BUSI 830 Liberty University Methodologies in the Garment Industry Questions-hw.pdf

based case study. The seven -facing DMAIC-In this module we will develop a business

article readings and your own supporting research have provided a variety of example

will case embedded case studies. You -case holistic to multiple-designs to include single

synthesize Case Study research as well as the practical use of Lean Six Sigma is crucial

based case study. The combined efforts of Case -facing DMAIC-to developing a business

.Study research and LSS tools offer business solutions methodology

BUSI 830

DMAIC (FINAL) CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

In this final module, you will synthesize the qualitative research methodology of Case

Study research (and applications) (Yin, 2018) as well as the practical use of Lean Six Sigma

(Hall & Scott, 2016; George et al., 2005) to develop a business-facing DMAIC-based case study.

Also, the seven article readings and your own supporting research has provided a variety of

example designs to include single-case holistic to multiple-case embedded case studies. After

reviewing the Reading & Study material for this module and review of the rest of the course, in

current APA format, design a comprehensive (non-Kaizen) DMAIC Case Study integrated with

Lean Six Sigma tools and biblical worldviews. This must include a plan overview section, as

well as design, measure, analyze, improve, control phases.

Create a real-world case (that is, make sure the story is believable, i.e. it consists of

sequence of time and events, problems and issues to solve, identities [positions/titles] and so on.)

Sanitize all names and use only fictitious data. Use at least 3 Lean Six Sigma tools (George et al.

(2005) by chapter [e.g. a value stream mapping and process flow tool, a data collection tool, an

identifying and verifying causes tool, etc.]) and show your work (i.e. if using a value stream

map, measurement selection matrix, scatter plot, etc.; design a graph, chart, or figure as

appropriate, insert, and refer to such as per APA.) If there could be any doubt, the emphasis of

this project is the DMAIC Case Study process. (HINT: The Cabrita et al. (2016) article serves as

an excellent example.)

Required Format

This 2400 minimum, 3000 maximum word paper needs to be written with these main sections:

Cover page

Abstract

Introduction

Case Study ‘Plan’

Define Phase

Measure Phase

Analyze Phase

Improve Phase

Control Phase

Conclusion

References

Other Requirements

Materials submitted to fulfill requirements in one course may not be submitted in another course.

Concerns about the propriety of obtaining outside assistance and acknowledging sources should

be addressed to the instructor of the course before the work commences and as necessary as the

work proceeds.

BUSI 830

 The cover page must include this statement as an author’s note: “By submitting this

assignment, I attest this submission represents my own work, and not that of another

student, scholar, or internet source. I understand I am responsible for knowing and

correctly utilizing referencing and bibliographical guidelines. I have not submitted this

work for any other class.”

 In addition to the course textbook(s) and the Bible, this paper must include at least 10

references from scholarly articles that have publication dates no older than 5 years. Do

not use any books other than the Bible and the textbooks. Do not conduct interviews.

 There should be at least one instance of biblical integration (at least one scripture

reference).

 In-text citations are required to support your statements, points, assertions, issues,

arguments, concerns, paragraph topic sentences, and statements of fact and opinion.

 The required cover page, abstract and the reference pages are not included in the required

assignment word count but are required as part of your paper.

 The APA required abstract and conclusion section headings and subject headings (see

above) are expected. For papers this length, there should be at least three (3) ‘levels of

headings’.

 The introduction and conclusion sections should not be longer than ½ page each since the

assignment is short in word count.

 The required abstract should be written as a stand-alone document and not written as an

introduction since an introduction section is required. Therefore, refrain from using

phrases such as, “in this paper,” and do not use citations. See example in APA manual.

 Sources of information from Wikipedia, dictionaries, and encyclopedia will not be

accepted. Similarity scores must not exceed 20%.

 Paragraph lengths: Each paragraph should have a topic sentence unless it continues from

or provides support to the prior paragraph. A paragraph is defined in this course as being

at least 4 sentences in length.

 All parts of the assignment must be based on scholarly and biblical literature.

 Avoid clichés, slang, jargon, exaggerations, abbreviations, figurative language, and

language that is too informal and too subjective.

 Submit your final document for grading with file name syntax: Last NameFirst Initial

Project#. For example: PhilebaumJ Project8.doc (no .pdfs)

Grading Metrics

Consult the accompanying rubric for how your instructor will grade this assignment. Also, any

form of plagiarism, including cutting and pasting, will result in zero points for the entire

assignment. All quoted materials must be properly cited in current APA format.

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the SafeAssign plagiarism tool.

BUSI 830

DMAIC (FINAL) Case Study Grading Rubric

Criteria

Levels of Achievement

Content ‐ 98 Points

Advanced

Proficient

Developing

Not present

Points

Earned

Abstract,

Introduction,

Case

Study ‘Plan’

10 Points

10 to 10 points

Abstract clearly states the

purpose and main conclusion

and Introduction provides a

complete overview of the

discussion. Provides a

complete discussion for doing

a case study to include the

overarching case study ‘plan’.

Flow is logical and fully cited.

8 to 9 points

Abstract and Introduction

provides a partial purpose,

main conclusion, and

overview of the discussion

and provides a partial

discussion for doing a case

study to include the

overarching case study ‘plan’.

Flow is mostly logical and

partially cited.

1 to 7 points

Abstract and Introduction

present but does not provide

an adequate overview of the

discussion and provides a

minimal discussion for doing

a case study to include the

overarching case study

‘plan’. Flow is not logical

and/or insufficiently cited.

0 to 0 points

Not completed or not

related to requirements

for the section.

Define Phase

15 Points

14 to 15 points

Section provides a

comprehensive description of

the Define Phase (includes

key steps such as: customers,

problem statement, resources,

crucial support, high-level

process map, etc.). Flow is

logical and fully cited.

13 to 13 points

Section provides a partial

description of the Define

Phase (includes most key

steps such as: customers,

problem statement, resources,

crucial support, high-level

process map, etc.). Flow is

logical and partially cited.

1 to 12 points

Section provides a minimal

description of the Define

Phase (includes few key

steps such as: customers,

problem statement,

resources, crucial support,

high-level process map, etc.).

Flow is not logical and/or

insufficiently cited.

0 to 0 points

Not completed or not

related to requirements

for the section.

Measure Phase

15 Points

14 to 15 points

Section provides a complete

and thorough description of

the Measure Phase (includes

key steps such as: defects,

opportunities, units, metrics,

data collection plan, validating

the measurement system,

etc.). Flow is logical and fully

cited.

13 to 13 points

Section provides a partial

description of the Measure

Phase (includes most key

steps such as: defects,

opportunities, units, metrics,

data collection plan, validating

the measurement system,

etc.). Flow is mostly logical

and partially cited.

1 to 12 points

Section provides a minimal

description of the Measure

Phase (includes few key

steps such as: defects,

opportunities, units, metrics,

data collection plan,

validating the measurement

system, etc.). Flow is not

logical and/or insufficiently

cited.

0 to 0 points

Not completed or not

related to requirements

for the section.

Analyze Phase

15 Points

14 to 15 points

Demonstrates critical thinking

to include analysis, evaluation,

and synthesis of the analyze

phase (includes key steps

such as: performance

objectives, value vs NVA,

opportunities to improve root

cause, variation, etc.). Flow is

logical and fully cited.

13 to 13 points

Mostly demonstrates critical

thinking to include analysis,

evaluation, synthesize of the

analyze phase (includes most

key steps such as:

performance objectives, value

vs NVA, opportunities to

improve root cause, variation,

etc.). Flow is mostly logical

and/or partially cited.

1 to 12 points

Only partially demonstrates

critical thinking, analysis,

evaluation, and/or limited

synthesis of analyze phase

(includes few key steps such

as: performance objectives,

value vs NVA, opportunities

to improve root cause,

variation, etc.). Flow is not

logical and/or insufficiently

cited.

0 to 0 points

Not completed or not

related to requirements

for the section.

BUSI 830

Improve Phase

15 Points

14 to 15 points

Section provides a complete

and thorough description of

the Improve Phase (includes

key steps such as:

experiments, solutions,

operating tolerances,

implementing the best

solution, etc.). Flow is logical

and fully cited.

13 to 13 points

Section provides a partial

description of the Improve

Phase (includes most key

steps such as: experiments,

solutions, operating

tolerances, implementing the

best solution, etc.). Flow is

mostly logical and partially

cited.

1 to 12 points

Section provides a minimal

description of the Improve

Phase (includes few key

steps such as: experiments,

solutions, operating

tolerances, implementing the

best solution, etc.). Flow is

not logical and/or

insufficiently cited.

0 to 0 points

Not completed or not

related to requirements

for the section.

Control Phase

15 Points

14 to 15 points

Section provides a complete

and thorough description of

the Control Phase (includes

key steps such as: standards,

process control/capability,

documentation/report, etc.).

Flow is logical and fully cited.

13 to 13 points

Section provides a partial

description of the Control

Phase (includes most key

steps such as: standards,

process control/capability,

documentation/report, etc.).

Flow is mostly logical and

partially cited.

1 to 12 points

Section provides a minimal

description of the Control

Phase (includes few key

steps such as: standards,

process control/capability,

documentation/report, etc.).

Flow is not logical and/or

insufficiently cited.

0 to 0 points

Not completed or not

related to requirements

for the section.

Conclusion &

Biblical Worldview

Integration

13 Points

13 to 13 points

Conclusion provides a

complete summary of the

discussion and highlights key

points as well as a thoroughly

integrated biblical worldview

with at least 1 scripture

reference.

11 to 12 points

Conclusion provides a partial

summary of the discussion

and highlights at least one key

point and a partially integrated

biblical worldview with at least

1 scripture reference.

1 to 10 points

Conclusion present but does

not summarize discussion or

highlight key points and

either a reference to a

biblical worldview or no

scripture reference.

0 to 0 points

Not completed.

Structure ‐ 42

Points

Advanced

Proficient

Developing

Not present

Points

Earned

Mechanics,

Composition,

Grammar, Word

Count

21 Points

20 to 21 points

Mechanics, Composition, 3 or

more Lean Six Sigma Tools &

Word Count is thorough

(2400-3000 words).

