DMADV (Design for Six Sigma) Charter
Charter a project to design a new process or product the right way. The DMADV charter adds Voice of Customer, measurable CTQ requirements, phase-gate milestones and a verification plan to the standard charter, so the new design is built to meet real requirements.
Create DMADV Charter →What is a DMADV Charter?
A DMADV charter is the founding document for a Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) project. DMADV stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify, the framework used when a process or product must be created new rather than improved. The charter is completed in the Define phase to authorize and scope the design work.
It is used when incremental fixes to an existing process will not deliver what is needed, so something new must be built. Because the output is a design rather than a repair, the charter goes beyond a DMAIC charter: it captures the Voice of the Customer and translates it into measurable Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) requirements that the new design must meet.
The DMADV charter also defines phase-gate milestones, with exit criteria for each gate, and a verification plan that specifies how the finished design will be tested against acceptance thresholds. This front-loads the definition of success, so the design is validated against real requirements before launch.
In plain terms: When you're building something new rather than fixing something old, you use DMADV. Its charter adds the customer's needs (VOC), turns them into hard requirements you can measure (CTQs), sets gate reviews with exit criteria, and spells out how you'll prove the finished design actually meets the requirements before launch.
What DMADV Adds
Voice of Customer
Captures customer segments and their prioritized needs, the foundation the new design must satisfy.
CTQ Requirements
Translates needs into measurable Critical-to-Quality requirements with target values and units, for example time to first routed owner under 30 minutes.
Phase Gates & Verification
Phase-gate milestones with exit criteria, plus a verification plan defining how the design is tested against acceptance thresholds.
Key Formulas
What Makes a DMADV Charter Work
The CTQ requirements are the heart of the charter. Each customer need must become a specific, measurable requirement with a target and unit, because these are what the final design is verified against. Vague requirements make verification impossible.
Phase gates with explicit exit criteria keep a design project honest. Rather than drifting toward launch, the project must pass defined criteria at each gate, and the verification plan states in advance what acceptance looks like, so success is not negotiated after the fact.
Assumptions & Validation
New Design Needed
The situation genuinely requires a new design, not improvement of an existing one.
If violated: For improving an existing process, use a DMAIC charter.
Measurable CTQs
Customer needs are translated into measurable requirements with targets.
If violated: Rework any CTQ that cannot be measured against a threshold.
Defined Gates
Phase gates have explicit exit criteria.
If violated: Add exit criteria so each gate is a real checkpoint.
Verification Plan
A method and acceptance criteria for validating the design exist.
If violated: Define how the design will be tested before launch.
⚠️ Check assumptions first
A DMADV charter is only as strong as its CTQs and its verification plan. If customer needs are not translated into measurable requirements with targets and units, there is nothing concrete to design toward or verify against, and the project drifts. Insist that every CTQ has a measurable specification and that the verification plan states acceptance thresholds before design work begins.
When NOT to Use DMADV (DFSS) Charter
Improving an Existing Process
When the process already exists and needs improvement, use a DMAIC charter instead.
Fast Root-Cause Work
For a quick one-page problem-solving effort, a Lean A3 charter is more suitable.
Pure Experiment
For a standalone hypothesis test, a Research charter fits better than a full design charter.
Industry Applications
New Process Design
Charter the design of a new workflow, such as an onboarding or intake process, to meet defined CTQs.
New Product Development
Frame a DFSS project to design a product against measurable customer requirements.
Service Design
Design a new service offering with VOC-driven requirements and a verification pilot.
System Redesign
Charter a ground-up redesign when incremental improvement cannot meet the requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DMADV stand for?
DMADV stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify. It is the Design for Six Sigma framework used when a process or product must be created new rather than improved. It shares its first three phases in spirit with DMAIC but replaces Improve and Control with Design and Verify, reflecting that the output is a new design that must be built and then validated against requirements.
When should I use DMADV instead of DMAIC?
Use DMADV when incremental improvement of an existing process will not achieve what is needed and something new must be designed, or when no process yet exists. Use DMAIC when there is an existing process that underperforms and can be measured and improved. The presence or absence of a working process to improve is the key factor in choosing between the two frameworks.
What are CTQs in a DMADV charter?
CTQs, or Critical-to-Quality requirements, are the measurable specifications that translate customer needs into design targets. Each CTQ pairs a requirement with a measurement method, a target value and a unit, such as required-field completeness of at least 98 percent. CTQs are central to a DMADV charter because the finished design is verified against them, so they must be specific and measurable rather than general aspirations.
Why does a DMADV charter include Voice of Customer?
Because a DMADV project designs something new, it must start from what customers actually need, not from an existing process to fix. The Voice of Customer section captures customer segments and their prioritized requirements, which are then translated into measurable CTQs. This ensures the new design is built around genuine customer needs rather than internal assumptions, which is the core premise of Design for Six Sigma.
What is a phase gate in a DMADV charter?
A phase gate is a defined checkpoint between DMADV phases, each with exit criteria that the project must satisfy before proceeding. For example, the Measure gate might require that VOC themes and CTQs are baselined. Phase gates keep a design project disciplined, forcing it to meet defined criteria at each stage rather than drifting toward launch without validation.
What is the verification plan?
The verification plan specifies how the finished design will be tested against acceptance thresholds before it is adopted, for example piloting a new workflow with a set number of cases and comparing performance against CTQ targets. Defining verification in the charter, up front, means success is judged against pre-agreed criteria rather than negotiated after the design is built, which protects the integrity of the outcome.
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