Organizations that subscribe to the Lean or Six Sigma business methodology, and others that are devoted to continuous improvement, often use a host of visual management tools to achieve consistency and introduce positive change. Kanban, huddle boards, and value stream maps are all very popular and effective. Process control charts are another valuable visual management tool for recognizing and reacting to process variation.

Here are the details about why they are so useful.

Statistical Process Control

It is probably helpful to begin with a definition of process. A process is quite simply anything that gets done. It could be putting gas in your car, filling out a time sheet, delivering source code to QA, or checking in a patient. Each of these activities results in some output. Sometimes it is a product, but often it is a service or a deliverable to the next process. In addition to the result of the process, data is also generated. Statistical process control is the act of using that data to make the process better. The data might be related to timeliness, cost, quality, or quantity.

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Investing in software to support your Six Sigma initiatives is an effective way to make sure that you get the most out of the methodology. Setting up a structure for improvement makes it simpler for people throughout the organization to participate in, and effectively oversee, continuous improvement efforts.

Organizations that leverage Six Sigma software collect more opportunities for improvement, implement more solutions, and see a higher ROI for Six Sigma. There are a number of solutions on the market that were either developed as Six Sigma management tools or repurposed as such, so we thought it might be helpful to identify some of the most important capabilities that you should look for when evaluating this type of technology.

Donald J. Wheeler, PhD is a world-renown expert in continuous improvement, having worked with W. Edwards Deming and later writing the classic book Understanding Variation. 

Wheeler once wrote and said, "Statistical Process Control is, at its heart, about getting the most from your processes. It is about the continual improvement of processes and outcomes. And it is, first and foremost, a way of thinking... with some tools attached." 

I’d like to thank him for providing the perfect quote for a blog about process control charts because measurement, control, and improvement are exactly what they are designed to enable.

What is a Process Control Chart?

Process control charts (or what Wheeler calls "process behavior charts") are graphs or charts that plot out process data or management data (outputs) in a time-ordered sequence. It's a specialized run chart. They typically include a center line, a 3-sigma upper control limit, and a 3-sigma lower control limit. There might be 1- or 2-sigma limits drawn in, as well. The center line represents the process mean or average (and sometimes the median).

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Corrective and preventive action (CAPA) are improvements to an organization's processes taken to eliminate causes of defects and waste. The approach focuses on the systematic investigation of the root causes of identified problems or identified risks in an attempt to prevent their recurrence (for corrective action) or to prevent occurrence (for preventive action). The success of CAPA implementation is largely dependent on an understanding of KPIs and the ability to use them to identify performance non-conformities.

Like any other continuous improvement approach, CAPA programs are most effective when supported by technology.

CAPA software helps ensure that each identified problem or risk is addressed quickly and completely.

When it comes to continuous improvement techniques, you have many options. There are a variety of approaches and tools designed to support your effort to effect positive change. But it can be difficult to decide which techniques will work best. In the case of PDSA and DMAIC, it can be extra confusing because they are quite similar.

We talk to lots of people who are devoted to one of the popular continuous improvement methodologies in use by businesses today. Many of our customers are devotees of Lean, Six Sigma, Toyota Production System, Total Quality Management, Agile, or others. People who know we provide technology that supports all of them often ask us which is the best continuous improvement methodology. Well, like a lot of things in life, it depends.

Every organization is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all perfect approach. The key is finding the right combination for your current circumstances. So, while we can’t tell you which methodologies you should choose, we can tell you what it looks like when an organization has found the right combination.

When the perfect continuous improvement methodology is in place, organizations:

DMAIC is a data-driven, structured, customer-centric problem solving methodology. Each phase builds on the last to arrive at effective solutions for challenging problems. Define tells you what to measure. Measure tells you what to analyze. Analyze tells you what to improve. And Improve tells you what to control. Each phase has very specific objectives and is supported by a particular set of activities. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Committing to the Six Sigma approach to business process improvement can lead to profound changes in an organization’s culture and the way that work gets done. Leaders choose the methodology because it instills and reinforces the idea that continuous improvement is essential for success in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. Deploying Six Sigma software helps companies control and document the process of improvement. Aside from the obvious benefits realized anytime software is used to manage projects, there are a few advantages of Six Sigma software that may not be as readily apparent. 

Organizations looking to improve operations, cut waste, and maximize customer value often turn to a business process improvement disciplines, such as Six Sigma, Lean or Kaizen. Because KaiNexus offers solutions that support the implementation of these, and other, process improvement methods, we are often asked which one is the best. To explore that question, let’s look at the principles and strengths of each.

At the heart of the Six Sigma business management philosophy is DMAIC (pronounced "de-may-ick"). DMAIC is an acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. The approach is used to improve business processes and it results in reduced waste, higher quality, and an accelerated value stream. While closely associated with Six Sigma, DMAIC can be used effectively with or without embracing the overarching Six Sigma methodology. Here’s a closer look at each of the steps.