18 to 19 points

Mechanics, Composition, 2

Lean Six Sigma Tools & Word

Count is satisfactory (+/- 2%).

1 to 17 points

Mechanics, Composition, at

least 1 Lean Six Sigma Tool

& Word Count is insufficient

(+/- 3-4%).

0 to 0 points

There are many errors

in mechanics,

composition, grammar,

no Lean Six Sigma

Tools, or Word Count

(>4% diff).

APA Format,

Structure, &

References and

Citations

21 Points

20 to 21 points

Proper cover page and

section headings included.

Met all of the required

formatting. References

exceed requirements in

number and quality and/or

most statements are

supported by a variety of

citations.

18 to 19 points

Proper cover page and

section headings included.

Met most of the required

formatting. References meet

requirements in number and

quality and/or many

statements are supported by a

variety of citations.

1 to 17 points

No cover page and/or section

headings included. Met some

required formatting.

References do not meet

requirements in number and

quality and/or some

statements are supported by

a variety of citations.

0 to 0 points

No structure or

formatting provided.

Missing references

and/or citations are

rare, repetitious or non-

existent.

Total Points

/140

Instructor Comments:

236

nt. J. Productivity and Quality Management, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2016

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases: a literature review

K. Srinivasan*

Department of Mechanical Engineering,

Adhiyamaan College of Engineering,

Hosur – 635 109, India

Email: [email protected]

*Corresponding author

S. Muthu

Department of Mechanical Engineering,

Dr. N.G.P Institute of Technology,

Coimbatore – 641 048, India

Email: smuthu231155@gmail.com

S.R. Devadasan

Department of Production Engineering,

PSG College of Technology,

Coimbatore – 641 004, India

Email: devadasan[email protected]

C. Sugumaran

Department of Mechanical Engineering,

Salem College of Engineering and Technology,

Salem – 636 111, India

Email: mailsugum[email protected]

Abstract: In this paper, the details of a literature review carried out to examine

the application of DMAIC (stands for define, measure, analyse, improve and

control) in companies to achieve the goals of Six Sigma concept are presented.

While conducting this literature review, the papers containing DMAIC in their

titles were gathered and studied. The outcomes of the researches reported in

these papers have confirmed that, DMAIC is the model compatible for

nourishing the benefits of Six Sigma concept in manufacturing, service and

unconventional sectors. An important inference drawn at the end of conducting

this literature review is that, the investigations on applying DMAIC in an

unconventional sector are yet to begin widely and intensively. In this

background, this paper is concluded by suggesting the future researchers to

examine the application of DMAIC in several unconventional sectors.

Keywords: Six Sigma; define, measure, analyse, improve and control;

DMAIC; belt-based training; literature review; project charter; cause and effect

diagram.

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 237

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Srinivasan, K., Muthu, S.,

Devadasan, S.R. and Sugumaran, C. (2016) ‘Six Sigma through DMAIC

phases: a literature review’, Int. J. Productivity and Quality Management,

Vol. 17, No. 2, pp.236–257.

Biographical notes: K. Srinivasan is currently an Associate Professor in the

Mechanical Engineering Department of Adhiyamaan College of Engineering,

Hosur, India. He holds a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering and a Master in

Computer Aided Design, which he obtained from University of Madras, India.

He has 19 years of teaching experience. His research interests include total

productive maintenance, quality function deployment and Six Sigma concepts.

S. Muthu is currently Professor and Dean in the Mechanical Engineering

Department of Dr. N.G.P Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India. He

obtained his Bachelor in Production Engineering and his Master in Industrial

Engineering from University of Madras, India. He has 33 years of teaching and

research experience. He received his PhD degree from Bharathiyar University

in the year 2003. He has published over 15 papers in international journals. His

areas of research interest include total productive maintenance, work systems

engineering, total quality management, benchmarking and risk management.

S.R. Devadasan is currently a Professor in the Production Engineering

Department of PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India. He holds a

Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering, a Master in Industrial Engineering, a PhD

in Mechanical Engineering and a DSc in Mechanical Engineering. He has

24 years of teaching and research experience. He has published over 120 papers

in international journals. He is an editorial advisory board member in the

European Journal of Innovation Management, UK. His areas of research

interest include strategic quality management, total productive maintenance,

productivity engineering and management, agile manufacturing, business

process reengineering, innovation management and risk management.

C. Sugumaran is currently Professor and Dean in the Mechanical Engineering

Department of Salem College of Engineering and Technology, Salem, India.

He obtained his Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering from Bharathiyar

University, India. He obtained his Master in Production Engineering from

Annamalai University, India. He has 19 years of teaching experience. His

research interests include total productive maintenance, benchmarking and

quality function deployment.

1 Introduction

Modern organisations are trying hard to improve their overall performance to face the

ever increasing intensity of competition (Prashar, 2014; Natarajan et al., 2011a, 2011b).

While carrying out this task, modern organisations are striving to apply appropriate

strategies in all of their endeavours (Sugumaran et al., 2013; Cesarotti and Spada, 2009;

Vassilakis and Besseris, 2009; Ahuja and Khamba, 2008b; Pramod et al., 2008). One of

the strategies that has been finding wide and deep applications in modern organisations is

‘continuous quality improvement’ (Pramod and Devadasan, 2011; Pramod et al., 2010).

In order to deploy this strategy, organisations have been applying ‘total quality

238

. Srinivasan et al.

management (TQM)’ (Vassilakis and Besseris, 2009; Arca and Prado, 2008). While

applying TQM, organisations have adopted and applied numerous utilities under the

names ‘techniques’, ‘tools’, ‘methods’ and ‘systems’ (Sugumaran et al., 2013; Agus and

Hajinoor, 2012; Marksberry, 2012; Sankaran et al., 2008a, 2008b). Most of these utilities

have facilitated the modern organisations to achieve ‘continuous quality improvement’

(Sugumaran et al., 2013; Breja et al., 2011; Pramod and Devadasan, 2011; Ahmed and

Amagoh, 2010; Pramod et al., 2010, 2008; Cesarotti and Spada, 2009; Vassilakis and

Besseris, 2009; Ahuja and Khamba, 2008a). However, seldom these utilities have

enabled the organisations to achieve profitability. In order to bring out profitability

through the implementation of TQM, in Motorola, Six Sigma model was developed

(Jirasukprasert et al., 2014; Kumaravadivel and Natarajan, 2013; Chakraborty and Chuan,

2013).

Six Sigma concept facilitates to achieve nearly ‘zero defect manufacturing’ and

garner high profit (Kumaravadivel and Natarajan, 2013; Antony et al., 2012). Six Sigma

concept permits the organisations to make mistakes less than 3.4 defects per million

opportunities (DPMO). In order to achieve this goal, two approaches are followed. One is

that, the projects leading to the defect prevention are to be carried out in the organisation

by applying define, measure, analyse, improve and control (DMAIC) phases

(Jirasukprasert et al., 2014; Prashar, 2014; Kumaravadivel and Natarajan, 2013; Sarkar

et al., 2013; Antony et al., 2012; Cheng and Kuan, 2012; Mast and Lokkerbol, 2012;

Franchetti and Yanik, 2011; Roth and Franchetti, 2010). The other approach is the

imparting of formal training by assigning designations as champion, master black belt,

black belt, green belt and white belt (Chakraborty and Chuan, 2013; Marques et al., 2013;

Tjahjono et al., 2010; Kumar et al., 2008a) to the personnel. This method of imparting

formal training is also known as belt-based training infrastructure.

The capability of Six Sigma concept in facilitating organisations to garner high profit

attracted many quality managers. As a result, Six Sigma was first implemented in many

leading companies like general electric and allied signals (Jirasukprasert et al., 2014;

Chakraborty and Chuan, 2013; Pepper and Spedding, 2010). Today, Six Sigma is widely

applied in many parts of the world (Jirasukprasert et al., 2014; Kumaravadivel and

Natarajan, 2013; Chakraborty and Chuan, 2013). However, the conduct of belt-based

training is so expensive that it prevents the implementation of Six Sigma in the

companies with meagre revenue. In order to overcome this situation, during the recent

years, researchers and practitioners have been examining the way of implementing

DMAIC only to implement Six Sigma program in companies (Jirasukprasert et al., 2014).

Few researches dealing with the application of DMAIC in achieving the goals of Six

Sigma have been reported in literature arena. It is very prudent to study the nature and

outcome of these researches, as this study will be useful to evolve economical and

powerful DMAIC-based Six Sigma models. In order to fulfil this requirement, the

literature review reported in this paper was carried out.

2 Methodology

The literature review being reported here was carried out in three steps. In the first step,

the papers whose titles contain the phrase DMAIC were downloaded from the websites of

leading databases namely Emerald Insight (http://www.emeraldinsight.com), Science

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 239

Direct (http://www.sciencedirect.com), Springerlink (http://www.springerlink.com) and

Taylor and Francis (http://www.tandf.co.uk). On overviewing these papers, it was

realised that DMAIC has been applied in three domains. In the first domain, the DMAIC

has been applied in manufacturing sectors (Jirasukprasert et al., 2014; Ghosh and Maiti,

2014; Kumaravadivel and Natarajan, 2013; Kumar et al., 2013; Kaushik et al., 2012;

Li et al., 2011; Kumar and Sosnoski, 2009; Chen et al., 2009; Lo et al., 2009; Tong et al.,

2004). In the second domain, the DMAIC has been applied in service sectors (Mayer,

2014; Yu and Ueng, 2012; Antony et al., 2012; Chen et al., 2012; Kumar, 2012; Southard

et al., 2012; Kumar et al., 2009, 2008a, 2008b). In the third domain, the DMAIC has been

applied in unconventional sectors (He et al., 2014; Franchetti and Yanik, 2011; Kaushik

and Khanduja, 2009; Yeh et al., 2007). In the second step of the literature review being

reported here, the above papers were segregated into three categories addressing the

researches on applying DMAIC under the above mentioned three domains. After that,

these papers were studied and extracts were drawn about applying DMAIC in the above

three domains. In the third step of the literature review being reported here, the

information and knowledge derived by studying these papers were used to identify future

direction of research. The details of these activities are presented in the following

sections of this paper.

