7 QC Tools - New

Affinity Diagram

Tree Diagram

Matrix Diagram

PDPC Arrow Diagram

Relations Diagram

Matrix Data Analysis

Creative Logical

New Seven Tools

NEW SEVEN TOOLS FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

        Improvement results by Improving people and processes

        Improvement opportunities are Identified in terms of Projects /

Problems.

        The technology for solving problems is the Tools and Techniques.

        Problem diagnosis requires depth thinking about. The Problem.

               Pre requisites are:

 -         ABILITY TO GENERATE IDEAS.

-         ABILITY TO PROCESS DATA SCRUTINY

-         DISOVERY OF RELATIONSHIPS

-         ABILITY TO COMPLETE TASKS

-         ABILITY TO ASSIST IN EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

-         ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGES BASED ON FACTS.

  ANTICIPATING AND PREDICTING FUTURE

ANTICIPATING AND PREDICTING FUTURE

        These are also called 7MP Tools – M Stands for management and the tools are focused on managing and planning quality improvement activities.

    7 MP tools because of emphasis on planning

AFFINITY DIAGRAM

        Affinity means natural attraction or kinship.

       Affinity Diagram is a means of organizing ideas into meaningful categories by recognizing their underlying similarity.

       It is a means of data reduction – large number of QUALITY INPUTS into smaller number of major dimensions, constructs or categories. Basic idea is that while there are many variables , the variables are measuring a smaller number of important factors.

       It is a creative process.

Purpose 

To enable a team

        To creatively generate a large number of ideas / issues.

        To organize them.

        To summarise into natural groupings among them.

So as to understand the essence of a problem and break through

solutions.

What does it do?

        Encourages creativity by everyone in the team at all phases of the process.

        Break down communication barriers.

        Encourages non – traditional linkages among ideas / issues.

        Permits break through to emerge naturally.

        Encourages ownership of results.

        Promotes team work.

Steps

1.     Assemble the right team.

-         4 to 6 persons.

-         Varied experiences / background.

-         Creative / open minded members.

2.     Phrase the issue under discussion

-         Broad statement

-         Clear and well understood.

3.     Generate & record ideas.

-         Follow brain storming guidelines

-         Record each idea on cards.

1.     Layout the cards on table, wall or flip chart.

2.     Sort the cards in silence into related groupings .

3.     For each group create summary / header cards using consensus capture essential link.

4.     Draw the affinity diagram connecting all finalized header cards with their groupings.

When to use Affinity diagram

       When exploring into unknown areas.

       To unify thinking of diverse group of persons.

       Modify existing system and adopt

       To facilitate through communication of new ideas.

       To get clarity in facts and thoughts.

       When breakthrough thinking is required.

Variation of Affinity Diagram

        Developed by Japanese Anthropologist Jiro Kawakita called

KJ method identified by the initials.

        The method helped the anthropologist gather and analyse large amount of field data.

        KJ method is different from affinity diagram described above in that cards data based (Not opinions /view points )and refined before final diagram is created.

What does it do?

        Encourages team members to expand their thinking when creating solutions. This tool helps everyone linked to the overall goals and sub goals of a task.

        Allows all team members and reviewers (Outside the team) to check all of the logical links and completeness at every level of plan / detail.

        Moves the planning team from theory to real world.

        Reveals the real level of complexity involved in the achievements of any goal.

Relation Diagram 

        This is also known as inter relation diagraph.

        This is also a creative process.

        Like affinity diagram ,interrelations diagraph are a means of organizing disparate ideas usually generated in Brainstorming sessions.

        Affinity diagrams help to simply arrange related ideas into groups. Relations diagram help to define ways in which ideas influence one another.

Purpose

To enable a team

        To systematically identify, analyse and

clarify the cause effect relationships among

all critical issues so that key drivers or

Outcomes canb be identified for solution.

What does it do?

        Encourages team members to think in multiple directions rather than linearly.

        Explores cause effect relationships among all issues.

        Allows key issues to emerge naturally rather than forced by a powerful team member.

* Helps to identify root cause when credible data may not exist

Steps

1.  Assemble the right team of 4 to 6 persons. Members have more intimate  knowledge of the subject

2.  Phrase the issue or subject

( Use input from other tools such as affinity diagram )

1.  Write ideas on cards / small pieces of paper.

2.  Place the cards on the table / flip – charts in a circular pattern.

3.  Look out for cause / influence relationships among all ideas and draw relationship arrows.

4.  Choose any of the ideas as a starting point (ideas may be numbered or lettered) work through them.

5.  An out going arrow indicates that it is stronger cause/ influence.

What does it do?

