Six Sigma, DMADV Methodology and Innovation

Six Sigma, a process for measuring defects and improving quality, is comprised of two key processes: the DMAIC and DMADV methodology steps. Where the DMAIC methodology is primarily employed to improve upon existing business processes, the DMADV methodology is geared towards the creation of new products and business practices. When incorporating the DMADV methodology in an innovation effort, steps are taken to create products that meet the customers' needs.

DMADV methodology steps are laid out in the acronym that forms its name:

Like any process – its output is only as good as its input. The DMADV process relies on a company’s ability to understand the customers’ needs and determine which are unmet. We know, however, that companies struggle to innovate because they do not know exactly what the customer’s needs are, let alone which needs are unmet.

Despite all the talk about satisfying unmet customer needs, to this day, in most companies there is no standard that defines just what the structure, content, or format of a valid customer need statement should be. What we find in even the most advanced companies is that they carelessly accept all types of customer inputs for use in the innovation process. These inputs include solutions, specifications, wants, benefits, exciters, delighters, must haves, latent needs, and many other types of inputs – as if any of these inputs will do – when in fact none of them will lead to predictable innovation.

The outcome-driven innovation methodology has built upon DMADV methodology to create a more applicable and adaptable set of tools for applying Six Sigma thinking to the innovation process. It defines with precision what inputs are needed and specifies the structure, content and format they must follow in order to be solid inputs into the innovation process. These inputs feed the innovation process, which leads to predictable innovation.

Not surprisingly, companies using the outcome-driven innovation methodology – an innovation process built around a DMADV foundation – see more breakthrough solutions and fewer abandoned and failed development efforts. They get more winning products to market, and they do it faster and less expensively than their competitors. Share this