3 Statistics

As mentioned earlier, before beginning the literature review being reported here, the

papers whose titles contained the phrase ‘DMAIC’ were gathered. Twenty-three such

papers containing DMAIC in the titles could be identified. This number is very small

compared to the large number of papers reporting the researches on Six Sigma that have

been reported in the literature arena (Antony and Desai, 2009). As mentioned in the

previous section, these papers were classified under the three domains in which the

implementation of DMAIC is addressed. The statistics of these three categories of papers

is shown in Figure 1. As shown, nearly equal number of papers reporting the applications

of DMAIC in manufacturing and service sectors have appeared in the literature arena.

Little less than half the number of papers reporting the application of DMAIC in

unconventional sectors have appeared. The information and knowledge gathered by

reviewing these papers have been described in the following three sections.

4 DMAIC in manufacturing sectors

As shown in Figure 1, ten papers reporting the application of DMAIC in manufacturing

sector were reviewed during the literature review being reported here. The extracts

derived by conducting this literature review are presented in this section.

Jirasukprasert et al. (2014) reported the implementation of DMAIC methodology for

reducing defects in rubber gloves manufacturing process. In define phase, the problem

was identified. This problem was that, a large amount of rubber gloves had been rejected

by the customers due to defective gloves. In measure phase, the defects were measured,

and the gloves that more leaking and dirty were identified. Furthermore, the Pareto

240

. Srinivasan et al.

analysis was carried out to identify the complaints that were most frequently reported by

the customers. The present level of sigma was found to be 2.4 with 1,95,095 DPMO. In

analyse phase, ‘oven’s temperature’ and ‘conveyor speed’ were identified as the critical

to quality (CTQ) parameters of manufacturing gloves. In improve phase, the design of

experiment (DOE) was conducted to identify the best oven’s temperature and the best

conveyor speed. The analysis of the results of these experiments indicated that, the best

oven’s temperature would be 230°C and best conveyor speed would be 650 rpm. In the

control phase, the trial run was conducted with best values of the CTQ parameters. As a

result of applying the best values of CTQ parameters in the manufacturing of gloves, the

quantity of gloves leaking was reduced by 50%. The reduction of DPMO was achieved

from 1,95,095 to 83,750, and sigma level improvement from 2.4 to 2.9 was observed.

Figure 1 Statistics of papers reporting researches on DMAIC

Ghosh and Maiti (2014) proposed a data mining driven DMAIC framework for

improving quality of the casting of six-cylinder engine head. During the define phase, it

was found that, the rejection and rework of the casting of six-cylinder engine head were

more than 20%. The company set the objective to reduce the total defect rate by these

castings to less than 5% within six months. A process map was drawn to identify the

influential factors. During the measure phase, the cost of poor quality (COPQ) was

calculated to estimate the impact of casting defects on business profit. This estimation

revealed that, the annual extrapolated total COPQ was more than Indian National Rupees

(INR) 31 million (US $0.54 million). Pareto chart was drawn to identify the major

defects. The study of this chart revealed that, results of 80% of rejections were caused

due to gas porosity. Further, the conducting of brainstorming sessions indicated that, gas

defects originated from four functions namely

1 core making

2 wash application

3 melting and pouring

4 gating and venting.

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 241

In analysis phase, two data mining-based tools called ‘classification and regression tree’

(CART) and ‘chi-squared automatic interaction and detection’ (CHAID) were applied to

identify the most significant factors causing gas defects in casting. Four parameters

namely

1 horizontal drill vents

2 pouring temperature

3 zircon wash source

4 core sand type

were found to be influencing the most on the gas defect generation. In improve phase,

remedial actions were determined. The recommendations were made to

1 use zircon wash source B

2 use coarser core sand

3 apply pouring temperature between 1,445°C and 1,450°C

4 run the process without horizontal drill vents.

In control phase, the continuous monitoring of processing stage was carried out for

15 days to identify the process behaviour after the actions were taken. It was observed

that, the gas defect has been reduced significantly. The annual savings were calculated to

be INR 16 million (US $0.28 million).

Kumaravadivel and Natarajan (2013) carried out a research to reduce the defects

while manufacturing the casting of flywheel by using DMAIC methodology. The tools

used during the pursuance of this research were process map, cause and effect diagram

and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA). The influential factors which cause the defects

in the casting process were found to be the moisture content, green strength, permeability

and loss of ignition. These factors were analysed by using the response surface

methodology (RSM) technique. The primary objective of pursuing this research was to

reduce the unhidden waste and improve the quality by examining the human as well as

the technical factors. During the define phase, it was found that, 6.94% of the casting of

the flywheels manufactured were rejected. The reasons for rejecting these castings were

attributed to sand inclusions, blow holes and slag. In measure phase, the supplier, input,

process, output and customer (SIPOC) diagram was drawn to map the flywheel

casting process. Subsequently, voice of customer (VOC) was applied to identify CTQ

parameters. The intensiveness of these CTQ parameters was checked by considering

these variables under the names ‘key process input variables’ (KPIV) and ‘key process

output variables’ (KPOV). At the end of this phase, Pareto diagram was drawn. This

diagram indicated that, blow holes, slag and sand inclusion caused 24, 36 and 40% of

defects respectively in the total defects in the casting of the flywheel. These three defects

were considered for overcoming the same and improving the quality of flywheel casting

process. During this phase, the sigma value was found to be 3.49. During analyse phase,

cause and effect matrix, FMEA and cause and effect diagram were used to identify KPIV

and KPOV against the selected CTQ parameters. During the execution of improve phase,

RSM and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied to determine the solutions for

achieving quality improvement of flywheel casting process. At the end of executing this

phase, 15 remedial actions were suggested to improve the quality of flywheel casting

242

. Srinivasan et al.

process. In improve phase, the significant factors were controlled by using the RSM to

make the process as robust as possible. In the control phase, the solutions evolved in the

previous phase were applied in practice. This application resulted in the decreasing of the

rejection level from 6.94% to 4.69% and increase in the sigma level from 3.49 to 3.65.

Kumar et al. (2013) investigated the DMAIC approach in reducing the variation and

increasing the sigma level of the casting process in the foundry. In define phase, the

defects currently occurring in the foundry were determined through VOC. The CTQ was

evaluated by using VOC, process flow diagram and brainstorming technique. In measure

phase, the current sigma level of the casting process in the foundry was found to be 3.18.

The objective was to increase the sigma level of the process by reducing the occurrence

of the defects by carrying out this research. In the analysis phase, the data collected from

the different treatment conditions as fixed by making use of the orthogonal array (OA)

have been analysed by using the Taguchi’s parameter design approach. In improve phase,

the factors that influence the occurrence of the casting defects were identified. Then, the

corresponding signal to noise ratio for all the trial runs were calculated. In the control

phase, the optimal factors and levels were maintained consistently by generating the

control plan for the optimal factors and levels to control the variation within the

confidence interval. Overall, by pursuing this research, the efficiency and performance of

the casting process in the foundry were increased by using the DMAIC approach.

Kaushik et al. (2012) reported that, the implementation of Six Sigma methodology in

small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) by using DMAIC as a tool to control the

variation in the processing stages of the product. The DMAIC methodology was applied

to solve the high rejection of bushes in bi-cycle chain assembly. In define phase, process

map and a SIPOC diagram were developed to document the manufacturing sequence of

bush and to identify the process or product for achieving improvement. In measure phase,

gauge ‘repeatability and reproducibility’ (R and R) was conducted to ensure that, the

measurement system is statistically sound. The result of this study indicated that, the

micrometer used was facilitating accurate measurement values. In the analysis phase, the

data gathered during the measure phase were analysed to identify the basic cause of the

major rejection of bushes. The process capability chart was drawn by grouping up the

samples into five. The sigma level was found to be 1.4. In order to increase the sigma

level, the cause and effect diagram was used to identify the causes and CTQ which

caused the rejection of the bushes. In improve phase, the two CTQs were considered to

design 2 × 2 DOE, which was conducted for two replications. In control phase, the X/R

chart was plotted by making the trial runs with a sample size 100. The results shown in

this chart indicated that, the process was within the control limit. After the

implementation of DMAIC phases in this bicycle manufacturing unit, the sigma level

increased from 1.40 to 5.46. In the end, the application of DMAIC in this company gave

rise to the annual monetary savings of INR 0.288 million.

Li et al. (2011) reported the application of DMAIC methodology for improving the

efficiency of information technology (IT) help desk service quality through eHelp-desk

system of the Compal Company in Taiwan. In define phase, it was found that, the IT help

desk system needed improvement since the average processing time was as high as

168 minutes, and also the processors were unable to handle the multiple requests at a

time. In measure phase, it was measured that, 74% of the processing time accounted for

the data transfer through personal computer (PC), electronic network and e-mail. The

SIPOC diagram was drawn to determine the time between the submission of the request

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 243

by the users and processing of the requests by the helpdesk. From the process capability

chart, it was found that, the current sigma level of the company was 0.84. In analyse

phase, it was confirmed that the waiting time accounted for 79% of the total processing

time. In improve phase, the solution conception (eHelp-desk system) was developed by

using the cause and effect diagram. The eHelp-desk system was generated and

implemented. In control phase, the performance of the IT help-desk system was assessed

by drawing data by supplying a questionnaire among the users. The eHelp-desk system

showed a drastic improvement in sigma level from 0.84 to 2.07. The waiting time was

reduced from 131 to 71 minutes and also the monetary savings of New Taiwan Dollars

(NTD) 26,856 per month was achieved.

