Documentation is a set of documents provided on paper, or online, or on digital or analog media, such as audio tape or CDs. Example are user guides, white papers, on-line help, quick-reference guides. It is becoming less common to see paper (hard-copy) documentation. Documentation is distributed via websites, software products, and other on-line applications.
The six sigma project team should update their documentation which includes process maps, document checklists, cheat sheets, etc. The better is the final documentation the easier it will be for process to be maintained as per envisaged performance levels.
The main considerations for documentation is to keep the documents updated and current so as to act as reference for any documentary requirements. The documentation should also comply to following essential features
- Coverage – Code that is and is not documented is easily identifiable.
- Accuracy – The code comments accurately describe the code reflecting the last set of source code changes.
- Clarity – The system documentation describes what the code does and why it is written that way.
- Maintainability – A single source is maintained to handle multiple output formats, product variants, localisation or translation.
Documentation is an important element for sustaining Six Sigma improvements. An organization generally requires four types of documentation, which can be depicted as a pyramid. At the top of the documentation pyramid is the manual. The manual provides or points to all of the information that users need to effectively use a process or system.
Manuals are unique and are developed according to an organization’s policies and needs. However, the categories of information tend to be standard, with some variations. Many templates are available for pulling a manual together.
Procedures – The second level of the documentation pyramid is procedures, which identify the “what,” “where,” “when,” and “who” of a process. Procedures differ from work instructions in that procedures describe processes and interactions, while work instructions describe how to perform tasks or small, discrete pieces of work. Procedures often consist of multiple tasks, so procedures documentation should contain lists of the associated work instructions. Standard operating procedures, or SOPs, document important operations that must be performed the same way across an organization. Procedures help to enforce standard behaviors. And they ensure that everyone has a common information source for important organizational processes.
Work instructions and records – Work instructions are at the third level of the documentation pyramid. Work instructions are step-by-step directions for how to perform specific tasks. They typically aren’t used to document tasks that require interaction between or among workers; each task is usually done by a single worker. Work instructions can be formatted as a written description, a visual flow chart, or some combination of these. And, to make it easy to understand the information, they should be written to suit the needs of the specific audiences.
Level four of the documentation pyramid consists of records – data collected on the operation of processes and products. Records can show that authorized processes and regulations are being adhered to. Also, records serve as an audit trail, as evidence that a procedure or task was performed. In addition to the records an organization chooses to keep, some records must be kept as evidence of compliance with regulatory requirements.