        Encourages team members to expand their thinking when creating solutions. This tool helps everyone linked to the overall goals and sub goals of a task.

        Allows all team members and reviewers (Outside the team) to check all of the logical links and completeness at every level of plan / detail.

        Moves the planning team from theory to real world.

        Reveals the real level of complexity involved in the achievements of any goal.

Steps1.     Choose the tree diagram goal statement.

        Look at the header cards in the affinity diagram

        Look at the major node (Root cause / driver)In the

relation diagram

        Any assignment given to an individual or team.

2.     Assemble the right team

        Persons with detailed implementation knowledge

Generally 4 to 6 persons ideal size

*     Generate major tree headings which are the major sub goals to pursue.

        Use Brainstorming for major tasks areas. These are major Means by which the goal statement will be achieved.

        Consider header cards in affinity diagram.

Keep the first level of detail broad and avoid jumping to the lowest level of the task.

1.     Complete the tree diagram under each major path.

        Place the goal statement and major headings to extreme left or top of the paper.

        Put question at each level detail “What needs to be done to achieve the goal statement”.

        Use cards of Brainstorming, map - out details at second level.

        Repeat the above for third level.

1.     Review the completed tree diagram for logical flow and completeness.

        Review the completed tree diagram for logic flow and completeness.

        Check logic at each level.

        At each level of detail, asks “Is there something obvious that has been missed”.

        Going from particular to general, ask “Will these actually lead to results”

        Go from general to particular and asks “If I want to accomplish the result, do I really need to do all these tasks.”

Draw the lines connecting the tasks.

1.  Ask of each combination is there a cause/ influence relationship ?if yes, which direction of cause / influence is stronger? draw only one – way relationship arrows in the direction of the stronger cause./ influence do not draw the headed arrows.

2.  Review and revise the diagram by getting additional input from others.

Identify the outgoing and incoming arrows of each idea and make the same under each idea

1.  Identify the items with the highest number of outgoing arrows and items with the highest number of incoming.

2.  A high number of outgoing arrows indicates an item that is root cause or driver this is to be tackled first.

3.  A high number of incoming arrows indicates an item that is a key outcome.

4.  Draw the final relation diagram.

Variation 

A matrix format is effective to display more orderly all the relationships. The vertical arrow (up) is a driving cause and horizontal arrow (Side) is an effect.

Tree diagram 

Purpose

         To breakdown any broad goal into increasing levels of detailed actions that must or could be done to achieve stated goals.

The objective is to partition a big idea or problem into its small components, making the idea easier to understand or problem easier to solve

        The basic idea behind this is that at some level a problem’s solution becomes relatively easy to find.

        This is also called systematic diagram, it is a derivative from fast diagram (Functional analysis system technique) used in value engineering.

What does it do?        Encourages team members to expand their thinking when creating solutions. This tool helps everyone linked to the overall goals and sub goals of a task.

        Allows all team members and reviewers (Outside the team) to check all of the logical links and completeness at every level of plan / detail.

        Moves the planning team from theory to real world.

        Reveals the real level of complexity involved in the achievements of any goal.

Steps1.     Choose the tree diagram goal statement.

        Look at the header cards in the affinity diagram

        Look at the major node (Root cause / driver)

in the relation diagram

        Any assignment given to an individual or team.

2.     Assemble the right team

        Persons with detailed implementation knowledge

        Generally 4 to 6 persons ideal size.

1.     Generate major tree headings which are the major sub goals to pursue.

        Use Brainstorming for major tasks areas. These are major Means by which the goal statement will be achieved.

        Consider header cards in affinity diagram.

        Keep the first level of detail broad and avoid jumping to the lowest level of the task.

1.     Complete the tree diagram under each major path.

        Place the goal statement and major headings to extreme left or top of the paper.

        Put question at each level detail “What needs to be done to achieve the goal statement”.

        Use cards of Brainstorming, map - out details at second level.

        Repeat the above for third level.

1.     Review the completed tree diagram for logical flow and completeness.

        Review the completed tree diagram for logic flow and completeness.

        Check logic at each level.

        At each level of detail, asks “Is there something obvious that has been missed”.

        Going from particular to general, ask “Will these actually lead to results?”

        Go from general to particular and asks “If I want to accomplish the result, do I really need to do all these tasks?”

