The fishbone diagram is a structured analysis tool used to organize potential causes associated with a specific effect.  

Other names:

1. Cause and Effect Diagram
2. Ishikawa Diagram

Related Blogs:

• Listen to the Gemba - The fishbone diagram (7 basic quality tools).

Creator:

• Kaoru Ishikawa​

  The 5S system is a visual workplace system that promotes safety, efficiency and teamwork while making abnormalities visible.  The system is often confused as a cleaning method however the purpose of 5S is in fact to  eliminate waste and create a safe working environment that supports TPM.  The 5 major stages of 5S are:
1. Sort
2. Set in Order
3. Shine
4. Standardize
​5. Sustain

  The future state is a reference to the aim of an individual, team or organization.  It can be seen as technical, organizational or philosophical.   A future state is something that will exist, happen or come to be.  When we speak of a future state in Lean and Six Sigma Strategies we are referring to the improved current state.  The Future State is not the ideal state. It is a realistic concept that helps guide you towards your ideal state.  Future states are accomplishable in the sense that you will move from current to future and then your future will become your new current condition.

    ​First time yield is a metric used to determine how a process is performing in relation to the number of good parts or services it produces. The metric is more specifically used to measure the ratio of parts made correctly the first time through.  First time through yield can help gauge whether or not a cell is making parts correctly the first time through. The first-time yield can be calculated by dividing the number of good, conforming products or services by the total number of products or services produced in the sample lot or batch.  First time yield is also referred to as first pass yield.

  A fiscal year usually refers to an accounting year that does not end on December 31. (The accounting year of January 1 thrugh December 31 is usually referred to as a calendar year.) Some examples of the fiscal years used by U.S. corporations include:

• The 12 months of February 1 through January 31
• The 12 months of October 1 through September 30
• The 12 months of June 1 through May 31
• The 52 weeks (four 13-week quarters) ending on the Saturday closest to January 31 (This will require an occasional fiscal year of 53 weeks since 52 weeks X 7 days = 364 days vs. 365 days per year.)

  One reason a business or other organization will have its accounting year end on a date other than December 31 is to fit its natural business year. For example, school districts will use fiscal years of July 1 through June 30. Retailers often end their fiscal years near the end of January.

Reference: Accounting Coach - Fiscal Year.

  The image shown above is used on a value stream map to show finished goods to a customer.

  In Lean Six Sigma, flow is the term used to refer to a production or service environment that continuously moves value through the value stream without interruptions.  An environment that has flow would have very low levels of muda, muri and mura.

  Finished goods are products or end items that are sold as a complete item or unit.  These items are commonly subject to a customer order, sales order or purchase order that is linked directly to a customer.