Chen et al. (2009) have reported a research in which, DMAIC phases were applied to

determine the optimum process parameters while using the plasma-cutting machine. This

research was conducted in an electrical switchboard manufacturing company. In define

phase, brainstorming sessions were conducted to investigate the deviations encountered

in the process of making hole by using the plasma-cutting machine. It was found out that,

deviations in the bevelling and roundness in the hole were the bottlenecks that prevented

the hardware to fit the switchboard. All possible causes of making defective holes while

using plasma cutting machine were depicted in cause and effect diagram. In measure and

analysis phases, the Taguchi experiments were carried out to evolve solutions for

preventing the occurrence of bevel and smallest diameter deviations. The optimum values

of the parameters were found out. Subsequently, response graphs were drawn. Then t-test

was conducted. Using this test, the significance of the factors was examined. In improve

phase, a confirmation test was conducted by applying the solutions evolved in the

previous phase. The examination of the holes cut by applying these solutions indicated

that, the bevelness and roundness deviation fell within the admissible levels. In control

phase, the details of parameters and their optimum values were informed to the

production department of the company. The Six Sigma team of this department was

required to apply these values in real time practice. If necessary, the real-time Taguchi

experiments would have to be conducted further to reduce bevelness and roundness

deviations.

Kumar and Sosnoski (2009) have concentrated on reducing the amount of the warp

incurred in the Amada-A station punches during the heat treatment process by applying

DMAIC phases. In define phase, Pareto analysis was conducted to identify the defects

occurred in punches. This analysis indicated that, the occurrence of warped parts was a

major problem to be overcome. After identification of the problem, the project charter

containing problem statement and project objective statement was developed. In measure

phase, the process capability analysis, descriptive statistics and histogram were used to

determine the present quality levels. Particularly, during this phase, the defects per

million were determined as 1,350. In the analysis phase, cause and effect diagram was

drawn to depict CTQs and the causes of the warp forming in the punches. In improve

phase, the common and special causes were differentiated. Further, their interactions

between the factors were determined. This differentiation facilitated the redesigning of

fixture to eliminate the warp formation in the punches. In the control phase, the hanging

parts were produced using the newly designed punches. In some cases, warpage was still

prevalent on using the newly designed punches. However, the quantum of warpage

encountered was less compared to those that are currently occurring. The cost saving due

to the reduction of the occurrence of the warp formation on using the new fixture was

estimated to be two million dollars.

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Lo et al. (2009) reported the implementation of DMAIC approach for improving the

quality of injection-moulded optical lenses. In define phase, the surface performance

quality of lenses were identified. The optical performances of the systems are based on

the image forming capability of an optical system. The actual image of an object is

compared with the ideal image (referred to as image forming capability). In measure

phase, the process capability index was calculated by referring to the surface contour

measurement data to identify the most significant characteristics of moulded lenses. The

surface precision using ‘waviness or peak-to-valley’ (PV) value was measured in the

moulded lenses. In the analysis phase, the data were analysed. Because of poor PV

values, the lens was thicker at its centre. The cause and effect diagram was drawn to

depict the significant processing parameters namely melt temperature, screw speed,

injection speed, injection pressure, packing time, mould temperature and cooling time.

The Taguchi method of DOE was conducted for identifying the most significant

parameters with the corresponding optimal combinations. The objective was to minimise

the waviness of lenses based upon the optimal conditions. In improve phase, the optimal

parameters were implemented and as a result, the capability index enhanced from 0.57 to

1.75, and the Six Sigma target was achieved. In the control phase, the continuous pursuit

for determining the optimal combinations was illustrated with the help of control plan

and consistently monitoring the process capability to retain the fruitful improvement in

the mould shop.

Tong et al. (2004) presented a case study in which the quality of printed circuit board

(PCB) was improved by applying the DMAIC approach. In define phase, the solder paste

volume (height) on the solder pads of the screening process was identified as CTQ

characteristic. In measure phase, the Cyberoptics Cybersentry system was used to

measure the solder paste height on five PCBs for every four hours. Subsequently, the

solder paste height data were recorded in the statistical process control (SPC) data record

sheet by the operators. Further, X-R control chart was plotted. In analyse phase, the

process capability for solder paste height in all six semi-automatic screening machines

was analysed against the current printing performance. In improve phase, DOE was

conducted to determine the optimal settings of all CTQ factors in the screening process.

The parameters considered while conducting DOE were solder paste viscosity, speed of

squeegee, pressure of the squeegee, age of stencil, solder paste volume, blade type and

side of the stencil. In the control phase, the control strategies were recommended to

sustain the improvement of the sigma level in the screening process. The sigma level of

the screening process could be improved from 1.162 to 5.924. Thus, the Six Sigma level

was nearly achieved.

On the whole, the authors of the above papers have claimed that the application of

DMAIC resulted in an increase of sigma values in the performance of the manufacturing

companies in which case studies have been conducted. Some authors have also pointed

out that, DMAIC application facilitates to achieve substantial financial savings.

5 DMAIC in service sectors

As shown in Figure 1, nine papers reporting the application of DMAIC in service sectors

could be overcome during the literature review being reported here. The extracts derived

by reviewing these papers are presented in this section.

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 245

Mayer (2014) reported a case study to report the achievement of the increase in

efficiency and reduction in the instructor time spent while conducting patient education

classes through the implementation of DMAIC approach in healthcare. In define phase,

the project team was set up to identify the goal and business needs. The objective was to

increase the number of patients attending each class session and reduce the number of

class sessions taught. The topics covered in the classes were temporomandibular disorder

(TMD), blood pressure and chronic kidney disease stage 4 (CKD4). The stakeholders

were the resource centre’s administrators, management personnel, instructor team,

resource centre staff, patients and healthcare providers. The project team interviewed

several patients and gathered data to assess the patients’ satisfactory level. During the

measure phase, it was found out that, the class attendance formed a baseline record for

gathering data regarding the number of patients attended along with class sessions held

for the past three quarters prior to interviewing the patients. In analyse phase, the project

team was asked to assess the processing stages to identify the factors that cause decreased

satisfaction or quality of service offered. The project team analysed the viability

of performing small group teaching on each class topic by considering patient

confidentiality, diagnosis and difficulties on combining the patients. The project team

also investigated the hurdles of combining patients of different categories and that the

sessions which are not fruitful due to the delivery of inappropriate lectures. The project

team called the experts to train the instructors for handling small group teaching to

overcome these deficiencies. The team investigated the woes faced by conducting small

group teaching due to provider referral. The team continuously monitored the classes and

realised that, a small group teaching was ineffective in moving forward the individual

sessions. In improve phase, the action was taken to change the scheduling rules for TMD,

CKD4 and blood pressure class sessions to allow more than one patient for registration.

The project team also monitored the class sessions and data about the participants over

second and third quarters of 2012. In control phase, the project team found out that, the

group teaching on CKD4 class sessions was ineffective. Hence, CKD4 class session had

to be changed to adopt individual teaching procedure. Thus, the project team could not

find the right path to perform small group teaching.

Yu and Ueng (2012) proposed a case study on embarking the teaching effectiveness

in higher educational institutions (HEIs) by applying DMAIC phases. In define phase, the

stakeholders and experts created a list of valid attributes to form a questionnaire that

would facilitate to find out the attributes which are said to be vital for evaluating the

instructors’ teaching performance. In measure phase, teaching performance indicator

(TPI) was proposed to measure the performance of each attribute by evaluating the

questionnaire using the five-point Likert’s scale. The imperative and influential attributes

were niched through importance rating to identify the satisfaction level among students

and instructors. In analyse phase, a modified approach of importance performance

analysis (IPA) called teaching effectiveness analysis matrix (TEAM) was used to

evaluate the teaching performance level that met the HEIs’ expectation level (HEIs’

expectation level is 0.80). The possible factors causing the teaching problems were

identified through cause and effect diagram that had high importance rating on teaching

effectiveness in HEI. In improve phase, a number of improvement methods were

suggested against the identified factors to achieve higher teaching effectiveness in the

selected school. In control phase, the effectiveness of these improvements was verified

over a period after execution of improvement actions. The verification revealed the

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achievement of the improvements by making use of the documented standard operating

procedures to sustain the teaching effectiveness in HEI.

Antony et al. (2012) investigated and streamlined the communication and information

management (CIM) system by using the DMAIC phases of Six Sigma methodology in an

infrastructure support company to increase the quality of service. In define phase, the

major processes and the customer requirement were identified by using the Six Sigma

tools namely the SIPOC, VOC and affinity diagram. The SIPOC was used to identify the

basic relationship between the processing stages namely the supplier, input, process,

output and customer. The VOC data were collected from the employees, and the same

were analysed to check whether the requirements of the customer were satisfied, and the

flaws in the process were reduced. The affinity diagram was used to convert the

unstructured data into the structured ones to identify the solution for the problem. In

measure phase, the major KPOV were identified based on which the gauge R and R study

was conducted. The initial step started with the identification of defects in the process by

constructing the CTQ tree and conducting the VOC analysis. The major metrics

identified while constructing the CTQ tree were completeness, correctness and

timeliness. Based on the collected data, the Pareto chart was drawn to identify the major

factors which impacted the CTQ factors. The correctness and completeness of the CIM

system were the major CTQ factors. In the analysis phase, the data that were collected

from the previous phase were identified, and the same were analysed to identify the

causes. The cause and effect diagram was plotted to depict the causes under the title, data,

communication methods, measurements and people. These causes were identified by

conducting brainstorming sessions and applying the multi-voting methodology. Survey

was conducted among the 30 internal employees in the concern, and the corresponding

ratings were given by making use of the Likert’s scale. In improve phase, the solution for

the problem was identified by deriving the information from the previous measure and

analysis phases. This exercise was started with the mapping of the process flow by which

the non-value adding activities were removed to make the process effective. Further, it

was suggested to effect centralised information flow and automation in CIM system. In

the control phase, the vital steps were considered to standardise, monitor and integrate the

changes. In order to carry out this task, standard operating procedures (SOP) were

developed. Further, the control charts were drawn to control the deviation in the future.

Chen et al. (2012) conducted a study on the usage of credit card in Taiwan. The

objective was to reduce the financial risk involved during the registration of the credit

card review process along with the identification of the normal and the default customers

by using DMAIC methodology. In define phase, the major concern faced by the banking

industry during the credit card review process was identified using the decision tree. The

details of the customer were collected from customer relationship management (CRM)

desk and analysed to identify the current trend in the banking industry along with the

differentiation of normal and the faulty customers. In measure phase, the data were

collected from different banks about the credit card review process. The rules were

created for collecting data, which were to be precised, completed and correlated. These

data were used for identifying the normal and the faulty customers. In the analysis phase,

the credit card basic data variable chart was developed, and the questionnaires were

included in the chart. The feedback from the chart was evaluated by using the three

models namely ‘non-group’, ‘the training and testing group’ and ‘the crossover group’.

