ABSTRACT
The Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) model is a structured and disciplined approach to process improvement. It consists of five phases. Each phase is linked logically to the previous phase as well as to the next phase. This chapter covers the basics of Define. During the Define phase, a team and its sponsors reach agreement on what the project is and what it should accomplish. The Define phase promotes identifying the true process improvement. A DMAIC project will require a fundamental change in the process. A Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Output and Customers (SIPOC) are a high-level process map that includes SIPOC. Building an Affinity Diagram is a creative rather than a logical process. The purpose of Critical-to-Quality trees is to convert customer needs/wants to measurable requirements for the business to implement. Define is a phase to ensure the right problem is being examined and creates an atmosphere of innovation to forward.
