MAPIC - A NEW COMPREHENSIVE METHODOLOGY FOR PROCESS IM-PROVEMENT
Paulo Ávila,
Roberto Monteiro,
Alzira Mota,
Hélio Castro,
Luís Pinto Ferreira,
João Bastos,
Nuno O. Fernandes,
Joaquim Moreira,
José Sá
Abstract: The use of process improvement methodologies to assist and support the improvement of processes has proven to be an important mechanism for effectively implementing these improvements. However, there is difficulty in choosing the best methodology and to ensure that it will lead to the best improvement results. In this sense, the research questions of this work can be formulated as the following: H1 - There are differences between the major process improvement methodologies and gaps not covered by them; H2 - A new process improving methodology may mitigate the gaps identified in the existing process improvement methodologies. Comparing the main process improvement methodologies available in the literature, namely, PDCA, Six Sigma, DMAIC, QC Story, 8D, TOC and Lean, it was proven the research question H1. To validate the research question H2 a new process improvement methodology, the MAPIC, was then proposed and compared with the other methodologies. From a theoretical view point, the research question H2 was validated, because the MAPIC covers the existed gaps from the others methodologies, namely, that there is no phase to promote proactive continuous improvement, nor to validate the proposed improvement before its implementation. As for its practical validation, the MAPIC is being applied in a case study and the results will be presented in further work.
Keywords: Process improvement methodologies, Con-tinuous improvement, MAPIC methodology, Compari-son study
DOI: 10.24874/IJQR20.01-10
Recieved: 03.12.2024 Accepted: 07.06.2025 UDC:
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