Dmaic summary

Six Sigma Report Hammett

Six Sigma DMAIC Project Report Template
Comments

· The following template provides guidelines for preparing a Six Sigma written certification project report. Subheadings and length of each section will obviously vary based on your findings and writing style. For a complete sample report using the template, see “Sample Project Report”.

· The information in your report should follow the Six-Sigma Problem Solving Methodology DMAIC. This includes a description of the project, key points in the problem-solving process, and detailed support for your conclusions and any recommendations. Reports should be approximately 10-12 double-spaced pages (excluding appendices), including tables and figures.

· Some general guidelines for grammar and format are provided for your reference at the end.

· Some information contained in this template is repetitive across sections. However, since different audiences will read your report to various degrees of depth, we believe that it is essential to repeat certain information. Ultimately, you should produce a high quality, professionally-presented report that has sufficient detail to help other Six Sigma practitioners utilize and build upon your project findings.

Title of Report

Submitted to:

Name, Title

Department/Organization

Address (optional)

Prepared by:

Name, Title

Department/Organization

Address (optional)

Date Submitted

Note: Do not put a page number on your title page. Begin numbering the pages with the Executive Summary.

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary presents the major information contained in the report. Its readers are typically managers who need a broad understanding of the project and how it fits into a coherent whole. These readers do not need or want a detailed understanding of the various steps taken to complete your project. Therefore, the Executive Summary allows readers to learn the gist of the report without reading the entire document, to determine whether the report is relevant to their needs, or to get an overview before focusing on the details. We consider writing a concise (typically one-page) and comprehensive executive summary a critical element of a Six Sigma project report. The Executive Summary should NOT include terms, abbreviations, or symbols unfamiliar to the reader. Readers should understand the content of the Executive Summary without reading the rest of the report.

The Executive Summary should include a problem statement, summary of approach used, and major project findings and recommendations.

· Problem Statement / Description

· Concisely describe the problem (few sentences).

· Identify the time period of the problem

· Quantify the degree of the problem and its impact on the business (if possible).

Example: During the past year, the average # of incoming calls with complaints per card-year has increased by 20%. These additional calls have resulted in additional staffing and facility costs of ~$100K per year . This project identifies several reasons for this increase in calls and provides solutions to reduce them.

· Summary of Problem-Solving Approach (methods used to solve problem)

· Example: We formed a cross-functional problem solving team from the following departments. This team used the Six Sigma DMAIC problem solving process to identify opportunities for improvement. First, we conducted a qualitative process analysis to identify potential causes for the number of complaint calls. Next, we set up a data collection plan at two call centers. Here, we conducted an observational study over a two-month period of various key input variables versus the number of complaint calls to determine the major causes of our increase in calls. From this study, we were able to identify several recommendations for our call centers.

· Major project results or findings and recommendations -- should include KEY information.

Example: A major finding of our project is that the majority of our increases in complaint calls (about 70%) are the result of either confusion with using our new ATM screen menus or delays in providing customers new ATM cards in the case of lost or stolen cards. Our analysis resulted in several recommendations to our ATM format menus. In addition, this project has lead to the implementation of a new internal procedure to send customers new ATM cards to replace lost or stolen cards. In an initial verification study of these new procedures, we have been able to significantly reduce complaint calls resulting in a projected savings of $50,000 for reduction in call center staff resources.

1.0 Improvement Opportunity: Define Phase

Discuss the problem you examined. Explain how you identified your specific Six Sigma project. You might possibly integrate visuals and data summaries using tools such as a Pareto chart or a summary report of current performance for either a manufacturing or transactional process.

Some topics that should be included in this section are:

1.1 Discussion of the process being examined and problem addressed

· Include a written description of the process and the potential performance issues. This is a good place for a process map, flow chart, or perhaps a SIPOC diagram.

· See problem statement discussed in executive summary for suggestions on writing an effective problem statement. Note: this section likely will repeat information from executive summary.