody mentioned about DMAIC and DFSS, most of us know what it mean. DMAIC is a methodology that consists of tools that we use to optimize a process, where else DFSS is a rigorous approach to designing products and services and their enabling processes to ensure that they meet customer expectations.

Sometime I’m asking myself, questions like:

(1)   “Are the process phases in DFSS identical to the phases of the Breakthrough Strategy DMAIC?”

(2)   “What is the difference between DMAIC and DFSS?”

(3)   “Do DMAIC and DFSS interact?”

Whilst I was working with a giant Japanese semiconductor company, most of my projects were DMAIC approach projects, to be exact 9 DMAIC projects and 1 DFSS project that was executed in 5 phases which are DFACE also known as IDOV in general.

For those who just come across DMAIC, DFSS and DFACE maybe you all wonder what these abbreviation stands are for.

DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve & Control

DFSS: Design For Six Sigma

DFACE: Define, Focus, Analyze, Create & Evaluate

IDOV: Identify, Design, Optimize & Validate

So based on my experience, let’s go through the answer for each of the question mentioned above?

(1)   “Are the process phases in DFSS identical to the phases of the Breakthrough Strategy DMAIC?”

<Answer> If we go by IDOV, clearly it is not the same, but looking into details of each phase in IDOV, the process might be the same due to some tools used in the IDOV might be the same as the tools use in DMAIC. For example in Identify phase of IDOV, the CTS tree tool can be used, the same tool also is used at Define stage of DMAIC, as for Optimize phase in IDOV DOE can be used same goes to Improve phase in DMAIC and etc. Please refer below for the detail definition of each phase in IDOV:

IDENTIFY represents market needs, customer requirements (CTS), regulatory requirements, process optimization requirements, sub-system design requirements, etc. It can occur in a variety situations and phases. The data should be in a ranking format (Ordinal scale) to permit some cost and performance trade-off decisions to be made.

DESIGN, of course, represents both the initial concept generation or any re-designs required accommodating technology limitations.

OPTIMIZE encompasses a variety of activities and utilizes the majority of the DFSS tools. This is where the design concept is repeatedly adjusted and modified to produce a simple robust design of a known and verifiable cost and quality level.

VALIDATE represents all the detail, product, and prototype testing as well as verification of the product/process interaction.

(2)   “What is the difference between DMAIC and DFSS?”

<Answer> DMAIC deals with the methodology and tools involved for breakthrough improvement on existing process to achieve entitlement. IDOV, however, is the process of design that utilizes DFSS tools and methodologies to create a standardized design or an optimal design for products, services, or process. When we design for Six Sigma using IDOV, we can break through the limitations of even an entitled process by, for example, matching engineering tolerances with process capabilities. In other words we create Six Sigma products by designing both process and product/service concurrently.

(3)   “Do DMAIC and DFSS interact?”

<Answer> Yes it can be. Let’s consider below diagram;

Looking at DMAIC, this meant for optimizing a process. Logically a process can be optimized if and only if the process is stable. If the process is not stable, it indicated a poor design of the process, thus we need to go by IDOV to design a stable process before we can optimize it. So this how IDOV can in interact with DMAIC (Refer square with “A” is written). Looking at IDOV, let say we design a stable process but the expectation at Validation stage is not meeting the target and we know we still can optimize the result, thus we proceed with DMAIC. This is how DMAIC can in interact with IDOV (Refer square with “B” is written).

So DMAIC and IDOV can interact each other depends on the needs. Hopefully this article can help you guys.