Gantt chart
A Gantt chart is a commonly used for Six Sigma project management, often created using a program such as Microsoft Project, one of the most popular tools used in project monitoring. A Gantt chart allows a project team to track tasks, resources, deadlines and more. It is used throughout the project from planning through project closure.
Pareto chart
Pareto charts are a popular tool for DMAIC projects, used most often during the Measure phase to determine which problems are the most prevalent and whether the Pareto principle applies to any given business operation. Pareto charts show data representing a business problem broken out by category, such as types of technical support calls or reasons for product returns. The categories are shown in decreasing order, and the team aims to find one or two issues it can resolve to take care of the majority of problems. Often another Pareto chart is created in the Improve phase to show the contrast between the before and after states.
Control charts
Control charts are a hallmark of Six Sigma projects, and are based on statistical process control principles. They show a set of data, usually over time, with statistical control limits drawn in. They are used to distinguish common cause and special cause variation, and to view trends over time. There are quite a few types of control charts, but often Six Sigma teams can rely on the simplest, the individuals chart, for data such as time measures and dollar amounts. They are often created using programs such as Minitab or QI Macros for Excel, and are typically used in the Measure, Improve and Control phases of DMAIC.
Process maps
Project teams create process maps or process flowcharts during the Measure phase of a DMAIC project to gain clarity about how a process works and where variation and inefficiency occur. A process map visually depicts the steps in a process, and in some cases the group or individual who performs the step, or the movement of documents or materials through the process. Process mapping often includes tracking cycle time so that bottlenecks can be identified and overall cycle time reduced. Process maps include activity flowcharts, opportunity flowcharts, and deployment flowcharts.
Fishbone diagram
Most commonly used during the Analyze phase of a DMAIC project, a fishbone allows project teams to organize potential causes for problems and get at root causes. Also called an Ishikawa diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, it can be created on paper or white board in a brainstorming session or via computer once the information is available. The main bones often show categories of problems, such as technology, process, and training, with smaller bones used to depict potential causes in those categories. Several sample fishbones are shown here, though they often contain much more detail with more levels of bones.
SIPOC diagram
A SIPOC diagram is typically created during the Define stage of a DMAIC project. It illustrates who the suppliers are, what the inputs are, what the high-level process is, what outputs are produced, and who the customers are. It is considered a prerequisite for steps in the Measure phase such as gathering Voice of the Customer (VOC) data and creating a detailed process map.