How Six Sigma Process Mapping Can Help Companies

A stream of activities which transforms and converts one or a set of well-defined inputs into a pre-defined set of outputs that is aimed at eliminating defects and which is part of Six Sigma practice is called Six Sigma process mapping.

Six Sigma process mapping is a process improvement concept developed by Motorola to systematically improve processes by eliminating defects or nonconformities to Motorola’s product and service specifications.

Six Sigma is really a term synonymous with perfection because it aims for a disciplined process or methodology that must come up with no more than 3.4 defects for every one million opportunities. A defect is considered to be something outside or beyond customer specification. Quite a tall order, you may say but some companies were able to achieve this after a long process.

The product of process mapping is a hierarchical diagram that illustrates how a product is processed. There are factors to be considered to classify one as a good Six sigma process map. First, it should enable people who are unfamiliar with the process to understand the interaction of various causes during the work-flow. And second, it should contain additional information which relates to the Six Sigma project like DPU value, cost, time and information per critical step about input and output variables.

There are plenty of software available for Six sigma process mapping. These include Sigmaflow, iGrafx and Microsoft Visio. For those who can’t avail or do not have access to these software, Sigma Six process maps can be performed in Microsoft Powerpoint or Excel programs.

Process mapping is a popular technique used to create a shared language and a common goal which would help improve business process results. One management training and development company realized that within their sales department, executive-level discussion with their clients had been functioning at a cross purpose.

The company then applied process mapping to reorganize their sales operations by allowing the sales department to use a customer-centric approach by realigning their job descriptions and performance measures. Within six months the company halted and reversed a five-year slump in their sales and earned huge bonuses for team members.

In another case, a large manufacturing firm applied sales process mapping to aid their national account teams in discovering powerful and effective ways to coordinate with their field sales personnel. This resulted in higher than expected sales yields and new business opportunities.

However mistakes are often made by leaders of small and big businesses that undermine the results of process mapping. Among these are:


1. One mistake involves mapping all the details but losing focus of the big picture. Correcting this mistake involves the principle of putting your goals in the foreground of the process map.
2. The second mistake is focusing on the seller instead of the customer. It can be corrected by allowing the sales processes to apply a customer-centric approach.
3. Mistake number three would be mapping the process without showing how you would measure the results; corrective measures would include including performance metrics along with the created process.
4. The fourth mistake is buying someone’s “sales process.” There are many packaged sales process being marketed but if not chosen wisely could harm your company.

A company that wishes to improve its production and overall performance should give Six Sigma process mapping a chance. It may be their best route to greater opportunities and growth.