Problem Solving Process
Problem Solving Process
SOLVING
PROCESS
TYPES OF PROBLEM SOLVING
PROCESSES
DMAIC
8D
PDCA
Kaizen
DMAIC
DMAIC (an acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) (pronounced d-MAY-
ick) refers to a data-driven improvement cycle used for improving, optimizing and stabilizing
business processes and designs.
DMAIC
D Define
Define the problem, improvement activity, opportunity for improvement, the project goals, and
customer (internal and external) requirements.
What is the problem?
M Measure
Measure process performance.
How are we doing?
A Analyze
Analyze the process to determine root causes of variation, poor performance (defects).
What is wrong?
DMAIC
I Improve
Improve process performance by addressing and eliminating the root causes.
What needs to be done?
C Control
Control the improved process and future process performance.
How do we guarantee performance?
8D
The Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D) is a problem solving methodology designed to find
the root cause of a problem, devise a short-term fix and implement a long-term solution to
prevent recurring problems.
8D
D0: PlanPlan for solving the problem and determine the prerequisites.
D1: Use a teamEstablish a team of people with product/process knowledge.
D2: Define and describe the problemSpecify the problem by identifying in quantifiable
terms the who, what, where, when, why, how, and how many (5W2H) for the problem.
D3: Develop containment plan; implement and verify actionsDefine and implement
containment actions to isolate the problem from any customer.
D4: Determine, identify, and verify root causes and escape pointsIdentify all
applicable causes that could explain why the problem occurred. Also identify why the problem
was not noticed at the time it occurred. All causes shall be verified or proved, not determined
by fuzzy brainstorming. One can use 5 Whys and cause and effect diagrams to map causes
against the effect or problem identified.
8D