Abstract
Process mining offers a set of techniques for gaining data-based insights into business processes from event logs. The literature acknowledges the potential benefits of using process mining techniques in Six Sigma-based process improvement initiatives. However, a guideline that is explicitly dedicated on how process mining can be systematically used in Six Sigma initiatives is lacking. To address this gap, the Process Mining for Six Sigma (PMSS) guideline has been developed to support organizations in systematically using process mining techniques aligned with the DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) model of Six Sigma. Following a design science research methodology, PMSS and its tool support have been developed iteratively in close collaboration with experts in Six Sigma and process mining, and evaluated by means of focus groups, demonstrations and interviews with industry experts. The results of the evaluations indicate that PMSS is useful as a guideline to support Six Sigma-based process improvement activities. It offers a structured guideline for practitioners by extending the DMAIC-based standard operating procedure. PMSS can help increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of Six Sigma-based process improving efforts. This work extends the body of knowledge in the fields of process mining and Six Sigma, and helps closing the gap between them. Hence, it contributes to the broad field of quality management.
Highlights
Quality management helps companies to improve their business processes, performance, and competitiveness (Flynn et al 1995; Samson and Terziovski 1999)
Based on the feedback retrieved from the experts, Process Mining for Six Sigma (PMSS) was updated and refined as a second version (v2). This version incorporated a high-level visual overview of adapted PM2 activities mapped to DMAIC phases and explanatory text describing what exactly each activity entails in terms of the process mining techniques and tasks. (We describe the final version of PMSS in Sect. 5.) The feedback from experts gathered at this stage served as a point of departure for the design and development of PMSS tool support as discussed in the sub-section
Similar to the case for the initial set of interviews, we aimed at choosing experts that have different roles in Six Sigma initiatives and/or process mining projects in order to enhance the internal validity of the inferences we obtain from the follow-up interviews (Gibbert and Wicki 2008)
Summary
Quality management helps companies to improve their business processes, performance, and competitiveness (Flynn et al 1995; Samson and Terziovski 1999). The positive benefits of quality management have persuaded many companies to implement quality management systems (Peris-Ortiz and Alvarez-Garcia 2014) This has led to the emergence of a number of process improvement related quality management methods or frameworks, such as Six Sigma, Total Quality Management (TQM), business process reengineering/management, and relevant standards, such as the ISO 9000 family of quality management system standards (ISO 2015; Evans and Lindsay 2016). The term Six Sigma refers to a set of tools, techniques, and methods which aim to improve the quality of processes within businesses (George 2002; Pyzdek 2003) It was developed and introduced by Motorola in the early 1980s and afterward adopted by many other companies (Tjahjono et al 2010). Motorola eventually settled on the six-sigma level, which indicates that 99.99966% of the cases are handled correctly and the process has as few as 3.4 defective cases per million cases
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