The control phase of the DMAIC process ensures that all the improvements identified during the planning and design phases are implemented and that they continue to be maintained over time. The control phase also includes a review of the project's progress against its plan and any changes made to it. This ensures that the project continues to meet its objectives and the expected benefits.
During this phase, the team ensures that the new processes they've developed don't go back to their previous ways.
The Control phase can be broken down into three sub-phases:
1. Control:
This sub-phase ensures that the new process is implemented correctly and doesn't return to its old habits.
The recommended tool for this sub-phase is the Control Plan.
Control Plan
A control plan is a method for documenting and implementing the functional elements of QC that are necessary to ensure that products meet their specifications.
2. Monitoring and Maintaining:
This sub-phase involves tracking how well the new process works and whether or not it meets the business goals set during the planning stages. If the new process isn't working as expected, you'll need to make adjustments to improve it.
The recommended tools for this sub-phase are Document Control and Training Plan.
Document Control
Processes, procedures, SOPs, and Work Instructions, must be updated to reflect the changing way of work. The older version of the procedures are removed from the system and are marked obsolete. These are replaced with the newer version of the procedure.
Training Plan
A training plan is developed to ensure the implementation and sustain improvement. Users need to be trained on using the updated process.
3. Verify:
This sub-phase involves evaluating the success of the new process. It helps identify areas where the new process needs to be improved and makes recommendations on what should be done next.
The recommended approach for this sub-phase is auditing.
Auditing
The audit process is used to evaluate the updated process's effectiveness by comparing it to the desired outcome. It helps identify whether the objectives of improvement are being met and the areas where the process needs to be further improved.