Designing A New Product? DFSS Will Help Make It The Best

By Craig Calvin

Six Sigma most commonly relates to the DMAIC methodology (define, measure, analyze, improve, control). This process is used to optimize existing products and processes that aren't quite up to par or could use some tweaking. However, for those who are looking to create new products or processes, the concept of DFSS is much more practical. Design for Six Sigma practices are not universal like DMAIC practices are, and are used for specific new creations that will meet customers' expectations from the start. Hence, Six Sigma DFSS is a much more 'approach-based' practice than DMAIC, which is more of an optimization process that stands alone.

When your business is looking to design a new product or service, DFSS will help you design the highest quality product possible, while eliminating the number of defects right from the start. DFSS makes use of many advanced Six Sigma tools, so it is recommended that your project team has indivduals who are experienced users of Six Sigma, with advanced training.

Within the Design for Six Sigma Methodology, there are numerous variations that can be used depending on the exact needs of the organization that is employing the DFSS process, as explained below:

-IDOV: Identify, Design, Optimize, and Validate. This process allows for optimization of the process or product through modeling, simulation, and statistics. These Six Sigma Tools are used to predict and optimize the performance and design of the product or process.

-DAMDV: Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify. The need of customers is defined based on research, and then that need is measured and benchmarked based on the competition or other industries already meeting the same needs. The options are analyzed, and the design is created and its performance is verified.

The DCCDI strategy stands for Define, Customer Concept, Design, and Implement. The DCCDI strategy is comparable to the DAMDV strategy. The main difference between the two is the fact that DCCDI has an implementation phase, which is when the product or process is created and deployed.

If your company is looking to design a new product or process, and you are looking to optimize the quality and efficiency of this product from the very beginning, then you should strongly consider the use of DFSS. DFSS will optimize your product's quality, and there are many different DFSS strategies, which allows you to pick the strategy that best meets the needs of your business. - 32179

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