Initially, the evaluation was carried out by using the non-group model to plot the decision

tree which indicated optimal data at each and every point of the credit card review

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 247

process whose accuracy level was above 75%. In improve phase, the cross-over

evaluation was carried out on the feedback by referring to the variable chart for finding

the degree of correlation between the nodes of the tree. The results of the decision tree

were framed as the rules that were followed to identify the normal and the faulty

customers. In this case, the following findings were made:

• high yearly income persons had the consistent and robust repaying capabilities than

the low-income people

• females had lower bad debt ratio than males

• the old persons had less desirability over the credit card compared to young people

and students

• married persons had less desirability over bachelors

• the persons with high educational background had higher repaying capability.

In the control phase, the decision tree rules were followed to find the differentiation

between the normal and the faulty customers.

Kumar (2012) reported the application of DMAIC in preventing disruptions occurring

due to the avian flu on global operations. Wal-Mart (retail sector) and Dell computers

(manufacturing sector) supply chain systems were selected for this study. In define phase,

the products were delivered to Wal-Mart from Asia and China. The avian flu began

spreading from China to Hong Kong, Canada, Africa, Asia and Europe. In measure

phase, disruptions that occurred due to the avian flu in the supply chain process were

measured. A situation analysis was conducted by using Decision Focus software on

disruptions that occurred due to the avian flu in Wal-Mart and Dell computers supply

chain. This process is a tool to solve issues that are broad and complex and has multiple

causes and effects that cannot be resolved by carrying out one action. In the analysis

phase, FMEA was used to manage supply chain risk. The result of conducting FMEA

indicated that, failures were wider if risks were not managed effectively. Dell computer’s

and Wal-Mart’s supply chains were examined by conducting FMEA. In improve phase,

the measures were proposed for supply chain improvements. These measures are listed as

follows:

• continuous operation plan reviewing and carrying out vendor capability assessments

• defining preventive measures in an operational action plan

• ensuring business continuity in case of epidemic problem

• drawing better practices from experts and other business firms

• encouraging the trust and openness culture

• educating to understand the symptoms and risks

• educating to acquire preparedness talent for facing emergency

• encouraging the trust and implementing better public health policies in workplaces

In control phase, the control measures were recommended as follows:

• continuous monitoring and identification of infected members

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• sending of infected members to their homes

• encouraging teleconferences and avoiding direct meetings

• encouraging employees’ hygienic state

• introducing electronic transfers and avoiding document transfers

• vaccination of employees, suppliers and distributors.

Southard et al. (2012) reported a case study involving the application of radio frequency

identification (RFID) in healthcare through DMAIC phases. In define phase, the CTQ

parameters were identified. These CTQ parameters were ‘identification of the patients’

and ‘availability of the facilities’. In measure phase, cycle time of individual tasks,

overall throughput time of the process, cost of providing the procedures, utilisation of the

resources and reduction in errors in the existing system were measured. The current state

of value stream map (VSM) was also analysed. The problems were identified as improper

procedures and sterilisation which occurred prior to, during, and between surgeries. It

was aimed to overcome these problems by achieving process improvement using RFID

technology. In the analysis phase, the way of incorporating RFID in order to improve the

system was examined. Simulation model was developed to analyse the incorporation of

RFID. The focus in this study was to estimate the difference in overall time and costs

associated with and without RFID in the healthcare system. In improve phase, the

theoretical implementation of RFID to the process under study was investigated by

simulating those processes as if that technology were in place. The model with RFID

showed the potential to improve the performance of the outpatient surgical system. The

improved VSM was developed to eliminate non-value added activities. In the control

phase, policies and procedures to be put in place to achieve improvements were created.

It was emphasised that, the process must be continuously monitored and maintained to

retain the improved state. In the end, it was estimated that, annual cost savings would be

$1.93 million if the model with RFID was implemented.

Kumar et al. (2009) conducted a study on summer lodging operation and analysed the

service system in hotel industry. The objective was consistent to deliver high quality

service with improvised customer satisfaction by using the Six Sigma tools like service

blueprint, service quality (SERVQUAL), cause and effect diagram and Poka-yokes. In

define phase, the service blueprint was prepared for the whole process covering the entry

and exit of the customer during the business and non-business hours. The major problems

were that, the unavailability of lodging staff to greet and accommodate the customer and

also the unavailability of receptionist during the time of customer calling for a

reservation. In measure phase, these problems were evaluated by using the SERVQUAL

by obtaining the feedback from the customers. The questionnaires were prepared to

gather the expectation and perception of the information under the five main attributes

namely tangibles, responsiveness, reliability, assurance, and empathy. These attributes

were weighed according to the feedback received from an external customer. The sorting

was performed based on the feedback by using the gap score methodology. In analysis

phase, the major factors which impacted the reservation system and the customer

perception during the check-in and checkout in the lodging were identified. Initially, the

cause and effect diagram was drawn pertaining to the inferior customer service which

indicated the major causes as delinking of reservation system with online booking engine

and detracting of the customer preferences in the reservation section. In improve phase,

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 249

the online booking engine was introduced. The customer got their room reserved any

time during the day along with the recruitment of well trained persons to serve the

customers throughout their stay of time in the lodge. The working hours of the employees

with high perks and incentives were slightly increased for offering better service to the

customer. Further, the renovated blueprint was introduced in the reservation system along

with the customer services and preferences with the effective Poka-yokes in lodging for

achieving the customer satisfaction. In the control phase, the control plan, and SOPs were

generated to highly satisfy the customers while performing the reservation. Greetings of

the customer during their stay in lodging will gradually increase the sigma level in the

retail and leisure business.

Kumar et al. (2008a) proposed the improved service system design for the Best Buy

(a major consumer electronics and appliance retailer) using DMAIC approach in the

USA. The competitors to Best Buy are Wal-Mart, Costco and Circuit City. The products

sold by the Best Buy are electronic gadgets, movies, music, computers and electronic

appliances. Best Buy tries to differentiate from its competitor through offering higher

quality service to its customer. In order to improve its service, Best Buy conducted the

SERVQUAL survey to identify the areas lacking quality. In define phase, the ‘customers

and their priorities’, ‘customers’ need and feedback’ and CTQ characteristics that the

customer considered having the highest impact on quality were identified. In measure

phase, the processes and their performances were measured. The internal processes that

influence CTQs were identified, and the defects related to the processes were measured.

In analyse phase, the causes of the defects were determined and the variables that create

the process variation were identified. In improve phase, the methods to remove the cause

of defects, that cause the significant variation and their effects on the CTQs were

identified. The maximum acceptance ranges of the significant variables, a system for

measuring deviations of variables and modifying the process to stay within the acceptable

ranges were identified. In the control phase, the improvements to ensure the key variables

remain within the maximum acceptance ranges under the modified process were

sustained. The improved process will allow Best Buy to provide their customer with

reliable service and also retain the customers’ trust. It will attract the subsidiary of Best

Buy namely Geek Squad to gain more market shares in the electronics repair and

installation service industry.

Kumar et al. (2008b) analysed the credit card initiation in the financial industry by

applying DMAIC phases. The objective of this research was to increase the effectiveness

of the credit card initiation process by reducing the lead time of the approval from

20 days to the period of 15 days. In define phase, the major problems faced while

underwriting of the midmarket customers by the credit card initiation team in the

payment system unit division were defined. In measure phase, the one-shot diagram of

the credit card initiation process was plotted by using the previous five months data

drawn from the company database. The number of days required for a credit card

initiation process against all the mid-market requests in the financial services operation

was identified. In the analysis phase, the data collected from the previous phase were

analysed and picturised with the help of a bar chart. Out of 442 requests, nearly 190

requests took the lead time more than 20 days that should be reduced to 15 days. The

cause and effect diagram was drawn to depict the major causes. The sales team and

‘underwriting and approval team’ were found to play key roles in ensuring credit card

responses. In improve phase, the cause and effect diagram was drawn to depict the

failures that may occur in sales and approval stages. Subsequently, the Poka-yokes were

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recommended and implemented to overcome all the failures in the financial operations.

In the control phase, the changes were made in the processing stages of the sales

department. Furthermore, the direct review meetings were held with the sales manager

and credit manager to reduce the lead time in the credit initiation process in the financial

concern.

On the whole, the researches reported in the above papers have confirmed that,

DMAIC is a promising model for implementing Six Sigma in companies offering service

to the customers. Most of the authors of the above papers have presented models for

applying DMAIC in the service sector to appropriately utilise the tools of Six Sigma.

6 DMAIC in unconventional sectors

As shown in Figure 1, during the literature review being reported here, four papers

reporting the application of DMAIC in unconventional sectors could be encountered. The

extracts drawn by reviewing these papers are presented in this section.

He et al. (2014) reported a case study on reducing the voluntary turnover rate of

dispatched employees by using DMAIC methodology in a company situated in China. In

define phase, the project team consisting of employees from human resource (HR),

production planning and manufacturing department was formed. This team conducted a

survey and found that many dispatched employees were not satisfied with the salary,

frequent change of work schedules and obscure futures. This team set its goal as to

reduce the turnover rate from 2.5% to 1.5%. In measure phase, the team gathered the data

required for establishing the baseline of the project. The questionnaire was developed by

modifying Price’s causal model and weighing through a five-point Likert’s scale.

Measurement system analysis (MSA) was carried out to evaluate the quality and

reliability of data collected for finding the key factors of voluntary turnover. In analyse

phase, these factors were analysed and ranked through partial correlation analysis. The

results of this analysis revealed that, the salary and benefits were the most important

factors that affect the dispatched employees’ retention will. Converting opportunity and

job hunting were also the key factors influencing turnover. In improve phase, salary and

benefits, converting opportunities, rotation system, career development, training and

human care were found to be the significant factors for achieving improvement.

