Creating a SIPOC Chart
February 12, 2025
In the business world today, every customer expects Organizations to walk the talk. Being sensitive to customer expectations and to ensure that the business operations are not hampered due to any reason, organizations have begun to take the concepts of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans seriously. The concept of Disaster recovery is of prime […]
Definition of Six Sigma Six Sigma is not a mere methodology or a quality tool. It is a philosophy i.e. a systematic way of thinking to solve quality problems. Six sigma involves use of statistics to convert raw data into facts about how the processes of the organization are being run. The thrust is on […]
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Any inventory of Raw materials, finished goods as well as Intermediate in process inventory has an economic value and is considered an asset in the books of the company. Accordingly any asset needs to be managed to ensure it is maintained properly and is stored in secure environment to avoid pilferage, loss or thefts etc. […]
The movement to ensure the legalization of cannabis has been going on in many parts of the globe. Even in the United States, many states have legalized cannabis. This means that it is legal to possess cannabis for the purpose of sale in these states. However, this rule has not been formed on a national […]
Given the usefulness of the fishbone diagram, it is essential that every student of quality and six sigma know how to use it. To aid the students in learning, here is a step-by-step procedure of how a fishbone diagram must be drawn:
Step 1 - List The Effect (Problem) to the Right: A fishbone diagram can be used for exploration only once the effect (problem) is known to the participants. The very first step in the procedure is to write the effect and a draw an arrow from the left pointing towards the problem on the right.
Step 2 - Branch Out into Categories: From the central line drawn, several categories usually branch out. These categories can be custom defined. The definition of the categories is the primary structure in the brainstorming exercise. Choosing the wrong categories can have large scale implications.
However, in most cases pre-defined categories are used. Some of the most commonly used categories are as follows:
The 8 M’s in Manufacturing: (Famously Used By Toyota)
The 8 P’s in Service Industry:
The 5 P’s in Service Industry:
Specific Causes as Branches: Once these categories have been created, it is time to brainstorm. One of the most common methods is to select a category and go to every person one by one for suggestions. Every person can make only one suggestion in one round. If they do not have a suggestion they say pass. This must be continued till most people in the group are saying pass. Once all the possible causes have been listed out as sub-branches in the category, move on to the next category. Repeat till the diagram is full.
Refine and Highlight: Once the diagram is full and the brainstorming exercise is complete, it is now time to refine the number of causes. This is because, it is likely that the brainstorming exercise has come up with 50 to 100 causes which obviously cannot be focussed upon. Therefore causes are sometimes reduced to their root cause or are prioritized. This ensures that there is consensus upon what is more important in the process.
Repeat after a Few Days: A fishbone diagram if used once will not yield great results. It has to become a regular feature of the shop-floor like it has been in Toyota for all these years. Participating members are advised to “sleep over the issues” i.e. to mull over the issues and let the group know if they have developed some sort of insight. Repeated use and undiluted focus produce great results.
Ishikawa Diagram/Fish Bone Diagram Template
Fishbobne Cause and Effect Diagram
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