Define Phase Calculators
Every Define phase tool in one place, scored and ready to run. Pick a calculator, enter your project data and get a rated result, a plain language interpretation and a branded Excel export you can attach to your charter.
Six Sigma Metric Calculator
Convert defects, units and opportunities into DPMO, yield and a sigma level. Use it to set the baseline number your charter promises to improve.
Open the calculatorProject Charter ROI Calculator
Enter your project costs and expected savings to get return on investment, payback period and a viability rating for the charter you take to your sponsor.
Open the calculatorVOC Priority Matrix Calculator
Rate customer importance against current satisfaction, weight the gap and rank which requirements to fix first. Turns raw feedback into an ordered plan.
Open the calculatorStakeholder Impact Assessment Calculator
Score each stakeholder on influence, interest and how hard the change hits them. Shows who needs managing closely and who only needs a monthly update.
Open the calculatorSIPOC Complexity Score Calculator
Count your suppliers, inputs, process steps, outputs and customers to score how complex the process really is before you commit to a timeline.
Open the calculatorProject Selection Scoring Calculator
Score candidate projects against weighted criteria such as benefit, effort, data availability and strategic fit, then see which one earns the resources.
Open the calculatorCritical to Quality Tree Calculator
Break a customer need into drivers and measurable CTQ requirements, then score how well each branch is defined, measured and aligned to the need.
Open the calculatorKano Model Analysis Calculator
Classify features as basic, performance, delighter or indifferent from functional and dysfunctional survey answers. Shows what to build and what to drop.
Open the calculatorProject Prioritisation Matrix Calculator
Plot every project on impact against effort, weight the criteria and get a ranked order plus quadrant labels for quick wins and long haul work.
Open the calculatorBusiness Case Financial Calculator
Build the numbers finance will accept. Enter costs and benefits by year to get net present value, internal rate of return, payback and a benefit to cost ratio.
Open the calculatorStakeholder Engagement Score Calculator
Rate current support against the level of support you need, then see the engagement gap for each person and the actions that close it.
Open the calculatorProblem Statement Clarity Calculator
Test your problem statement against the 5W1H checks. Scores whether it names the gap, the size, the location and the timeframe without naming a cause or a solution.
Open the calculatorGoal Statement SMART Calculator
Score your goal statement on specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. Returns the weak elements and a rewritten structure to fix them.
Open the calculatorProject Scope Boundary Calculator
List what sits inside and outside the project, then score how tight the boundary is. Flags the scope creep risk before the project starts drifting.
Open the calculatorRisk Assessment Matrix Calculator
Rate each project risk on likelihood and severity to get a ranked risk score, a heat map position and the mitigations that need an owner this week.
Open the calculatorTeam Resource Allocation Calculator
Enter available hours and committed hours for each team member to see utilisation, spare capacity and who is overloaded before the project kicks off.
Open the calculatorCost of Poor Quality (COPQ) Calculator
Add up scrap, rework, inspection, warranty and lost sales to size the cost of poor quality, then see it as a percentage of revenue.
Open the calculatorHow the Define phase tools fit together
Define is the first phase of DMAIC. You use it to prove the problem is worth solving, agree what the project covers and lock down what the customer actually wants. Most failed projects fail here, not in Analyse. They start with a vague problem, an unowned benefit and a scope that keeps growing.
Each calculator on this page scores one part of that work. You enter your own numbers, the tool rates the result against known thresholds and gives you a plain language interpretation you can paste into the charter. Every tool exports a branded Excel workbook, so the evidence travels with the project.
The tools are independent. You can open any one of them on its own. Used in order, they build the charter from the ground up.
The Define phase produces five things.
A problem statement with a measured gap. A goal statement with a number and a date. A scoped process with clear boundaries. A ranked set of customer requirements. A signed charter with a business case and a stakeholder plan behind it.
A working order for the Define phase
Pick the right project
Score your candidates before you commit. Use the Project Selection Scoring and Project Prioritisation Matrix calculators.
Size the pain
Put a dollar figure on the current state with the Cost of Poor Quality Calculator and a performance figure with the Six Sigma Metric Calculator.
Write the problem and the goal
Test the wording with the Problem Statement Clarity Calculator and the Goal Statement SMART Calculator before anyone signs.