Brainstorming and mind mapping were conducted to choose the best solution for

reducing the turnover. The team suggested and implemented the increase of salary by

12.5%, increase of the converting number by 30%, military and regular training, regular

sports activity, offering of birthday and festival gifts. A pilot run was conducted, and its

results showed a drastic decrease in turnover rate from 2.5% to 1.4% and also the gaining

of considerable savings in recruiting and training costs. In control phase, the project team

provided the necessary suggestions to sustain the achieved improvement by continuous

monitoring of the same.

Franchetti and Yanik (2011) reported the implementation of lean DMAIC Six Sigma

approach in a company to reduce costs and achieve continuous improvement. In define

phase, the objective was set to increase the capacity by 10% and reduce the cost by 15%

by employing brainstorming technique, conducting the CTQ analysis and defining the

scope. In measure phase, the SIPOC diagram was drawn to measure the manufacturing

capacity and operating costs to establish the Six Sigma metrics namely the process cycle

time, weekly operating costs, value addition and material handling flows/costs. In

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 251

analysis phase, the data collected from the previous phase was evaluated by using the Six

Sigma tools namely VSM, Pareto analysis, root cause analysis and FMEA to identify the

significant factors which influenced the CTQ. Pareto analysis was conducted to

determine the largest contributors to cost overruns. This analysis indicated that, over 60%

of the problems occurred due to the lack of standard procedures and monitoring

mechanisms. 30% of the problems occurred due to the inefficiency of the existing layout.

The FMEA was conducted to identify the major failure modes, potential effects, severity,

occurrences and detection. The CTQs were analysed and listed by referring to the risk

priority number (RPN) rating. In improve phase, the improvement proposals were

suggested. These proposals included the implementation of supermarket and Kanban,

rationalisation of the layout, monitoring the labour utilisation, standardisation and

documentation of all processes through the conduct of brainstorming sessions.

Furthermore, the computerised relative allocation facility technique (CRAFT) was

employed to design new layouts to reduce the cost. In control phase, the system was

developed to monitor and sustain the improvement proposals. The improvements were

achieved through the development of SOP, training and daily progress tracking of all the

employees in the facility. The log books were maintained in the work centre to record the

key metrics. After the implementation of the improvement proposals, the sigma level

increased and the operating cost of the process reduced steeply.

Kaushik and Khanduja (2009) reported the application of DMAIC approach in a

thermal power plant. In define phase, the objective was to eliminate the unwanted usage

of demineralised (DM) water in the thermal power plant that will increase the expenses.

The reduction of consumption of DM water in thermal power plant was selected as CTQ.

Furthermore, a process map was drawn for DM water consumption to define the

customer requirements and identify the project goals. In measure phase, the DM water

flow was measured using a flow meter. A gauge R and R study was carried out by using

another flow meter. In the analysis phase, based on the data collected using the flow

meter, the process capability analysis was drawn for the DM water consumption. The

cause and effect diagram was drawn to show the possible causes of the problem. The

actual DM water wastage from different points was measured. In improve phase,

brainstorming sessions were conducted to address the problems and identify the vital

factors through screening and understanding the correlation of the vital factors. In the

control phase, the optimum usage of the DM water level was identified and controlled

with the help of the control plan along with the work instruction sheet. In the end, the

sigma level increased from –0.75 to 1.63 and the annual cost saving of INR 296.09 lakhs

was achieved.

Yeh et al. (2007) have presented the method of evaluating the performance of

supply chain management (SCM) based on DMAIC process through fuzzy linguistic

computing (FLC) model. In define phase, the characteristics namely effectiveness,

rapidity, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction to withstand intensified competition

were identified as SCM goals. The objective was to modify the two-tuple FLC model by

utilising geometric operator and modifying symbolic translation functions. In measure

phase, in order to improve the consistency, an algorithm namely two-tuple technique was

introduced. The criteria namely weighting identification and performance appraisal were

ranked. In the analysis phase, the outcome of the process was analysed using two-tuple

FLC model. The aggregated outcomes could be easily compared, and analysed against

each criterion and sub-criterion to examine the capability of FLC model. In improve

phase, the optimal improvement strategy to accelerate the performance of the suppliers in

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SCM system was evolved. In the control phase, the continuous monitoring processes and

response plan developments were executed through the modified FLC model for

evaluating the performance of SCM.

On the whole, the researches reported in the above papers have confirmed that,

DMAIC is a compatible model for achieving the goals of Six Sigma not only in

manufacturing and service sectors, but also in other sectors.

7 Inferences

The review of papers mentioned in the previous three sections was useful to draw the

following inferences.

• DMAIC is a suitable model for implementing in all types of organisations.

• Even in the absence of belt-based training infrastructure, a Six Sigma program

encompassing DMAIC phases facilitates the achievement of the goals of Six Sigma.

• The researchers who strove to implement DMAIC have reported certain benefits.

The benefits reported by them are enumerated in Tables 1, 2 and 3.

Table 1 Benefits of applying DMAIC in manufacturing sectors

S. no. Paper Benefits

1 Jirasukprasert et

al. (2014)

a The sigma level increased from 2.4 to 2.9.

b The reduction of DPMO from 1,95,095 to 83,750.

2 Ghosh and Maiti

(2014)

a Significant reduction in gas defects.

b The annual cost savings achieved up to INR 16 million.

3 Kumaravadivel

and Natarajan

(2013)

a The sigma level increased from 3.49 to 3.65.

b The process capability increased from 1.163 to 1.22.

c The rejection of components reduced from 50 to 32.

d The percentage of rejection reduced from 6.94 to 4.69.

4 Kumar et al.

(2013)

a The sigma level increased from 3.18 to 3.42.

b The cost savings were achieved up to INR 1,124,350 in a year.

5 Kaushik et al.

(2012)

a The sigma level increased from 1.40 to 5.46.

b The cost savings were achieved up to INR 0.288 million per

annum.

6 Li et al. (2011) a The sigma level increased from 0.84 to 2.07.

b The waiting time was reduced from 131 to 71 minutes.

c Monthly monetary savings were achieved up to NTD 26,856.

7 Chen et al. (2009) Significant reduction of time and cost was achieved.

8 Kumar and

Sosnoski (2009)

The profit increased by 2% of company’s annual revenue.

9 Lo et al. (2009) The process capability increased from 0.57 to 1.75.

10 Tong et al. (2004) a The sigma level increased from 1.162 to 5.924.

b The process capability increased from 1.021 to 1.975.

Six Sigma through DMAIC phases 253

Table 2 Benefits of applying DMAIC in service sectors

S. no. Paper Benefits

1 Mayer (2014) Significant improvement in patient and instructor satisfaction was

achieved.

2 Yu and Ueng

(2012)

Recommended the improvement methods to enhance the teaching

effectiveness.

3 Antony et al.

(2012)

Cost savings were achieved up to £400,000 per annum.

4 Chen et al. (2012) Significant reduction of bank credit risks and losses was achieved.

5 Kumar (2012) a Enhancement in awareness about avian flu’s impact on

businesses and humans could be achieved.

b Contingency planning was carried out to avoid losses.

6 Southard et al.

(2012)

Cost savings were achieved up to $1.93 million per annum.

7 Kumar et al.

(2009)

Significant enhancement in customer service and satisfaction was

achieved.

8 Kumar et al.

(2008a)

Enhancement in service quality and increase in customer

satisfaction were achieved.

9 Kumar et al.

(2008b)

The process cycle time decreased from 20 days to 15 days.

Table 3 Benefits of applying DMAIC in unconventional sectors

S. no. Paper Benefits

1 He et al. (2014) a The dispatched employees’ turnover rate significantly reduced

from 2.5% to 1.4%.

b Substantial savings in recruiting and training costs.

2 Franchetti and

Yanik (2011)

The cost savings achieved up to $659,412 per annum.

3 Kaushik and

Khanduja (2009)

a The Six Sigma level increased from –0.75 to 1.63.

b The cost savings achieved up to INR 296.09 lakhs per annum.

4 Yeh et al. (2007) Significant increase in the performance of supply chain.

As shown in Table 1, the application of DMAIC facilitates to achieve the goals of Six

Sigma concept in manufacturing sectors. The researchers who strove to implement

DMAIC have reported the gaining of certain benefits in the service sectors. These

benefits are enumerated in Table 2. The researchers who strove to implement DMAIC

have reported the reaping of certain benefits in unconventional sectors. These benefits are

presented in Table 3. On the whole, as shown in Tables 1, 2 and 3, the benefits of

applying DMAIC are clearly established in manufacturing, service and unconventional

sectors. However, the implementation of DMAIC in unconventional sectors is yet to be

widely investigated by the researchers.

254

. Srinivasan et al.

8 Conclusions

The Six Sigma model emerged at Motorola in the 1980s (Jirasukprasert et al., 2014;

Chakraborty and Chuan, 2013; Marques et al., 2013; Pepper and Spedding, 2010).

Thereafter, many papers reporting the applications of Six Sigma in all sectors emerged.

While this trend continuous even today, a section of researchers found out that, the

belt-based training infrastructure of Six Sigma concept is quite expensive. Hence, a few

researchers began to apply only DMAIC in few sectors to achieve the goals of Six Sigma.

On realising this new trend of research, the literature review presented in this paper was

carried out. During the conduct of this literature review, it was discernable that, the

application of DMAIC is powerful enough to restrict the companies belonging to

manufacturing and service sectors to produce goods and offer services by making

mistakes less than 3.4 DPMO (Jirasukprasert et al., 2014; Kumaravadivel and Natarajan,

2013). However, the outcome of implementing DMAIC in unconventional sectors is not

clearly spelt out. Moreover, the number of researches conducted in unconventional

sectors on applying DMAIC is very less. In this background, it is suggested that, many

researches involving the applications of DMAIC are required to be conducted in

companies belonging to unconventional sectors. Some of the unconventional sectors are

those manufacturing furnace accessories, automobile accessories, food products and

components in unconventional machines like electrical discharge machining (EDM) and

electro-chemical machining (ECM). The researchers may concentrate on applying

DMAIC in these unconventional sectors by applying DMAIC and analysing the results. If

found necessary, systems may be developed for implementing DMAIC in specific

sectors. This kind of contribution of these researchers will aid the unconventional sectors

to acquire competitive strength for facing today’s intensified competition (Jirasukprasert

et al., 2014; Sugumaran et al., 2013; Natarajan et al., 2011a, 2011b).

