Some Tips and Guidelines to the 7 Tools of Quality, 7 Tools of Management and Planning

7 Tools of Management & Planning

Tool
Affinity Diagram: Gathering and Grouping Ideas

Phase*
Define

Why Use It
To allow a team to creatively generate a large number of ideas/issues and then organize and summarize natural groupings among them to understand (or define) a problem and possible solutions To allow a team to systematically identify, analyze, and classify the cause-and-effect relationships that exist among all critical issues so that key drivers or outcomes are identified Note: This is similar to the Stream Diagnostic Chart with little variation.

Tips and Guidelines

1. A typical Affinity has 40-60 items (it is not unusual to have 100-200 items) 2. Use cards or Post-its when grouping ideas 3. Sort in silence 4. It is okay for some ideas to stand alone. These loners can be as important as others that naturally fit into groupings. 1. Draw only one-way relationship arrows in the direction of the stronger cause or influence. Make a decision on the stronger direction. Do not draw twoheaded arrows. 2. Identify the key drivers (greatest number of outgoing arrows) and the key outcomes (greatest number of incoming arrows). 1. Sources of Goal or driver: Interrelationship Digraph, Affinity diagram Note: Whatever the source, make sure that the goal or problem follows the SMART or AIMS criteria. 2. Keep first level of detail broad, and avoid jumping to the lowest level of task. 3. From left to right (goal to means), ask how. From right to left (means to goal), ask why. 1. From Tree Diagram, branch likely problems off each branch. Ask, What could go wrong? 2. Branch possible and reasonable

Interrelation ship Digraph: Looking for Drivers and Outcomes

Analyze

Tree Diagram: Mapping the tasks for implementatio n

Analyze, Improve (Implement )

To break down the broad causes of categories into increasing level of detail. Your team can use it to depict links between root causes and their effects on a problem. It can also be used to break down broad goals into increasing level of detailed actions that can be done to achieve stated goals.

Process Decision Program Chart:

Analyze, Improve (Implement )

To improve implementation through contingency planning. This is typically based on the results of a Tree Diagram.

Contingency Planning Activity Network: Scheduling sequential and simultaneous tasks

responses off each likely problem. Improve (Implement ) To allow a team to find both the most efficient path and realistic schedule for the completion of any project by graphically showing total completion time, necessary sequence of tasks, those tasks that can be done simultaneously, and the critical tasks to monitor. To determine the appropriate level of involvement for different groups of stakeholders. 1. This tool is (or will be) discussed in detail in IE 141. 2. Precedence Diagramming or Activity Network construction is a topic in Project Management. In the case of quality improvement projects, it is used in the Improve or Implement phase as a tool for the expeditious completion of a project. Describe and be specific about the level of involvement required of each stakeholder group. Not everyone needs to be completely involved at every stage. 1. There are three kinds: Full Analytical Criteria, Consensus Criteria, Combination ID. Full Analytical Criteria is used when criteria are relatively few (3-6). CC is used when criteria are many (10-20). 2. Team must reach consensus on the final criteria and their meanings, or the process is likely to fail. 3. While this tool presents a more systematic methodology than traditional decision-making, it is not exact science. Use common sense and judgment when options are rated closely.

Involvement Matrix Diagram: Involving People in your Project Prioritization Matrix: Weighing Your Options

Define, Improve (Implement ) Improve (Implement )

To narrow down options through a systematic approach of comparing choices by selecting, weighing, and applying criteria.

7 Tools of Quality

Tool
Pareto Chart: Focus on Key Problems

Phase*
Define, Measure, Improve

Why Use It
To focus efforts on the problems that offer the greatest potential for improvement by showing their relative frequency or size in a descending bar graph. To allow a team to study observed data from a Check sheet or other data-collection source to analyze trends or patterns over a specified period of time.

Tips and Guidelines

1. For one problem, several Pareto charts can be constructed if the tallest bar in one of the graphs can be broken down further. 2. Typically, cost and frequency can be alternated (but different measurement systems can still be used) 1. Collect 20-25 data points (the more the better) to detect meaningful patterns. 2. Do not recomputed the average or redraw the median line every time new data has been added. Only when there has been major change in process or prevailing conditions should be average recalculated and redrawn, and then only using the data points after verified change. 1. Does not predict cause-and-effect relationships. Only shows the strength of the relationship between two variables. The stronger the relationship, the greater the likelihood that change in one variable will affect change in another variable. 2. An option is to stratify data sets to check for other sources of variation other than the effect of one variable to the other. 1. When charting old processes or the status quo, sequence what is and not, what should be. 1. Make sure everyone agrees on the problem statement. Follow the guidelines to the formulation of a focused problem statement.

Run Chart: Tracking Trends

Define, Measure, Improve (Implement ), Control

Scatter Diagram: Measuring Relationships between Variables

Analyze, Improve (Implement )

To study and identify the possible relationship between the changes observed in two different sets of variables. It immediately provides a visual means to test the strength of a potential relationship. Provides a good follow-up to a Cause-and-Effect diagram to find out if there is more than just a consensus connection between causes and effects To allow a team to identify the actual flow or sequence of events in a process that any product or service follows. To allow a team to identify, explore, and graphically display, in increasing detail, all of the possible causes related to a problem or condition to

Flowchart: Picturing the Process Cause-andEffect Diagram: Find and cure

Define, Measure, Improve (Implement ) Analyze

causes, not Symptoms

discover its root causes.

2. The 5 WHYS Method is very effective in determining root causes. Start with the focused problem statement and then ask, Why? five times. 1. Use the Check Sheet when data can be observed and collected repeatedly by the same person or at the same location. 2. Use the Check Sheet when collecting data on the frequency or patterns of events, problems, defects, defect location, defect causes, etc. 1. Samples must be random. To establish the inherent variation of a process, allow process to run untouched. 2. Control does not necessarily mean that the product or service will meet your needs. It only means that the process is consistent. Dont confuse control limits with specification limits specification limits are related to the Voice of the Customer, not to the Voice of the Process

Check Sheet: Concentrating defects into major causes or categories*

Define, Measure

A check sheet is a structured, prepared form for collecting and analyzing data. This is a generic tool that can be adapted for a wide variety of purposes.

Control Charts: Recognizing Sources of Variation

Define, Measure, Improve, Control

To monitor, control, and improve process performance over time by studying variation and its source.