DMAIC has been defined as a metric measurement of defects, as a methodology, and as a business management strategy. It is one of two key methods used to implement Six Sigma, a quality improvement process initially introduced by Motorola in 1986 by Bill Smith to improve business processes and increase profitability. Today, Six Sigma is utilized across a broad spectrum of industries.

DMAIC is an acronym for this five-step improvement process: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control.

• Define: Define the problem, the process, and the project goals. In Six Sigma it is imperative that the problem is specifically defined. Alluding to slowing business is a poorly defined problem. Instead, the problem should be clearly established in quantitative terms. So a good Six Sigma problem definition would be a 35% decrease of net sales in the past two consecutive quarters.
• Measure: Measure and collect data that will determine the factors that have influence over the outcome of the process or procedure.
• Analyze: The data is analyzed using statistical tools to assess whether the problem is real (and solvable) or random, which makes it unsolvable within the Six Sigma framework.
• Improve: If the problem is real, the Six Sigma team identifies solutions to improve the process based on the data analysis.
• Control: Control planning, including data collection and control mechanisms, is required to ensure that the solutions can be sustained to deliver peak performance and early deviations from the target do not materialize into process defects.

DMAIC is the method utilized for existing business processes, while DMADV, which stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify, is used to create new processes or designs. Both are inspired by Dr. W. Edward Deming, who is considered the father of modern quality control. Dr. Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle, also known as the Deming or Shewhard cycle, laid the groundwork for DMAIC as a statistical and scientific method of business process improvement.

DMAIC uses the Six Sigma methodology to improve an existing business process and profitability by identifying defect opportunities. These are places in a process, procedure, or service where defects can occur. By identifying defects per million opportunities (DMPO), Six Sigma team members can eliminate errors and can accurately determine quality, which they then use as a parameter to determine a solution to a problem.

Numerous well-established quality management methods and statistical tools are used within the DMAIC method to drive process improvements. Many of these have been integrated into Six Sigma software packages to simplify the process for professionals. Most of these methods can be broken into two categories: process optimization tools that help teams create more efficient workflows, and statistical analysis tools that enable teams to evaluate data more effectively. Despite various criticisms of DMAIC, including its lack of originality and the controversial creation of a cottage industry for Six Sigma consultants, it continues to make a huge impact on how industries achieve and sustain operational excellence.