Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-12, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
An Overview of 5Ds Model for
Continuous Improvement
Sharaf Eldin Hamed Ahmed1 & Shari Mohd. Yusof 2
RAZAK School for Engineering and Advanced Technology,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), K.L, Malaysia
Abstract: The nature of the management system is
similar to human nature in many aspects. Human
can get sick and dies, and influenced by internal and
external factors, management systems as well, can
get sick and are exposed to the problems that affect
its efficiency and effectiveness. Just as the human
diseases show through symptoms, there are also
symptoms indicate the diseases in the management
systems. hence, for these management systems to
maintain their health and vitality there should be an
effective medication system to detect any symptoms,
diagnosis its roots, and develop robust treatment
solutions.
This paper explains in detail the five stages (5Ds) of
a conceptual model for medication of management
system that systematically guides organizations to
determine the problem or opportunities for
improvement (OFI), diagnose of root causes or
contributing factors, development of the required
improvement actions, deploy the required changes
and discipline or sustain the outcomes till to
successful launch of the improvement project or
event. This main contribution of this paper consists
of the proposal of a novel methodology for
continuous improvement and sustaining of Total
Quality Management implementation in various
organizations.
Keywords: Total Quality Management; continuous
improvement; framework; management system
1. Introduction
Over the decades, as the need to continuously
improve on a greater scale within the organization
became an imperative, a number of CI approaches
have developed founded on a basic idea of quality or
process improvement, or both, in order to reduce
waste, reduce defects, changing for better and
improve quality. The best known of them are: lean
manufacturing, six sigma, KAIZEN, the balanced
scorecard, and lean six sigma (Nadia and Baghel,
2005). In Japan, Kaizen or Continuous
Improvement was introduced to many countries
outside of Japan, by the book Kaizen. Kaizen became
known as a distinctive and successful feature of the
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Japanese management style. The improvements
under Kaizen are typically small and incremental
changes that involve everyone, entail relatively little
expense, and focus on constant improvement efforts.
In the context of Kaizen, management has two major
functions: maintenance and improvement (Imai,
1986).
The studies conducted by (Bessant and Caffyn,
1997; Conti et al., 2003; Joseph and William, 2004),
state that the scope of CI (and also QM) has been
subsequently enlarged far beyond its early, shop-
floor, product quality orientation to focus on
organisational excellence and wider business issues.
As seen above, while some still maintain that limited
scope, many authors consider that the nature of the
CI concept has also evolved beyond Kaizen, to
incorporate innovation or breakthrough change,
enabling the users to cope with the rapidly changing
nature of business competition.
However, Approaches to CI have been cited
under several names, such as methods of continuous
improvement or CI approaches (ASQ, 2007),
business process improvement methodologies
(Bendell, 2005), quality approaches (Marash et al.,
2004), management tools (Rigby and Bilodeau,
2005), management techniques (Staw and Epstein,
2000), business and management ideas (Greatbatch
and Clark, 2005), and some authors called them
management fads and fashions (Miller and Hartwick,
2002; Gibson and Tesone, 2001; David and Strang,
2006; Carson et al., 2000). The nature of such
improvements can be divided into two kinds:
Incremental and Breakthrough. Incremental
improvements are generally achieved through
changes in and by an organisations infrastructure
(e.g. people, systems, values and behaviour), while
breakthrough improvements are generally focused on
major structural changes (e.g. equipment, facilities,
sourcing) (Hayes et al., 2005). CI methodologies are
grouped by Shankar (2010) into three groups,
1. Problem solving and continuous
improvement methodologies: PDCA/PDSA and
DMAIC are essentially similar systemic approaches
to solving problems that build upon the basic
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-12, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

principles of the Scientific Method. A myriad of 2. Continuous improvement process

specific tools (statistical, logical, or simulated) may
be applied depending on the need or the sort of
problem that requires resolution.
2. Breakthrough design and reengineering
methodologies: DMADV, TRIZ, and Benchmarking
are all techniques focused on dramatically improving
a process, product, or the current way of thinking.
These techniques usually result in breakthrough
improvements.
3. Efficiency methodologies: Lean and Theory
of Constraints both have the goal of increasing
efficiency and maximizing the use of resources.
(CIP) stages
The CIP is particularly dependent on such
characteristics as the type of improvement, the type
of organisation or the internal arrangement, so there
are many ways to implement the required
improvement. However, some common steps of
continuous improvement process (5Ds) may include:
determine, diagnose, develop, deploy and discipline.
Figure 2 represents the detailed flowchart of 5Ds
steps to apply the continuous improvement process.

As a result of the complications that faced by

the organisations during implement TQM
philosophy, a number of models have been suggested
over the decades, to guide organisations toward
sustainable results. However, many of these
methodologies, they tend to be complex and too
strict, rather than being a simple and general guide
(Yusof and Aspinwall, 2000). Hence this paper
presents a novel methodology for continuous
improvement called Management Systems
Medication (Medication of management Systems
Methodology). It will present the detail steps of the
5Ds approach through the integration of continuous
improvement tools, innovation, process improvement
and project management into one effective approach.
The main aim of this paper is to show how the
effective implementation of the 5Ds approach will Figure 2 Flowchart of 5Ds steps
lead to superior opportunities for businesses to
achieve sustainable excellence through a robust,
rationale, systematic and practical approach. 2.1. Determine: The main activities in determine
phase is to identify and/or validate the opportunity
The suggested continuous improvement process for improvement form any sources such as self-
CIP (5Ds) covering all relevant steps from determine assessment, performance evaluation, audit results,
the problem or OFI, diagnose of root causes or employee suggestions or any sources for
contributing factors, development of the required improvement. develop a project/event charter. The
improvement actions, deploy the required changes organisation should state the description of the
and discipline or sustain the outcomes till to problem and include data about the size of the
successful launch of the improvement project or problem and its impact on customer, system, profit or
event. Figure 1 show the 5Ds process improvement other issues. The scope of the project, together with
steps. the objectives that should be realized at the end of
the project, should be clearly defined in both
operational and financial terms. A project charter is a
written document states more than or some of:
business Opportunity (problem), source of the
problem, team charter, project Scope/objective(s),
team charter, project duration, business case.

