Which tool is commonly used to visualize process flow in Six Sigma?

The SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) diagram is a valuable tool in Six Sigma for providing a high-level overview of a process and its components. It helps teams visualize the relationships between key elements involved in a specific process.

By clearly outlining suppliers and inputs, the core process steps, the outputs produced, and the customers who receive those outputs, the SIPOC diagram facilitates a common understanding among stakeholders, making it particularly useful during the Define phase of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology. This clarity allows teams to identify areas for improvement by mapping the flow of information and materials through the process.

In contrast, other tools serve different purposes: the Fishbone diagram (or Ishikawa diagram) is used for root cause analysis, the Control chart monitors process variation over time to ensure stability, and the Scatter plot illustrates the relationship between two variables. While each of these tools is valuable in its own context, the SIPOC diagram specifically focuses on visualizing and clarifying the entire process flow, making it the most appropriate choice for this question.