Failure Mode and Effect Analysis

FMEA Processes
As you should have already learned, FMEA
is an excellent tool to guide one through the
process of identifying, categorizing,
prioritizing and solving problems, or
resolving concerns. This lab will provide
you experience in using an excellent
brainstorming tool that is helpful in the
FMEA process.
 FMEA Brainstorming
An important part of FMEA is ensuring
that, as much as possible, all possible issues
or problems have been identified. A good
tool to use in doing that is a modified
Affinity Diagram that we will call

Post-it note brainstorming.

 Post-it Note Brainstorming
Advantages:
Every person can be involved without having to
speak up or verbally present their ideas and
concerns.
Even quiet people are fully involved.
More ideas can be generated in less time than
most other methods.
Everyone assists in categorizing problems and
issues.
 Post-it Note Brainstorming
Disadvantages or limitations
Without verbal clarification some ideas may not
be fully understood
Lack of open discussion early in the process
may limit new ideas that sometimes come from
hearing others ideas.
Must resist the temptation to hurry the writing
portion to ensure all ideas are presented.
 Post-it Note Brainstorming
Step One
State the problem or issue to be discussed. It
may be something like What are the most
severe technical problems with the model A1
product?
For this lab exercise the question is:
What will be the greatest obstacles to
practicing continuous improvement quality
methods in industry.
 Post-it Note Brainstorming

Step Two
Each person writes one idea, solution, item, or
item on a post it note. One per note only

Step Three
Every item, idea, etc. is posted on a surface (wall,
window, etc.) in random order.
 Post-it Note Brainstorming
Step four
After all have posted everything they can think
of (dont rush this process) then the group
organizes the posted items into categories. The
following rules apply:
Any item can be moved by any person to any
category or a new one started.
If a moved item is felt by someone should be moved
again, they are free to do so. If an item is beginning
to be moved back and forth discussion between the
parties involved would help determine if a new item
or category should be created.
 Post-it Note Brainstorming
Step five
After categories have been created then the
group should create labels for each category.

After labels have been created all in the group

should review the categories and items in
categories to ensure that all agree with the
categories.
 Post-it Note Brainstorming
This concludes the brainstorming exercise.
The information now available is excellent
material generated by a group of people and
categorized and labeled in a relatively short
time. Groups as large as 20 have done this
exercise successfully.
 FMEA Lab continued
To complete this lab exercise do the
following:
Discuss the severity, occurrence and detectability
of each of the categories of issues completed in
the post-it note brainstorming exercise.
As part of your lab write up discuss the priorities
that were determined.
Also discuss any suggestions you have to
overcome the challenges listed.
 FMEA Lab continued
After completing the exercise for this lab,
complete the report and include the following:
your observations about the exercise
what the technique (brainstorming) has taught you
how brainstorming has a role in FMEA
observations regarding the FMEA process itself.