Six Sigma tools refer to the solution for the business and are commonly used for supporting the Six Sigma. The experts of the Six Sigma use quantitative and qualitative techniques to drive the business process improvement. The way these tools integrate with the business system sets these tools apart from others.
The Six Sigma tools refer to the system part that helps reduce waste methods from the lean manufacturing process that further combined with the Six Sigma method of defect reduction. However, sometimes it’s harder to determine what Six Sigma tools do and what they look like.
With that in mind, we’ll provide you with the best Lean Sigma tools. But, before that, let’s learn about Lean Six Sigma.
What Do You Mean by Lean Six Sigma?
Lean Six Sigma refers to the fusion of the lean manufacturing process with Six Sigma. This is helpful to build the entire System that reduces the waste process for optimal product output and streamlined manufacturing. Lean Six Sigma utilizes the Six Sigma methods and processes as the backbone of the manufacturing system, such as DMAIC, to drive better results to focus on improvement.
The Lean Six Sigma course also incorporates methods and techniques that help reduce the wasteful steps while manufacturing the products.
Here are some of the best tools to determine the root cause of the wasteful process and problems within the manufacturing unit. Then, you can implement them in your company to reduce waste and adopt the latest Lean Six Sigma systems.
- The 5 Whys
The 5 Whys is the first Lean Six Sigma tool which is helpful to understand the root cause of the waste problems within the business organizations. This is also helpful in deploying the crucial part of the analysis phase within the DMAIC. Here are the 5 Whys exactly.
- Write down the biggest problems you’re experiencing within your business areas and organization.
- Connect with the teammates and ask them why this problem occurred and the reason behind it.
- If you didn’t get the answer to the problem and didn’t reach the root cause, ask the question, why again, to determine the root cause of the problem.
- Repeat the entire process a minimum of five times to target the root cause of the conflict and problems within the organization.
For better clarity, you can ask for more ways to find out the true reason for the conflict and target the problem’s reason to resolve as soon as possible.
- The 5S System
The 5S is also a methodology of the business organization and workplace material which is helpful for better maintenance and quick access to the problems. In addition, this system is crucial for eliminating the waste produced during the manufacturing process and due to poor workstations.
Here are the 5S’s included in the System are as follows:
- Seiton (Set-in Order)
This helps to organize the remaining items and help in labeling them according to the work
- Seiri (Sort)
This is also helpful in removing the redundant items that are not useful for producing the content.
- Seiso (Shine)
This will help inspect and clean work areas and surrounding areas every day.
- Seiketsu (standardize)
This helps write the standards of the sort, shone and set-in-order
- Shitsuke (Sustain)
This will apply the standards you have set for the company and create the habitats for a team within your business organization.
- Regression Analysis
Regression Analysis refers to the statistical process for understanding the business variables’ relationship and estimating the process of relationship between them. The companies can use it to determine the mathematical relationship between the input and output variables.
Graphing these input & output will help visualize the pattern and desired deviance from the given patterns into the workflows. However, you need to be cautious when performing this kind of analysis. Here are some of the key things you need to remember while using the regression analysis.
- You can assume one variable can cause the other when you find two variables correlated with each other. This, in turn, creates the logical fallacy, which is also known as the correlation and does not implement the causation.
- When more than two variables are present in the regression model, it may be highly correlated. This further makes it complicated to isolate the individual effects which depend on the variable. The condition is also known as Multicollinearity.
- When there is an error term present in one period and positively correlated with such error terms, then you might encounter the problem of autocorrelation.
- Value Stream Mapping
Value Stream Mapping is another best Six Sigma tool used in the phase of analyzing DMAIC and Lean manufacturing. This will show the flow of the information and the materials in the process. The process will further help optimize and improve the flow throughout the organization.
This covers the three most crucial value stream mapping things, which helps identify the following:
- Value-adding activities
- Value enabling activities
- Non-value adding activities
The Value Stream Mapping aims to eliminate the non-value adding activities and wait times between the two consecutive steps in the business processes.
- Pareto Chart
The Pareto Chart displays the difference between the data group graphically and allows the Lean Six Sigma teams to determine the largest issues faced by the team. The graphical representation has the X-axis, which shows the groups of the response variables, and the Y-axis, which shows the cumulative percentage and the frequency of the defect.
These are considered the most crucial tools of Lean Six Sigma, which help uncover the sources and problems that occur in the business process.
- FAME
This refers to the Failure modes and Effect Analysis that help businesses eliminate and identify weak points.
Bottom Line
The Lean Six Sigma tools help eliminate the waste process and are the right fit for business organizations. These tools are also easily integrated within your business to understand the methodology. However, to leverage the Lean Six Sigma tools properly, you need to be familiar with the tool and get training.