Tool 58: Decision Process Flowchart


AKA

Logic Diagram, Decision Model

Classification

Decision Making (DM)

Tool description

The decision process flowchart is a decision-making tool that greatly assists managers and teams in arriving at better decisions. Additionally, possible alternatives are branched in a logical path that helps to consider the potential outcomes of decisions made.

Typical application

  • To use a logical approach in the search for a best course or action.

  • To improve the decision-making process.

  • To identify critical path or high priority.

Problem-solving phase

Select and define problem or opportunity

Identify and analyze causes or potential change

Develop and plan possible solutions or change

Implement and evaluate solution or change

Measure and report solution or change results

Recognize and reward team efforts

Typically used by

1

Research/statistics

Creativity/innovation

2

Engineering

3

Project management

Manufacturing

Marketing/sales

Administration/documentation

Servicing/support

Customer/quality metrics

4

Change management

start sidebar
links to other tools

before

  • Influence Diagram

  • Decision Tree Diagram

  • Information Needs Analysis

  • Process Mapping

  • Consensus Decision Making

after

  • Activity analysis

  • Action Plan

  • Cost of Quality

  • Cost-Benefit Analysis

  • Potential Problem Analysis (PPA)

end sidebar

Notes and key points

  • Construct the flowchart so that each decision fork presents a Yes/No (mutually exclusive) option.

  • Decision outcomes may reflect personal or team bias.

  • Recommendation to avoid complexity: No more than five decision points.

Step-by-step procedure

  • STEP 1 First, the team participants discuss the application of this tool to ensure that everyone understands the process involved.

  • STEP 2 The team decides on the issue, topic, or problem to be flowcharted. See example Should Engineering Assistants Attend Marketing Workshops?

  • STEP 3 Next, a list of questions is developed to serve as headings for the decision points of the various "logical flow" branches.

  • STEP 4 A whiteboard is used to flowchart. At this point some revisions of the questions may be necessary.

  • STEP 5 Upon completion of the flowchart, possible decisions are surfaced by the team through the analysis of every path using the flowchart, as shown in the example.

  • STEP 6 Finally, the completed decision process flowchart is reviewed and dated.

Example of tool application

Should Engineering Assistants Attend Marketing Workshops?

click to expand




Six Sigma Tool Navigator(c) The Master Guide for Teams
Six Sigma Tool Navigator: The Master Guide for Teams
ISBN: 1563272954
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 326

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net