Business process management y seis sigma en el análisis de procesos: Caso de estudio

In the analysis and improvement of processes, different approaches can be used; Business Process Management and Six Sigma are found among the principle methodologies employed by organizations. Although these methodologies have different approaches, there are not mutually exclusive. In the literature, their complementary used is recommended, given that Business Process Management has a qualitative approach and a component of integration with the information systems that support the processes, while the quantitative tools of Six Sigma are used to evaluate the opportunities for improvement. This research develops a case study in the purchase process for an educational organization with the objective of analyzing how these methodologies can complement each other through the analysis of work manuals, interviews, analysis of informatics support and statistical analysis. The qualitative analysis of Business Process Management permits aligning the project for improvement with the organizational strategy and its analysis tools for process flow and information systems make it possible to identify the information needed to be analyzed with the quantitative tools of Six Sigma, which permits establishing the critical variables that ought to be controlled to improve the process and estimate the possible improvements. In this case study, it is proven that the two methodologies complement each other.