DFSS Design For Six Sigma: Understanding the Process

Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is a business-process management method related to traditional Six Sigma. DFSS is used in industries, such as finance, marketing, engineering, process industries and electronics. It is based on the use of statistical tools like linear regression and enables empirical research similar to that performed in other fields.

Six Sigma practices require a process to be in place and functioning for application. DFSS has the goal of determining the needs of customers and the business, then driving those needs into the product solution.

Designing Excellence with DFSS

Measurement is the most important part of most Six Sigma or DFSS tools. Six Sigma measurements are made from an existing processes, and DFSS focuses on gaining a deep insight into customer needs and using them to inform every design decision and trade-off. DFSS practices seek to avoid process problems by using advanced techniques to avoid process problems at the outset.

DFSS techniques include tools and processes to predict, model and simulate the product delivery system. DFSS looks at the processes tools, personnel and organization, training, facilities, and logistics to produce the product or service. While these tools are sometimes used in the classic DMAIC Six Sigma process, they are uniquely used by DFSS to analyze new and unprecedented products and processes.

Qualifications to Master

Expertise for DFSS is signified in Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt proficiency. Qualifications for these belts for mastery are as follows:

Yellow Belt

¢ Applying the Lean Six Sigma mindset and methodologies to product, service and process design
¢ Phase-Gate design structures, checklists and principles of concurrent development
¢ Defining and chartering design projects
¢ Deploying the Voice of the Customer (VOC) through product, service and process design
¢ Identifying risk in the design process

Green Belt

¢ Management of design and process related risk
¢ Gaining and understanding the Voice of the Customer
¢ Deploying the Voice of the Customer through initial stages of product design
¢ Tools and techniques for benchmarking
¢ Using a Design Scorecard to ensure success
¢ Development of the Functional Mindset; Functional Mapping & Analysis
¢ Concept Ideation: Ideal Final Result & the Morphological Matrix
¢ Concept Generation and Controlled Convergence (CGCC)
¢ Design for X (manufacturability, serviceability, etc.)
¢ Piloting and Prototyping
¢ Planning and Transitioning the design to production

Black Belt

¢ Advances understanding of customer needs through Kano Analysis
¢ Enabling creativity through the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
¢ Effectively handling contradictions in the design process
¢ Efficient handling of functional requirements
¢ Using effective design principles to manage interfaces and keep the design simple
¢ Using simulation to efficiently test the system design
¢ Understanding and managing reliability and robustness in the design process
¢ Advanced experimental techniques to enhance design robustness