Draw the boundary
Map the process at a high level with the SIPOC Complexity Score Calculator, then fix the edges with the Project Scope Boundary Calculator.
Listen to the customer
Rank feedback with the VOC Priority Matrix, classify features with the Kano Model Analysis Calculator and make it measurable with the CTQ Tree Calculator.
Build the money case
Run the Project Charter ROI Calculator for a quick view and the Business Case Financial Calculator when finance wants net present value.
Map the people
Use the Stakeholder Impact Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement Score calculators to find who blocks the project and who carries it.
Check risk and capacity
Rate threats with the Risk Assessment Matrix Calculator and confirm the team has the hours with the Team Resource Allocation Calculator.
Which tool produces which charter section
| Charter section | Calculator to use | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Business case | Cost of Poor Quality, Project Charter ROI, Business Case Financial | A benefit figure finance recognises, with payback under 12 months |
| Problem statement | Problem Statement Clarity, Six Sigma Metric | Names the gap, the size, the location and the period, with no cause and no solution |
| Goal statement | Goal Statement SMART | A target number, a baseline number and a completion date |
| Scope | SIPOC Complexity Score, Project Scope Boundary | A named start point and end point, plus a written out of scope list |
| Customer requirements | VOC Priority Matrix, Kano Model, CTQ Tree | Every requirement has a measure, a target and a specification limit |
| Team and stakeholders | Stakeholder Impact, Stakeholder Engagement, Team Resource Allocation | Named owners, agreed hours and a plan for every blocker |
| Risks | Risk Assessment Matrix | Top risks ranked, each with an owner and a mitigation date |
Common mistakes in the Define phase
- Writing a problem statement that already contains the solution. That locks the team into one answer before any data arrives.
- Setting a goal without a baseline. If you cannot state the current number, you cannot prove the improvement later.
- Scoping a whole department instead of a process. Wide scope kills timelines faster than any technical issue.
- Collecting Voice of Customer feedback and never converting it into measurable CTQ requirements.
- Skipping the stakeholder work because the sponsor said yes. The sponsor is rarely the person who blocks the change.
Pro tips
- Run the Six Sigma Metric Calculator before and after the project with the same defect definition. Changing the definition halfway invalidates the comparison.
- Get finance to agree the benefit method before you present the business case, not after.
- Keep the exported Excel workbook from each tool in the project folder. It is your evidence at tollgate review.
- Load a sample dataset first in any calculator you have not used before. It shows the expected input format in about 30 seconds.
- Re-run the Stakeholder Engagement Score at the end of Measure. Support drifts once people see the data.
- If the SIPOC complexity score comes back high, split the project rather than extend the timeline.
Define phase questions
Which tools are used in the Define phase of DMAIC?
The core Define tools are the project charter, SIPOC, Voice of Customer analysis, the CTQ tree, stakeholder analysis and a risk assessment. The calculators on this page score each of those, plus the financial tools you need to justify the project and the baseline metrics you need to prove improvement later.
What order should I use these calculators in?
Start with project selection, then size the problem in dollars and defects, then write and test the problem and goal statements. Scope the process next, work through the customer requirements, build the business case and finish with stakeholders, risk and resourcing. The eight step order above follows that path.
Do I need to use every calculator on this page?
No. A small Green Belt project might only need the charter ROI, SIPOC, problem statement and stakeholder tools. Larger projects with capital spend usually need the full business case financial analysis and a formal risk matrix. Use the charter section table above to decide what your tollgate requires.
Do these calculators store my data?
No. No data is stored at any point. Every calculation happens in your browser using JavaScript on the page. Nothing you enter is sent to a server, written to a database or saved to your device. Close the tab and the data is gone. Refreshing the page clears it as well, so download the Excel file before you leave if you want to keep the results.
Are these Six Sigma calculators free to use?
Yes. Every calculator is free, needs no sign up and asks for no email address. Your inputs stay on your machine and the Excel export is generated locally.
Can I export the results for my project charter?
Yes. Each calculator produces a branded Excel workbook with a summary sheet, your raw input data and a detailed analysis sheet. Attach it to the charter as supporting evidence for the tollgate review.
What happens after the Define phase?
You move into Measure, where you validate the measurement system and collect baseline data on the process you scoped. The baseline figure from the Six Sigma Metric Calculator becomes the reference point for every improvement claim in Control.
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