Information Technology Reference
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use the term “efficiency” for the within process step performance (often called the
voice of the process, VOP), whereas effectiveness is how all of the process steps
interact to perform as a system (often called the voice of the customer, VOC). This
variation we have become accustomed to is difficult to address because of the lack
of measures that allow traceability to the root cause. Businesses that have embarked
on Six Sigma programs have learned that they have to develop process management
systems and implement them in order to establish baselines from which to improve.
The deployment of a business process management system (BPMS) often results in
a marked improvement in performance as viewed by the customer and associates
involved in the process. The benefits of implementing BPMS are magnified in cross-
functional processes.
7.6
SIX SIGMA MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
Now that we have some form of documented process from the choices ranging from
IPO, SIPOC, process map, value stream map, or BPMS, we can begin our analysis
of what to fix, what to enhance, and what to design. Before we can focus on what
to improve and how much to improve it, we must be certain of our measurement
system. Measurements can start at benchmarking through to operationalization. We
must answer how accurate and precise is the measurement system versus a known
standard? How repeatable is the measurement? How reproducible? Many process
measures are the results of calculations; when performed manually, the reproducibility
and repeatability can astonish you if you take the time to perform the measurement
system analysis (MSA).
For example, in supply chain, we might be interested in promises kept, such as
on-time delivery, order completeness, deflation, lead time, and acquisition cost. Many
of these measures require an operational definition in order to provide for repeatable
and reproducible measures. The software measurement is discussed in Chapter 5.
Referring to Figure 7.8, is on-time delivery the same as on-time shipment? Many
companies do not have visibility as to when a client takes delivery or processes a
receipt transaction, so how do we measure these? Is it when the item arrives, when
the paperwork is complete, or when the customer actually can use the item?
We have seen a customer drop a supplier for a 0.5% lower cost component only to
discover that the new multiyear contract that they signed did not include transportation
Customer
receive
Customer
receive
Supplier
ship
Supplier
ship
Customer
receive
Customer
receive
Supplier
ship
Supplier
ship
Customer
receive
Customer
receive
Supplier
ship
Supplier
ship
Shipping
paperwork
complete
Truck
leaves
dock
Truck
arrives
dock
Receiving
paperwork
complete
Customer
uses item
FIGURE 7.8
Supplier-to-customer cycle.
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