2.2. Diagnose: The main objective in diagnose

Figure 1.: The 5Ds Process Improvement Steps.
phase is to identify and/or validate the root cause(s)
and or contributing factors, by identifying critical
measures, developing a methodology to effectively
collect and analyze the data to come with validated
root causes of the problems, identified gaps between

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-12, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

baseline performance and targets, understand root The project closing activates include handed over
sources of variation, and to prioritize improvement the project/event deliverable to the process owner
opportunities, Tools used in this stage, as and project Sponsor, and to the area in which the
appropriate, my include but not limited to: 5-Whys process exists, after the required improvement
analyses; cause and effect diagrams; SWOT, activities has been confirmed, evaluation or
PESTLE, 5 Porter forces, FMEAs, hypothesis tests; effectiveness of action taken should be carried after
ANOVA; regression and correlation analyses. The appropriate period of time, recording of lesson
self-assessment tool suggested in section 5.3.3 of this learned and recommendation, a final report should be
study can considered as one of the diagnostic tool for written and circulated to interested parties, finalizing
improvement. the calculation and evaluation of cost saving and
other achievement, team recognition and
2.3. Develop: The purpose of this stage is to recommendations.
determine, evaluate, and select the right and robust
improvement solutions. The main activities to be
considered during this stage are to generate solution 3. Strength and weakness of 5Ds model
ideas, determine solution impacts, evaluate and select
solutions, identify any barriers that will prevent the In the comparison between 5Ds and other CI
selected solution from being implemented, and methodologies such as kaizen and six sigma derived
overcome them. Tools used in this stage, as from Natcha (2007) and the feedback from such case
appropriate, may include but not limited to: solution studies implemented there are various strengths and
selection matrix; benchmarking, TRIZ, mistake weaknesses related to 5Ds model were determined as
proofing; DOE, Taguchi method; FMEA, force field shown in Table1.
analysis. Table 1. Table example.
Strengths Weaknesses
2.4. Deploy: The deployment stage is the critical 1. Robust, rationale, systematic 1. Lack of
stage at which the improvement initiatives must and practical approach for standard training
deliver results. In this stage the plans are translated continuous improvement. programme for
into actions. Once that stage three has been 5Ds
concluded, the organisation can then propose and 2. Give a complete overview of 2. New fad and
deploy an action plan, this can include define organisation and Address the need time to be
improvement actions; transform these improvement overall management system well-known as
actions into an improvement program; implement, improvement
assess and refine the improvements and document methodology and
the results obtained. Assessment and refine is related framework
to measuring improvements against the performance 3. Powerful tool to improve
excellence key performance indicators such as return process performance and all
of investments, saving operational costs, and other management system
productivity measures and to implement any elements
refinement actions. The deployment can be in pilot
4. Clear relevance to
project first depend on the improvement project.
operational processes and all
business aspects
2.5. Discipline: The main objective in discipline
5. It can be useful for all type of
phase is to establish sustainable solutions,
improvement from small events
standardization opportunities/processes, and develop
to breakthrough improvement
related plans to ensure sustainable performance over
and transformation program
the long term. An on-going reviews depending on
6. Business results oriented and
each particular project and improvement initiatives
benefits generated clearly
should be conducted on to assure consistency and to
measurable
sustain improvements in the medium and long terms.
The main activities may include but not limited to: 7. Unlimited strategic
identify if additional solutions are necessary to perspective
achieve goal, identify and develop replication 8. able to link with several
&standardization opportunities, integrate and varieties of tools
manage solutions in daily work processes, integrate (comprehensive quality tool
lessons learned, identify teams next steps and plan box)
for remaining opportunities, project closing 9. powerful in diagnoses of
(departing)activities. problems (root causes analysis)
Project Closing (Departing) Activities and developing of robust and
innovative solutions before

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-12, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in
implementation
10. Consider as decision
support and decision making
tool with less resources and
time consuming in each project
11. Inspire intensive
engagement of people and
innovative ideas
12. Simple for training and
implementation
13. Low investments in
trainings, piloting
14. clear of standard in roles
and responsibilities for
program, project manager rest
of team members
4. Conclusions
The novel contribution to knowledge that this
research paper has provided is a systematic and
practical model for continuous improvement. The
purpose of the framework developed in this paper is
to guide companies through an integrated and
holistic approach for continuous improvement to
make informed, consistent and efficient
improvements toward sustainable excellence. It
brings simple and practical steps determine
opportunities for improvement, diagnose of
contributed factors, development of robust solutions,
deploy action plan and sustain the outstanding results
from improvement projects.. This structured and
practical and integrated model for continuous
improvement from the main research contribution of
this paper.
The initially the proposed five process steps for
improvement (5Ds) are relevant. However, there
were some suggestions for refinements on the
improvement process steps to be 7Ds instead of 5Ds.
The participants from case studies agreed that
additional time is required to obtain the support and
commitment of leadership and to enable more people
to join the improvement process. Moreover, it was
believed to be a new concept in the improvement
areas, hence need more time and resource to be
recognized in various industries. It was also
suggested that the completed manual with examples
and guideline for implementation should be develop
to enable a better understanding of the CIP for the
practitioners and to make the framework easier to
use. And to focus more in the support issue in term
of training, awareness Intel to harvest the benefits of
this model and make it appropriate for all kind of
institutions.
Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
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ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

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