In DMAIC, what does the C step involve?

• A. Define customers, project boundaries, and processes
• B. Measure performance
• C. Analyze data to identify causes of variation, gaps in performance, and prioritize actions
• D. Control the process to prevent reverting

Answer: (D)

In the C step in DMAIC, the focus is on analyzing data to identify root causes of variation, gaps in performance, and which issues to tackle first. After gathering measurements, you dig into the data to understand why the process isn’t meeting targets, test hypotheses about potential causes, and determine which factors have the biggest impact. You’ll use tools like cause-and-effect diagrams, Pareto charts, and hypothesis testing to separate meaningful drivers from random noise and to prioritize actions that will yield the largest improvements for the next phase. The description that refers to controlling the process to prevent reverting belongs to the Control phase, which comes after implementing improvements and aims to sustain gains through standardization and monitoring.