What is iGrafx® Process™ for Six Sigma?
iGrafx Process for Six Sigma is the leading process analysis tool specifically designed to help the Six Sigma community achieve greater results from their projects. With powerful swimlane® process mapping, intuitive DOE and seamless integrations with MINITAB® and JMP® – the leading statistical analysis tools for Six Sigma – you can gain new insights into processes that enable you to reduce cycle time, eliminate risk and reduce overall project timeframes.
Who can benefit from using iGrafx Process for Six Sigma?
iGrafx Process for Six Sigma is a leading process analysis tool to help Six Sigma professionals understand and improve their key processes.
iGrafx Process for Six Sigma is being used by:
- Six Sigma Black Belts
- Six Sigma Master Black Belts
- Lean Six Sigma Experts
How does iGrafx Process for Six Sigma work with the iGrafx platform?
iGrafx Process for Six Sigma can be used as a stand-alone application, or connected to the iGrafx platform to edit, store, manage and share iGrafx process and enterprise models in a central repository.
Why do I need to use your product for my Six Sigma projects? I haven’t up to now, and have been successful.
In your past projects, you have most likely done process mapping. iGrafx Process for Six Sigma facilitates process mapping and takes it several steps further. With the ability to conduct simulations, you can now conduct experiments in a model environment in a significantly reduced time frame. This enables you to have greater confidence in your solution, achieve improved results and achieve those results in a shorter amount of time.
What are the benefits to me of using your product?
With iGrafx Process for Six Sigma, you can achieve improved results through greater insight into your processes. By better understanding your process you better understand the factors that have the greatest impact on it. By better understanding the impacts, you can create and conduct experiments that help you identify the root causes. And because experiments are ‘free’ in the model, you can conduct full factorial experiments, yielding the most statistically significant data. This results in greater confidence in your solution. And, all this can be accomplished in a fraction of the time it takes to conduct analysis and experimentation in the field.
How does your product integrate with MINITAB® and JMP®?
We have several points of integration with MINITAB and JMP to share data between the applications. You can use MINITAB or JMP to analyze existing data to determine the distribution fit of that data for use in building your model. We also link with MINITAB’s DOE feature. In this case, you define the factors and responses for a DOE, MINITAB creates the experiment set and after running the experiments in iGrafx Process for Six Sigma, we automatically export the data to MINITAB for more detailed analysis.
With which version of MINITAB are you integrated?
Check our System Requirements page to get the most up-to-date information.
Search our Knowledge Base for Minitab compatibility with legacy versions of iGrafx.
With which version of JMP are you integrated?
Check our System Requirements page to get the most up-to-date information.
How does iGrafx Process for Six Sigma support my Lean initiatives?
By combining the power of visualization, modeling and process management, iGrafx Process for Six Sigma enables companies to improve their Lean ROI by facilitating the creation of critical diagrams and value stream maps, and perpetually tracking, managing and communicating Lean process knowledge. Our Lean palette and Value Stream Map diagram type allows for fast and easy analysis by an automatic timeline that calculates totals for Value Added Time, Non-Value Added Time, Lead Time, and Process Efficiency for you.
Can I create BPMN diagrams in iGrafx Process for Six Sigma?
Yes, iGrafx has extended its wide range of process mapping notations with the inclusion of Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). Available as a standard component in the iGrafx process modeling solutions, users can easily create BPMN diagrams using an intuitive interface that automatically manages many of the drawing tasks. A customized BPMN palette, correct-by-constructing editing, rules checking, and intelligent formatting ensures your diagrams are BPMN compliant the first time they are drawn.
How is your product different from other diagramming products?
First, iGrafx Process for Six Sigma takes a process approach to diagramming or process mapping. Our product is geared toward process mapping as opposed to general-purpose diagramming. You can create and edit process maps faster than with most other tools. By taking a process approach, you can easily add departments or swimlanes for further improving the ability to communicate your process. On top of the process mapping ability, you can then add your process model data and conduct experiments and what-if analysis.
Can I use data from my existing measurement systems when building the model?
Yes. Our Data Fit feature enables you to determine the best distribution fit of a particular data set within MINITAB. You can then use that distribution in your model in places such as order/part inter-arrival time, task duration, task cost, and more. By using empirical data, your model more accurately reflects your operational environment.
How does the RapiDOE feature work with MINITAB?
Once you have your process map and model created, through a simple dialog, you define the factors you wish to modify and the responses you wish to measure. We then pass that data to MINITAB which creates the set of experiments. Those experiments are then automatically set up and run in the simulated model. The responses are automatically exported to MINITAB for further analysis.
What types of experiments can I run?
You can conduct full or fractional factorial experiments as well as two level or multilevel experiments. Since simulation is ‘free’ full factorial experiments are typically run.
Can iGrafx be used for manufacturing process as well as service processes?
Absolutely. iGrafx has been developing process management and improvement solutions for over a decade. In that time, we have helped companies in virtually every industry achieve improvements in their processes. Small, medium and large companies in industries like automotive, healthcare, financial services, pharmaceutical, light manufacturing, heavy manufacturing and more have all used our solutions with success.
During what phases of DMAIC would your product be useful?
iGrafx Process for Six Sigma applies in each of the phases. Define – to help in project selection; Measure – to assist in data collection; Analyze – to help understand what is happening in the process; great for early hypothesis testing; Improve – for the ability to conduct full factorial experiments; Control – to help in documenting and communicating new processes and ensuring continued adherence to the new procedures.
How are your process maps different than general charting products like Microsoft®Visio®?
Traditionally, a process map is the graphical representation of the process. In iGrafx Process for Six Sigma, the process map also defines connectivity between the different tasks. When you use departments on your process map, they are ‘intelligent’ in the sense that they know which tasks are contained within a particular department. This knowledge is used during simulation and reporting. The process model is the combination of specific parametric data that defines how each task operates, such as resources required, duration of a task, cost of the task, etc, combined with the environmental variables such as arrival rate, global calendar, resource pools, etc. The combination of the process map which defines the flow and the model, which defines how the flow functions, creates the environment for the simulation. This paradigm allows you to focus on the map and model and not have to worry about learning a simulation language.
Do you use a scripting based simulation language?
We do not utilize any text-based simulation modeling language that requires you to learn another language in order to conduct simulations. Our simulation capabilities were designed with the non-expert in mind. Through the interface, you have several levels of expertise that can come into play. As you draw your process map, you are automatically creating the base model. You can then add preliminary data such as resources, durations, costs, etc. As you get more comfortable with simulation and your process, you can add more and more detail or measured data to the process map and model that in turn drives the simulation.
Do you offer training and consulting services?
Yes. We have a training and consulting team who can work with you to structure the support that you need. From on-site training to process management consulting services, our experts can help you understand your processes and identify the critical factors. We also conduct public training sessions.
Does iGrafx Process for Six Sigma work with Windows 10?
Yes. iGrafx Process for Six Sigma is Certified for Windows 10.
Will iGrafx Process for Six Sigma open documents created in earlier versions?
Yes, iGrafx Process for Six Sigma can open all earlier versions of FlowCharter, Process, and Process for Six Sigma files.
Additionally, iGrafx Process for Six Sigma can open the following:
- ABC FlowCharter® (versions 4, 6, and 7)
- Optima (any version)
- Visio (versions 4, 5, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013)
Also, if you create a new document in iGrafx Process for Six Sigma, you can open it in previous versions, or you can save it as an earlier version if you choose. Keep in mind that some data pertaining to new features introduced in the latest version of iGrafx Process for Six Sigma may be lost using this process.