All of the courses in the DOQS curriculum can be tailored and customized to meet specific organizational objectives and learning needs. Integration of topics across the various course series is common, particularly with Six Sigma and Requirements Engineering materials. For example:

• Requirements Analysis as a source of SIPOC requirement statements
• Process Modeling as a control on Process Map content and flow
• Data Modeling as a definition for PMAP inputs and outputs
• Design Transition as a source of bridging CTQs between QFD2 and QFD3 in DFSS

Customized integration is also common across Six Sigma and Lean Enterprise materials. For example:

• Takt time (Lean) as an USL on cycle-time in QFD (Six Sigma)
• Load Balancing (Lean) as a Reaction Plan in Control Plan (Six Sigma).

Depth of Coverage

Part of customization includes deciding on a level of desired topic coverage:

Overview Coverage

Overview coverage introduces learners to a topic and attempts to provide a basic understanding of the principles and issues surrounding the topic. The result of overview coverage is ability to explain. Pedagogy at the overview level involves continuous accretion of knowledge concentrating on the accumulation of facts and the building of vocabulary. Classes targeting overview coverage are typically of shorter duration because less time is spent on practicum activities.
[Outcome: Ability to explain, Pedagogy: Accretion]

Intermediate Coverage (default)

Intermediate coverage provides detail step-by-step how-to instruction needed to carry out the processes or actions described by the topic. The result of intermediate coverage is an ability to act, preferably with some confidence gained through case study trials and tribulations. Further instruction and first-hand mentoring are likely to be needed when applying skills to non-trivial exception applications. Pedagogy at the intermediate level involves tuning of knowledge through continuous practice in applying skills to practice tasks of ever increasing complexity and ambiguity. Norman (1993) states that 5,000 hours of tuning is required in most fields to move a learner from the novice to the master level of specialization.
[Outcome: Ability to act, Pedagogy: Tuning]

Advanced Coverage

Advanced coverage provides additional principles needed to apply skills in the broadest range of contexts and situations. The result is an ability to adapt the skill as needed based on its inherent principles rather than a rigorous maintenance of the steps previously taught. Pedagogy at the advanced level involves restructuring knowledge, allowing students to ultimately acquire and develop new conceptual skills and form the right, and useful, conceptual structures. Advanced coverage looks for general heuristics for applying knowledge in spite of the complexity or ambiguity of the tasks involved. Classes targeting advanced coverage are typically of longer duration, with extra time devoted to personal mentoring against real-world problems.
[Outcome: Ability to adapt, Pedagogy: Restructuring]