Types of tree diagrams

        Function type tree diagram

        Quantity tree diagram

        Means of deployment tree diagram

* Cause and effect tree diagram

Draw the lines connecting the tasks

MATRIX DIAGRAM

 This is a tool used to examine / discover relationship if any between two sets of elements arranged in rows and columns effective problem solving is facilitated by location of intersection points also called as idea conception points. Two questions for which answers are sought are

        Is there any relationship between the two items/ variables/ factors?

        If yes what is the strength of that relationship?

Types of matrix diagrams1.     L type / L shaped matrix (For 2 variables/ item)

2.     T type / T shaped Matrix (For 2 variables/ item)

3.     Y type / Y shaped matrix (For 3variables/ showing direct relation)

4.     X type / X shaped Matrix (For 4variables/ showing direct relation)

5.     C type / C shaped matrix (For 3 sets of variables for simultaneous relationship

1.     L Shaped Matrix 

-         Most basic form of matrix

-         Two inter related groups are expressed in rows and columns.

Consider association goals and means to achieve them; drawing conclusions about consequences and their causes

1.     Operation problems

High

Medium

QPD (House of Quality) is an example of L shaped matrix.

        Customer demands brainstormed with design concepts

1.     Operation problems

High

Medium

QPD (House of Quality) is an example of L shaped matrix.

        Customer demands brainstormed with design concepts

2. T Shaped matrix

        Relationship analysis among three sets of items.

        Allows compare two sets at a time.

Third set can be inferred and not shown directly

3. Y Shaped matrix

        For combining 3 sets of variables (Two at a time)

Example

 Observe strong similarity between products A&C

Observe products with maintenance tasks

Conclusion : A & C will have fewer machine jams & soiled goods problems if roll tension & machine lubrication improved.

Note : Use of Quantitative data also

Conclusions

        Machine Jams is the operations problem most affected/ maintenance (Or lack of IT)

        Roll tension & machine lubrication are maintenance problems for products A & C but not product B

        Most of Products A & C are produced in I & III shifts.

II & III shifts do have most of the operation problems

C – shaped matrix

       Represents relationship among 3 sets of items simultaneously

Conclusion : -

       Product A has high incidence of Machine Jams these jams are closely related to roll tension maintenance.

       Product C has a serious soiled goods problem that can be controlled by improved machine lubrication procedure.

 Another use of C – shaped matrix is to display results of designed experiments.

Variations of Matrix Diagram – Tree Matrix

         Combining one or two tree diagram into L Shaped matrix.

Prioritisation methods        To priorities is to arrange or deal with in order of importance.

        When data are available, Pareto analysis can be used.

        Where data are not available and when we have to probe unknown area or where we have limited knowledge, then some objective guidance is required.

        The need is to narrow options through a systematic approach of comparing choices, by selecting weighting and applying criteria.

        The methods useful are

A Nominal Group technique

B Consensus card system

C Paired Choice

D Criteria Rating

E Consensus Criteria

F Combination : Relation Diagram Matrix

A Nominal Group technique

 1 Assemble the group / team

2.Present to the group / team issues for prioritization.

1.     Allow time for the team to think.

2.     Label or number the issues

3.     Ask each member to weigh each issue and assign priority for most important , for next important one and so on .

Let the priority be written on a piece of paper for each issue.

B Consensus card methodWhen to use?

        Team members unable to come to conclusion

        Issue is complex and discussion does not help

        Assessment of opinions is needed about issues / problems without arguments.

How to do it?

        Assemble the team

        Write all the issues in a flip chart / board

        Let each member present his or her views on each issue (brief presentation) time limit will help

        Each member will indicate his opinion by show of cards for each issue: Red : Disagree

Green : Agree

Yellow : No Objection

Find out the total number of cards in each category for each issue

C Paired Choice method 

        Choice is made by comparing several issues taken in pairs (ie two at a time)

Example

Company offering 6 benefit plans to its employees for choice how to select?

        Call the plans A,B,C,D,,E,F

        Set out in matrix form the plans as under

        Compare each plan with others

        Start with row first comparison of a with a is not relevant cross the cell AA/ block IT. Compare A with B if group feels plan B is better than A , write B in the cell AB next compare with C suppose group feels A is better write A in a cell AC and soon.

        Write the totals of each plan (Row)

        Carry out similar exercise column wise (Vertically) , Column by column

        Let the result be as follows

Obtain the total for each plan by adding row & column totals

A : 2 + 0 = 2

B : 3 + 1 = 4

C : 2 +0 = 2

D : 1 +0 = 1

E : 1 +4 = 5

F : 0 + 1 = 1

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It is seen that group’s preference is

for plan E