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DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY 1

DMAIC (Draft) Case Study - Garment Industry

School of Business, Liberty University

Author Note

By submitting this assignment, I attest this submission represents my own work, and not

that of another student, scholar, or internet source. I understand I am responsible for

knowing and correctly utilizing referencing and bibliographical guidelines. I have not

submitted this work for any other class. Correspondence concerning this article should be

addressed to

Email:

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Abstract

Color Line Company has been experiencing defect in their garment production for some

time now, and the continuous rejection of products by the consumers is seeking improvement. The

improvement will include incorporating DMAIC methodology and Lean Six Sigma tools to

discover the root of the challenge. Unlike all manufacturing companies globally, having a large

consumer base is critical and reduces operating costs while still maintaining efficiency. When

employed appropriately, the DMAIC methodology can realize cost-saving and improved quality

in manufacturing processes. More so, to remain competitive in the industry, firms are expected to

develop strategies that can utilize the available resources effectively and efficiently at a low cost

to maximize returns.

Keywords: DMAIC, Lean Six Sigma, Defect, Sigma level, cost reduction, quality, VOC

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

DMAIC Case Study (Garment Industry)

All manufacturing companies worldwide are faced with turbulent economic conditions

such as demand for quality, reduced lead time, and global competition. In this case, the garment

industry in the U.S., known as the Color Lines Clothing firm, is working to remain competitive in

the industry and will need to work on several areas. These areas include but are not limited to

production cost reduction, improved quality of goods, and enhanced productivity. All these factors

are met by implementing Six Sigma tools and Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control

(DMAIC). DMAIC is a methodology used to measure objectives and create a cycle that

continuously improves a manufacturing sector (Srinivasan et al., 2016). Color Lines Company

has had several challenges with consumers complaining of defects in their garments. The DMAIC

Six Sigma can improve consumer satisfaction by reducing the rate of defects in products (Zaman

& Zerin, 2017). This article will incorporate Lean Six Sigma tools to better define the defect

problem at Color Lines Firm and establish how to adjust improvements.

Case Study Plan

Clothing manufacturing consists of dividing the overall process such as sewing, cutting,

finishing into many operations necessary for making the product. Each particular stage must be

well completed to ensure that the final product is of quality. Color Lines is a garment making

company located in the U.S., and its manufacturing process is defective as consumers have been

complaining of poor quality for some time now. The company, therefore, has an obligation of

measuring its manufacturing process to find out the primary defect that is leading to the challenge.

Therefore, breaking down the manufacturing process into a reasonable number of sub-operations

will enable us to find out the root cause.

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

The Lean Six Sigma (LSS) method seeks to minimize waste and maximize consumer's

satisfaction. Consumer satisfaction is critical in ensuring that the business will remain in operation.

On the other hand, the better the production process, the higher chance of becoming competitive

in the garment industry. LSS approaches to process and quality improvement is DMAIC

methodology which systematically assists the organization in solving problems and improving the

productivity of their operations (Srinivasan et al., 2016). More so, the application of LSS can also

lead to benefits such as participation of employees in the projects, problem-solving, increase in

process knowledge, among others.

Table 1 (Mohamad et al., 2019)

Seven Waste of Lean Manufacturing

Type of Waste

Explanation

Transportation

With the movement of a product from one place to another,

either from the factory to the retail shop. This movement does

not add any value to the product.

Inventory

In most cases, firms tend to hold rawer materials than is

required to produce goods and services in response to the

demand from the consumers.

Waiting

This waste occurs when workers are meant to work slowly or

to stop as they wait for a previous step in a process to be

complete. On the other hand, employees can slowly work

since they have run out of raw materials.

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Over-processing

For example, the garments can have extra pockets included or

a design that will not be visible, which is more valuable than

the consumer requires.

Motion

The waste of motion refers to when a product is moving and

not necessarily because of work. For instance, once the

garments are completed, they may need to get moved to the

warehouse for storage which is not beneficial.

Defect

This waste refers to when the final goods are not what the

consumer ordered. Defects result from many challenges, such

as missed steps in the manufacturing process, which makes a

slight change in the design and quality of the product (Hall &

Scott, 2016).

Overproduction

This waste refers to the production of too many goods that

surpass the demand, which leads to excessive inventory.

Six Sigma and DMAIC Application

In this article, the DMAIC methodology is used at the manufacturing floor of the Color

Lines Company. This method is structured to analyze the process in a detailed way them

implements the improvement required for change. Through this method, Color Lines Company

will have a better road map where the issue is dealt with from the start of the manufacturing process

to the end. A Six Sigma of 3.4 defects per million opportunities is considered normal, and any

figure above that is too high (George et al., 2005). The benefits reaped from employing Six Sigma

are not only applicable to the manufacturing industry like in this case as it has been tested in other

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

industries as well, such as the service sector. Six Sigma consist of several approaches that work

towards improving the process and quality of products. The DMAIC methodology consists of five

interconnected stages and works concurrently to solve a firm’s challenge (Rahman et al., 2017).

The process stages can be defined as follows:

What is the

problem?

What information

is available

What is the cause of

the problem?

What are the

right solutions

we have?

What are the

recommendations

or plan for

implementation?

This method allows organizations to make decisions based on accurate and scientific facts

rather than experience and previously acquired knowledge (Rahman et al., 2017). Color Line firms

first line of defect rate was more than 59%, while the projects defect rate is 42%. The project's

target is to reduce the defect rate to less than 2%, which will ensure that consumer needs and

requirements are met. The methods used in this will be Six Sigma, Pareto Analysis and DMAIC

to reduce the garments defects. A cause-and-effect diagram will also get used to finding better the

relation between the causes that lead to the defect.

1. Define Phase

A Six Sigma project needs to get selected based on the firm's issues, which should be

directly related to achieving consumer expectations. The chosen project of Color Lines Company

Define

Measure

Analyze

Improve

Control

Figure 1 (Rahman et al., 2017)

DMAIC Process

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

focuses on having a significant impact on consumer satisfaction with their garments, which meets

their value for money. The project selected in the firm was to reduce the quality defects in the

garments, which will also save the organization money in terms of production. According to

George et al. (2005), listening to consumers is critical for all businesses to succeed in the long run.

The voice of consumer concept (VOC) identifying what the customers want and serving them as

the top priority. On the other hand, the defects in the production process become a priority for the

firm to improve and work on a better strategy to prevent future defects in their system.

Table 2 (Rahman et., 2017)

Color Line Company Summary of Project

Title of Project:

Defect reduction in the production of garments

Background and reason for selecting

project:

There has been a large number of garments that

consumers have rejected because they are

defective. This problem has led to several

losses for Color Line Co., such as materials,

time used, and increased consumer

dissatisfaction, which negatively impacts the

business.

The goal of the project:

Reduce defects by 35% with the use of

DMAIC and Six Sigma as part of the

manufacturing procedures

VOC:

High product quality

Expected consumer benefit:

Attained value for money and desired

qualifications of quality met

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Expected financial benefit:

Cost-saving from defect reduction

Team members:

Employees, Production Manager, Factory

floor operator and improvement project leader

A project summary is a tool issued to document all the targets of the project and what Color

Line Co. intend to achieve. According to Yin (2018), a project summary is helpful to ensure that

the goals, VOC, teams’ role in the project are well outlined. This arrangement of an action plan is

essential in ensuring that the ultimate goal is achieved and no step is missed. Meeting consumer

needs is one of the responsibilities that companies have to meet to ensure that the goods meet

recommended criteria. One of the biblical principles relevant to this section is moral order which

has to do with the obligation of doing what is right. God's moral order is designed for the good of

all humans and the surrounding community. Romans 13:3 states, "Do you want to be afraid of the

authority? Do what is good, and you will receive praise from the same" (King James Bible, 2017).

Companies should do what is morally right and work for the benefit of the larger community.

2. Measure Phase

This phase consists of creating metrics that are reliable in monitoring the progress towards

achieving the goal. In this project, the measure phase defines and selects an effective measure to

clarify the significant defects required to get reduced. The defects will get outlined, the highest to

the lowest, and the total number of defects should add up to 100%. The defects get analyzed for

only two months from November 1st, December 31st 2018. The project is based on total quality

management with a 2% reduction in defects.

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Table 3 (Rahman et., 2017)

Defects before Changes

Type of Defect

No. of Defects

% of Defects

Broken

410

47.53

Skip

213

25.85

Open

190

20.97

Puckering

5.65

Total

849

100

Table 3 shows the highest defects cause was broken stitches, which contributed to 47.53%

of the overall defects. Pareto analysis is essential to identify the most occurring defect and

prioritize the critical problem which needs to get tackled immediately (Tuna, 2018). Out of the

four defects, the improvement team and Color Line Co. decided to focus on reducing the broken

stitch first. The broken stitch has a sigma level of 1.6, and this calculation has allowed the team to

have more details of the current state of the clothing manufacturing process. The Sigma level is

illustrated in table 4.

Figure 2 (Rahman et., 2017)

Pareto for Project Line Defect before Improvement

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Table 4 (Rahman et., 2017)

Manufacturing process current and expected states

Major Defect types

Number of Major defects

Sigma Level

Current

Performance

of process

Expected

Performance

of process

Current

Performance

of process

Expected

Performance

of process

Broken

410

170

1.6

3.4

3. Analyze Phase

This phase consists of analyzing the garment manufacturing system of Color Line Co. to

find ways to reduce the gap between the desired goal and the current Performance. Bridging the

gap will require the investigation of the root cause of the problem through a cause-effect diagram.

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

According to Tahiduzzaman et al., (2018), a fishbone diagram assists the firm to understand the

garment production process in sub-operations and the main changes to deal with the effect. The

improvement team at Color Line Co. carried out an analysis to identify the root cause of the broken

stitches. Based on the team experience and knowledge of the production process, the following

were the probable causes of the defect.

