Tools for Lean Six Sigma

Give me a lever long enough and I can move the world.

Gathering Numeric Data

  • Are you gathering data that you can count, like number of people or defects? Yes
  • Are you gathering data that you can measure, like money, length, weight, or time? Yes

Graphing Data

  • Is your data measured periodically over time (minute, hour, day, project, event)? 
    Use a line graph
  • Are you using data to focus the improvement effort? 
    Use a Pareto Chart or pie chart
  • Are you trying to prove a cause-effect relationship between two variables (e.g., calories consumed and weight gain? 
    Use a Scatter Plot
  • Are you trying to determine the stability of the process? 
    Use a Control Chart
  • Are you trying to determine the capability of the process? 
    Use a Histogram
  • Are you comparing data year over year or month over month? 
    Use a Bar Chart

Organizing verbal or written data

  • Are you trying to simplify a large number of written ideas? 
    Use a Affinity Diagram
  • Are you trying to determine the driving issues among the simplified data? 
    Use a Relationship Diagram
  • Are you trying to create links from higher level ideas or activities to more detailed ones? 
    Use a Tree Diagram
  • Are you trying to evaluate the relationship between two sets of tangible criteria? 
    Use a Matrix Diagram
  • Are you trying to evaluate the possible failure or fault points? 
    Use a PDPC Chart or EMEA/FMEA--Error Modes and Effects Analysis
  • Are you trying to create a sequence of activities? 
    Use an Arrow Diagram

Key Tools for Focusing The Improvement Effort

Tree Diagram
tree diagram
Line Graph
line graph
Pareto Chart
pareto chart

  


Key Tools for Improving the Process and Problem Solving

Cause Effect Diagram
fishbone
Countermeasures
countermeasures
Action Plan
action plan

Additional Tools for Improving the Process

Systems Diagram
systems diagram
Scatter Diagram
scatter diagram
Histogram
histogram

Key Tools for Sustaining Improvement--Process Management

Flow Chart
flow chart
Control Chart
control chart
Histogram
histogram

   


Tools for Data Collection

Check Sheet
checksheet
Data Sheet
datasheet
Matrix Diagram
matrix diagram

Tools for Teamwork

Affinity Diagram
affinity diagram
Relationship Diagram
relationship diagram
Matrix Diagram
matrix diagram

   

Do you need to:


Other charts included in QI Macros add-in for Excel