Question

Using example of a Restaurant discuss the steps in a control process.

Answer 1

The control process in a DMAIC methodology is basically controlling the process variables to ensure that the process outputs are within the specified control limits and the process remain in statistical control and also meets customer requirements.

For a restaurant, a process output is the turnaround time of delivering food on the table which meets customer’s expectations. This means that process variables such as taking order from the cutsomer, informing the kitchen about the order, preparation of food and final delivery happens in a tightly controlled manner such that process output, which is the turnaround time of providing food to the customer from the time the order has been placed, meets the customer requirement.

To acheive this tight control each process step would be studied and optimized and control limits and target value would be set for each step. Thereafter using control chart, the process is monitored to ensure that all steps such taking order, informing order, preparation of order and delivery happens within set control limits. If the process deviates from the set control limits, then corrective actions are taken to ensure process parameters are meeting targets and overall objective is met of proviidng food to the customer within a target turnaround time.