Figure 3 below is a fishbone diagram that illustrates the relationship between the causes

and effects on the product. According to Tahiduzzaman et al., (2018), when the diagram is

complete, firms can see the root causes and areas that require improvement to ensure that the

production process is effective and working efficiently. Five main factors are considered in this

diagram, known as the 5M; they include manpower, material, machinery, measurement, and

method (Ershadi et al., 2018). The additional factor is the environment which also affects the

production process. The root causes include improper threading, not following the cut mark, and

others caused the broken stitch defect. See the fishbone diagram (Tahiduzzaman et al., 2018).

Figure 3 (Tahiduzzaman et al., 2018)

Cause and Effect Diagram

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Uneven Cutting part Poor Fabric Quality Unskilled

Mismatch of size Improper Thread Not following cut mark

Production Rush Improper Technique Improper feed dog

Follow up Thread Tension

Bobbin Tension

4. Improve Phase

Once the root cause is determined, the DMAIC's improvement phase focuses on

recognizing the solutions that will best suit to reduce the broken stitch defects. The design of

experiments is analyzed through the ANOVA tool, which highlights the effects of multiple factors

(Rahman et., 2017). This design also confirms that the parameters indeed harm the garment

manufacturing process leading to defective clothes. ANOVA model compares the difference in

statistics like illustrated below. The analysis results in table 5 show the effect in the complete

process that leads to the defect in garments.

Measurement

Material

Man

Broken

Stitch

Mother

Methods

Machines

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Table 5 (Rahman et., 2017)

ANOVA with 5% level of significance

Source

Degree of

Freedom

Adj S.S.

Adj MSS

F-Value

P-Value

Defect

90.53

21.38

7.59

0.000

Parts

5.24

02.12

0.37

0,694

Process

75.62

03.83

1.22

0.214

Error

398

1228.04

3.075

Lack of fit

182.82

2.477

0.79

0.915

Pure error

320

1044.21

3.215

Total

429

1489.03

The P-value is statistically significant as it is less than 0.05. Color Line's improvement

team will need to make changes to the effects, such as not following the cut mark correctly to

ensure that the final products match the consumer's quality. Additionally, production planning in

the firm is a significant factor that needs to get addressed. Planning refers to seeing ahead of all

the steps taken to complete the manufacturing process and ensure it is done at the right time and

place. More so, every operation will eventually get performed at maximum efficiency.

5. Control Phase

This phase is the game-changer for the other four sections as it determines whether or not

the improvements needed will get abruptly adapted. Finding the problem and coming up with the

most appropriate solutions is not a huge bump as the real challenge in the implementation phase.

It takes time before the implementation starts showing changes, and regular evaluation is required

for the improvement team to ensure that they are still on track. Maintaining the improvement is

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

the difficult part, and this phase ensures that the implementation is successful in the long run

(Zaman & Zerin, 2017). The new methods are becoming the standard operating procedures that

require all employees within the garment factory to be part of the project for its success. The

control phase consists of the norm ways and transfers responsibilities to the appropriate individuals

within the production process.

After the implementation, the defect rate is expected to reduce until the desired result is

achieved. Additionally, the sigma level was at 1.6, which is also expected to increase with the

decrease in defect rate. The primary goal of this project is to reduce the defect rate by employing

LSS and DMAIC methodology to come up with the best solution for the strategy (Zaman & Zerin,

2017). The reduction of defects is targeted at increasing consumer satisfaction and offering them

garments that match their value for money. This goal was meant to reduce the costs of production

and losses the Color Line Co. has been undergoing.

Conclusion

The firm's competitive advantage is expected to be much better after the changes in the

defect rate, which will work towards guaranteeing the long-term operation of the business. Another

biblical principle that corresponds with this article is that humans were given the ability to make

moral choices. Genesis 2:15-17 states, "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden

of Eden to tend and keep it. He then commanded the man, saying that every tree in the garden man

can freely eat but not form the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The day that you eat, you

shall surely die" (King James Bible, 2017). Therefore, human beings were given the ability to

choose that which is right or wrong, and, in this case, correcting the errors from the garments is

the right choice.

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

References

Ershadi, M. J., Aiasi, R., & Kazemi, S. (2018). Root cause analysis in quality problem solving of

research information systems: a case study. International Journal of Productivity and

Quality Management, 24(2), 284-299.

George, M. L., Rowlands, D., Price, M., & Maxey, J., (2005). The lean six sigma pocket toolbook.

McGraw-Hill.

Hall, J. & Scott, T. (2016). Lean six sigma: A beginners guide to understanding and practicing

lean six sigma. CreateSpace Independent Publishing.

King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Psalms-25-21/ (Original work published 1769)

Mohamad, N., Ahmad, S., Samat, H. A., Seng, C. K., & Lazi, F. M. (2019, June). The Application

of DMAIC to Improve Production: Case Study for Single-Sided Flexible Printed Circuit

Board. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (Vol. 530, No. 1, p.

012041). IOP Publishing. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-

899X/530/1/012041/pdf

Rahman, A., Shaju, S. U. C., Sarkar, S. K., Hashem, M. Z., Hasan, S. K., Mandal, R., & Islam, U.

(2017). A case study of six sigma define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC)

methodology in garment sector. Independent Journal of Management & Production, 8(4),

1309-1323. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/4495/449553639009.pdf

Srinivasan, K., Muthu, S., Devadasan, S. R., & Sugumaran, C. (2016). Six Sigma through DMAIC

phases: a literature review. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management,

17(2), 236-257.

DMAIC (DRAFT) CASE STUDY

Tahiduzzaman, M., Rahman, M., Dey, S. K., & Kapuria, T. K. (2018). Minimization of sewing

defects of the apparel industry in Bangladesh with 5S & PDCA. American Journal of

Industrial Engineering, 5(1), 17-24. DOI:10.12691/ajie-5-1-3

Tuna, S. (2018). Keeping track of garment production process and process improvement using

quality control techniques. Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences, 6(1), 11-26.

http://dx.doi.org/10.21533/pen.v6i1.162

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods, (6TH edition).

SAGE.

Zaman, D. M., & Zerin, N. H. (2017). Applying DMAIC methodology to reduce defects of sewing

section in RMG: a case study. American Journal of Industrial and Business Management,

7(12),1320.http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=81178&#abstr

act

BUSI 830 Mod/Wk7

Rubric

DMAIC Case Study (DRAFT) Grading Rubric

Criteria

Levels of Achievement

Content ‐ 35 Points

Advanced

Proficient

Developing

Not present

Case Study

‘Plan’

5 Points

(5)

4 to 5 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for doing a case

study and the study ‘plan’.

2 to 3 points

Section provides either the

topic sentence for doing a

case study or the study ‘plan’.

1 point

Section provides a bullet for

doing a case study or the

study ‘plan’.

0 points

Not completed

Define Phase

6 Points

(6)

5 to 6 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Define Phase

(with bullets for key steps such

as: customers, problem

statement, resources, crucial

support, high-level process

map, etc.).

3 to 4 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Define Phase

(with bullets for only a few key

steps such as: customers,

problem statement, resources,

crucial support, high-level

process map, etc.).

1 to 2 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Define

Phase (with no bullets for

key steps such as:

customers, problem

statement, resources,

crucial support, high-level

process map, etc.).

0 points

Not completed or not

related to

requirements for the

section

Measure Phase

6 Points

(6)

5 to 6 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Measure

Phase (includes key steps

such as: defects,

opportunities, units, metrics,

data collection plan,

validating the measurement

system, etc.).

3 to 4 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Measure

Phase (with bullets for only a

few key steps such as:

defects, opportunities, units,

metrics, data collection plan,

validating the measurement

system, etc.).

1 to 2 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Measure

Phase (with no bullets for

key steps such as: defects,

opportunities, units, metrics,

data collection plan,

validating the measurement

system, etc.).

0 points

Not completed

Analyze Phase

6 Points

(6)

5 to 6 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the analyze

phase (includes hey steps

such as: performance

objectives, value vs NVA,

opportunities to improve root

cause, variation, etc.)

3 to 4 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the analyze

phase (with bullets for only a

few key steps such as:

performance objectives,

value vs NVA, opportunities

to improve root cause,

variation, etc.)

1 to 2 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the analyze

phase (with no bullets for

key steps such as:

performance objectives,

value vs NVA, opportunities

to improve root cause,

variation, etc.)

0 points

Not completed

Improve Phase

6 Points

(6)

5 to 6 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Improve

Phase (includes key steps

such as: experiments,

solutions, operating

tolerances, implementing the

best solution, etc.).

3 to 4 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Improve

Phase (with bullets for only a

few key steps such as:

experiments, solutions,

operating tolerances,

implementing the best

solution, etc.).

1 to 2 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Improve

Phase (with no bullets for

key steps such as:

experiments, solutions,

operating tolerances,

implementing the best

solution, etc.).

0 points

Not completed

BUSI 830 Mod/Wk7

Rubric

Control Phase

6 Points

(6)

5 to 6 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Control

Phase (includes key steps

such as: standards, process

control/ capability,

documentation/ report, etc.).

3 to 4 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Control

Phase (with bullets for only a

few key steps such as:

standards, process control/

capability, documentation/

report, etc.).

1 to 2 points

Section provides a topic

sentence for the Control

Phase (with no bullets for

key steps such as:

standards, process control/

capability, documentation/

report, etc.).

0 points

Not completed

Structure ‐ 15

Points

Advanced

Proficient

Developing

Not present

ID’d the Lean Six

Sigma Tools

5 Points

(5)

4 to 5 points

ID’d 3 or more Lean Six Sigma

Tools

2 to 3 points

ID’d 2 Lean Six Sigma Tools

1 point

ID’d 1 Lean Six Sigma Tools

0 points

no Lean Six Sigma

Tools

References and

Citations

5 Points

(1)

4 to 5 points

References >10

2 to 3 points

References = 10

1 point

References <10

0 points

No references

APA Format &

Structure

5 Points

(5)

4 to 5 points

Required section headings

included.

2 to 3 points

Most required section headings

included.

1 point

Partial section headings

included.

0 points

No structure

provided

46 > You have most of the points, but a lot of extraneous, misplaced content, unfocused or underdeveloped sections, formatting

issues. Great draft, but some work to do for final