DMADV (DFSS) versus DMAIC

DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Validate), also known as DFSS (Design for Six Sigma), is used to design and develop new products and processes. DMADV/DFSS is also used to re-engineer or improve existing products or processes where the re-engineering or improvement is generally of a significant nature/quantum. This can be contrasted with DMAIC (Define Measure Analyze Improve and Control) which is used to re-engineer or improve existing products or processes where the re-engineering or improvement is generally of a minor nature/quantum. It can be easily seen that both DMADV/DFSS and DMAIC are same until the "Analyze" step. This means that any Six Sigma project shouldn't start as DMADV/DFSS or DMAIC but should be identified as one during the "Analyze" step when the results of the analysis of actual performance are available. If the actual performance is lesser but very close to the target performance, DMAIC should be used and if the actual performance is lesser but far away from the target performance DMADV/DFSS should be used. Using DMADV/DFSS for all new product development is not a cost-effective strategy when a DMAIC project will be enough to improve the product to satisfy the customer requirmenets. There are many instances when DMADV/DFSS can lead to over-design and hence development of solutions which may work but are not cost-effective for its intended customers.