5 essential process management tools

In this article, we will list some of the best process management tools, including showing the impacts they can bring to your business.

Not all of them are applicable in any context, however, by knowing them it is possible to make a conscious decision about which of them may be beneficial to your daily life.

Start reading right now and check out 5 tips for incredible management tools!

1. Lean#

Lean techniques originated in the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, back in the 20th century. However, they are still essential today in process management, especially since they deal with continuous improvement.

The objective outlined is clear: to achieve the ideal result, delivering what customers want, when they want it, with low costs, high flexibility and quality, in addition to fast delivery times.

The five principles of Lean are:

• specify the value from the customer’s point of view;
• map the value chain;
• create flow;
• allowing customers to derive value from processes;
• strive for perfection.

2. PDCA#

When it comes to change management, one of the most popular tools is PDCA. Also focused on continuous improvement, the tool consists of a cycle consisting of the Plan, Do, Check, and Act steps. It has no end and is constantly resumed.

3. Control Charts#

Control charts have two general uses in an improvement project. The most common application is as a tool for monitoring process stability and control. A less common use is that of control charts as an analysis tool.

Among its main features are:

• a time series graph at the beginning;
• a central line as a visual reference to detect changes or trends (process location);
• upper and lower control limits calculated from the available data and placed equidistant from the center line (process dispersion).

4. Six Sigma#

Six Sigma is another disciplined approach focused on continuous improvement, with the objective of eliminating defects in a product, process, or service. It was developed by Motorola in the early 1980s, based on the fundamentals of quality management. A little further on, it became a popular management approach at General Electric (GE), as early as the early 90s.

The martial arts inspired the way in which professionals proficient in Six Sigma are recognized:

• white stripe — the one that has an overview of Six Sigma;
• yellow stripe — white stripe + process mapping, data collection and graphics, and experience assisting in a project;
• green belt — yellow belt + experience as a project leader, mastery of the main Six Sigma tools, experience with change management and hypothesis testing;
• black belt — green belt + analysis and advanced statistical experiments, change management, non-normal distributions;
• Master black belt — black belt + mastery of Six Sigma design, more advanced statistical analysis, exclusive tools for specific industries and processes, experience as a leader and successfully implemented improvement programs.

5. Total Quality Management#

Total Quality Management can be defined as a management approach for long-term success through customer satisfaction. The “total” of the name comes from the idea that all members of an organization must participate in the improvement of processes, products, services, and the culture in which they work.

There are basically eight elements:

• customer focus;
• full employee involvement;
• process orientation;
• system integration;
• strategic and systematic approach;
• continuous improvement;
• decisions based on facts and data;
• communication.

It is essential for managers to know every detail of the process management tools. Only then will it be possible to choose the one that is the most appropriate to the organization’s profile and that can bring the best results to everyone involved.

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