To meet the increasing demands of customers and maintain high levels of quality, DTCC uses several concurrent improvement methodologies that, when integrated, provide the company with a powerful quality management toolkit. These tools, which help to streamline processes and develop new business practices using a customer-centric, metrics-driven approach, include:

• Six Sigma: a data-driven methodology that strives for near-perfection to deliver world-class performance, reliability, and value to our customers
• Kaizen: a set of principles to facilitate rapid improvement in all aspects of the organization
• Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI): an internationally recognized collection of best practices and standardized processes that companies follow to gain better control over their software development process
• The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL): a customizable framework of best practices that offers guidance and techniques to align technology services with business requirements.

In addition, DTCC sponsors the Financial Services Business Transformation (FSBT) Roundtable. Launched in January 2008, the FSBT Roundtable's main objective is to provide a forum for Reengineering, Quality and Business Improvement professionals within financial services.

Quality and Process Excellence at DTCC has earned global recognition for its successes. Here's a sample.

Quality and Process Excellence at DTCC

In 2001, DTCC formalized the use of standardized metrics, teamwork and shared learning in order to achieve the company's customer-driven mission. The company established a Quality office staffed with quality leaders cultivated primarily from internal hires.

Simultaneously, DTCC formed a Quality Council comprising senior officers from across the organization to oversee the program, set objectives in tandem with our corporate mission and goals, oversee the large-scale quality initiatives for implementation, and champion the concept of quality, ensuring it would permeate every facet of the organization.

By 2004, DTCC had rolled out the Balanced Business Scorecard, which uses specific metrics to gauge the company's progress towards goals and implementing key processes, and had advanced its internationally-recognized CMMI certifications. By 2006, DTCC had achieved CMMI Level 3 certification in several process areas and has now achieved full Level 3 appraisal. This milestone makes DTCC the first U.S.-domiciled financial services institution to achieve enterprise-wide CMMI Level 3 certification. DTCC is also an active board member of the Florida governor-sponsored Sterling Council and the Quality Council of The Conference Board.

At DTCC, the culture of quality is reflected in the company's customer-first mindset, bold aspirations and high level of staff capabilities, all of which contribute to helping the company's customers compete and succeed in today's ever-changing marketplace.