iSixSigma Staff

A collection of educational and research material that outlines a systemic model for companies delivering IT services.

What is a Spaghetti Diagram? A spaghetti diagram is defined as the visual representation of the flow of an activity or process utilized to identify areas that could use improvement. It is unique in that it demonstrates motion work and its associated waste and assists in the quantification of the amount of walking an operator […]

Black noise is a phenomenon that occurs during Lean Six Sigma projects. It often causes confusion and frustration for project managers and team members alike, but understanding black noise can make your projects run more smoothly and efficiently.

Sometimes you have to break something down into the smallest possible pieces before you can make it right. Process mapping is one of the first major steps when adopting six sigma, so it’s something business leaders should learn to love. Depicting workflow and processes in a visual format sets the stage for defining, understanding and […]

Sometimes you have to break something down into the smallest possible pieces before you can make it right. Process mapping is one of the first major steps when adopting six sigma, so it’s something business leaders should learn to love. Depicting workflow and processes in a visual format sets the stage for defining, understanding and […]

What is Null Hypothesis? Statistical information without context or contrast is meaningless. Anyone looking at a data set can find connections and discover patterns, but they’ll probably end up drawing all kinds of wrong conclusions. That’s why statisticians have to examine the data from two different perspectives and always consider how the information they are […]

What is Critical To Quality? Critical to quality refers to the things necessary for a company to have in place in order to meet the needs of the customer. It is the attribute of a process or service that has a direct impact on its real or perceived quality. The Benefits of Critical To Quality […]

What is Lead Time? Lead time is the amount of time that it takes to get a product or service completed for a customer, from the time of ordering until completion of delivery. A lot of factors can figure into the amount of lead time. Some factors include supplier back-up, other orders that need fulfilling, […]

Buffers are basic protection for businesses, but going too big can be a major source of waste.

D-MAGICS is a sub-methodology within Lean Six Sigma for improving processes. It aims to make the DMAIC tool easier to successfully execute by emphasizing the importance of grasping the existence of the problems and realistically sustaining the corrections.

If you have an ordered list and the numbers need to be ranked, having ties can make things difficult. Thankfully, there is a simple solution for addressing this.

In business, it is important to know if your company is reaching its potential as far as how much of your product or service is successfully getting to your customers. One way is to look at your throughput and see if there is room for improvement. 

It is crucial to know that you have the appropriate resources available to meet the needs of a project. It is also important to know when you need to turn a project down or if you can adequately increase your resources in order to approve a new opportunity. Knowing the capacity of your team can help.

Productivity is a measurement of business efficiency that compares the ratio of output with input.

Beginning a new process may require approval. This may also be necessary whenever there is a change desired to an existing process. Retaining documentation of this approval is important for everyone involved in the process, including the owner, contractor, and any employees.

Getting a project nominated for recognition is a massive accomplishment for a Six Sigma-adhering project. Having an understanding of the nomination process is necessary to get it to that point.

FIFO is an acronym for “first in, first out.” It functions to ensure a steady material flow, which is essential in any lean manufacturing process. Find out more about it.

Some processes are more important than others. CBRs are the ones you simply can’t do without.

Knowing the availability of your product or service to meet demand is an absolutely crucial part of doing business.

A vital position in companies with high production rates to ensure products or services meet expected standards.

Value is the goal of Lean Six Sigma and is the reason for its existence. Value is what the customer wants, and it’s what a company needs to provide in order to be successful.

A thought process map (TMAP) is a tool used to help you learn, remember, and teach others. Using a TMAP allows you to organize information in a clear and concise way so that it can be easily understood by others, even if they are not familiar with the subject matter. This is beneficial for both training purposes as well as project management purposes.

When you complete the steps of a process, there is an outcome. There is a name for this outcome which will be discussed below.

A key production statistic derived from comparing the number of defects to number of total units.