Process maps play a critical role in Six Sigma and Lean projects. Process maps work by guiding you towards a particular result or focus. As it happens, there are numerous types of process maps for just about any situation. It’s important to have the right tool for the job, and choosing the right process map is essential. Choosing the wrong one will only cause you unnecessary confusion and waste your precious time. Today’s article looks at several varieties of process map, along with the specifics and uses for each. The more you know, the more informed a decision you can make. Join us as we look at some of the best process maps you NEED to know for Six Sigma.
SIPOC Process Map
SIPOC stands for Supplier, Inputs, Outputs, Customer. Professionals typically view the SIPOC map as a ‘one-box’ map, as it acts as the foundation for further mapping. SIPOC mapping identifies the core factors involved in each process. In a standard table, the necessary inputs and outputs are listed on the left and right respectively. In the center, you should list the main high-level process stages.
High-Level Process Map
The purpose of high-level process maps is to display process insights (such as root causes) that can be digested quickly and easily. The map eschews detail, boiling information down to its core components. High-level process maps are useful as they can communicate highly detailed data in simple terms. This makes conveying data to leadership and fellow team members much simpler. To make a high-level process map, all you have to do is expand on the center process displayed in SIPOC, branching off into multiple boxes. While far more detailed than SIPOC maps, high-level process maps are not difficult to follow.
Detailed Process Map
Furthermore, detailed process maps build on the same design as high-level process maps. It’s not normally necessary to display an entire process in great detail, as only parts of the process are usually relevant. Detailed process maps work by considering the input to each process step, and identifying the immediate action that follows. By asking What happens next? you can easily outline the entire process with little to no difficulty. Furthermore, interrogating the process in this way enables you to understand each step in great detail, along with how each stage affects and is affected by those before and after it. We recommend beginning with a high-level map and building on it to create a detailed process map. This allows the needs of the project to determine how much detail is necessary. Moreover, detailed maps allow you to locate value-adding process stages, with which to isolate unnecessary ones.
Relationship Process Maps
While not quite the same as process maps, relationship maps are still effective Six Sigma tools. Relationship maps don’t provide detail on the process work itself, but rather show how each step relates to others. For example, relationship maps can display inter-departmental relationships and how they cooperate. Also, once completed, you can even use your relationship map to view data from other process maps, such as high-detail, in a new light. Utilizing more than one type of map allows you to view data from several perspectives, enabling you to act on it appropriately.
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