New Tools of Quality

Material from-
www.asq.org
The Quality Toolbox, Nancy R. Tague
Second Edition,
ASQ Quality Press, 2004.
 Quality Tools
Cause Analysis Tools
Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram: identifies
many possible causes for an effect or
problem and sorts ideas into useful
categories.
Pareto chart: shows on a bar graph which
factors are more significant.
Scatter diagram: graphs pairs of numerical
data, with one variable on each axis, to help
you look for a relationship.
 Quality Tools
Evaluation and Decision-Making Tools
Decision matrix: Evaluates and
prioritizes a list of options, using pre-
determined weighted criteria.
Multivoting: Narrows a large list of
possibilities to a smaller list of the top
priorities or to a final selection; allows
an item that is favored by all, but not
the top choice of any, to rise to the top.
 Quality Tools
Process Analysis Tools
Flowchart: A picture of the separate steps of a process in sequential
order, including materials or services entering or leaving the
process (inputs and outputs), decisions that must be made, people
who become involved, time involved at each step and/or process
measurements.
Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA): A step-by-step approach
for identifying all possible failures in a design, a manufacturing or
assembly process, or a product or service; studying the
consequences, or effects, of those failures; and eliminating or
reducing failures, starting with the highest-priority ones.
Mistake-proofing: The use of any automatic device or method that
either makes it impossible for an error to occur or makes the error
immediately obvious once it has occurred.
 Quality Tools
Seven Basic Quality Tools
Cause-and-effect diagram (also called Ishikawa or fishbone chart): Identifies many
possible causes for an effect or problem and sorts ideas into useful categories.

Check sheet: A structured, prepared form for collecting and analyzing data; a
generic tool that can be adapted for a wide variety of purposes.

Control charts: Graphs used to study how a process changes over time.

Histogram: The most commonly used graph for showing frequency distributions,
or how often each different value in a set of data occurs.

Pareto chart: Shows on a bar graph which factors are more significant.

Scatter diagram: Graphs pairs of numerical data, one variable on each axis, to
look for a relationship.

Stratification: A technique that separates data gathered from a variety of sources

so that patterns can be seen (some lists replace "stratification" with "flowchart" or
"run chart").
 Quality Tools
Data Collection and Analysis Tools
Box and Whisker Plot: A tool used to display and
analyze multiple sets of variation data on a single graph.
Check sheet: A generic tool that can be adapted for a
wide variety of purposes, the check sheet is a structured,
prepared form for collecting and analyzing data.
Control chart: A graph used to study how a process
changes over time. Comparing current data to historical
control limits leads to conclusions about whether the
process variation is consistent (in control) or is
unpredictable (out of control, affected by special causes
of variation).
 Quality Tools
Data Collection and Analysis Tools
Design of experiments: A method for carrying out carefully
planned experiments on a process. Usually, design of experiments
involves a series of experiments that start by looking broadly at a
great many variables and then focus on the few critical ones.
Histogram: The most commonly used graph for showing
frequency distributions, or how often each different value in a set
of data occurs.
Scatter diagram: A diagram that graphs pairs of numerical data,
one variable on each axis, to look for a relationship.
Stratification: A technique that separates data gathered from a
variety of sources so that patterns can be seen.
Survey: Data collected from targeted groups of people about their
opinions, behavior or knowledge.
 Quality Tools
Idea Creation Tools
Affinity diagram: Organizes a large number of ideas into
their natural relationships.
Benchmarking: A structured process for comparing your
organizations work practices to the best similar practices
you can identify in other organizations, and then
incorporating the best ideas into your own processes.
Brainstorming: A method for generating a large number of
creative ideas in a short period of time.
Nominal group technique: A structured method for group
brainstorming that encourages contributions from
everyone.
 Quality Tools
Project Planning and Implementing Tools
Gantt chart: a bar chart that shows the
tasks of a project, when each must take
place, how long each will take and
completion status.
PDCA Cycle (plan-do-check-act) or PDSA
(plan-do-study-act): a four-step model for
carrying out change that can be repeated
again and again for continuous
improvement.
 Seven New Management
and Planning Tools
In 1976, the Union of Japanese
Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) saw
the need for tools to promote
innovation, communicate information
and successfully plan major projects.
A team researched and developed
the seven new quality control tools,
often called the seven management
and planning (MP) tools, or simply the
seven management tools.
 List of Tools
The seven MP tools, listed in an order that moves from
abstract analysis to detailed planning, are:
1. Affinity diagram: organizes a large number of ideas into their
natural relationships.
2. Relations diagram: shows cause-and-effect relationships and
helps you analyze the natural links between different
aspects of a complex situation.
3. Tree diagram: breaks down broad categories into finer and
finer levels of detail, helping you move your thinking step by
step from generalities to specifics.
4. Matrix diagram: shows the relationship between two, three
or four groups of information and can give information about
the relationship, such as its strength, the roles played by
various individuals, or measurements.
 List of Tools
5 . Matrix data analysis: a complex mathematical
technique for analyzing matrices, often replaced in this
list by the similar prioritization matrix. One of the most
rigorous, careful and time-consuming of decision-making
tools, a prioritization matrix is an L-shaped matrix that
uses pair wise comparisons of a list of options to a set of
criteria in order to choose the best option(s).

6. Arrow diagram: shows the required order of tasks in a

project or process, the best schedule for the entire
project, and potential scheduling and resource problems
and their solutions.

7. Process decision program chart (PDPC): systematically

identifies what might go wrong in a plan under
development.
 Affinity Diagram
The affinity diagram organizes a large number of
ideas into their natural relationships.
When to Use an Affinity Diagram
When you are confronted with many facts or ideas
in apparent chaos
When issues seem too large and complex to grasp
When group consensus is necessary
Typical situations are:
After a brainstorming exercise
When analyzing verbal data, such as survey
results.
 Affinity Diagram
The Affinity Diagram Method clarifies important
but unresolved problem by collecting verbal
data from disordered and confused situations
and analyzing that data by mutual affinity.
After ideas are brainstormed and written on
cards, they are grouped together with similar
ideas.
It is typically represented graphically as nested
squared (concept) which have smaller and
smaller sub-groupings of concepts. A header
card is created which capture the meaning of
each group of ideas.
 Affinity Diagr

Brainstorming for Affinity

Diagram
 Functions of an Affinity
Diagram
Establish a quality control (QC) policy for a new
company or a new factory to implement that
plan.
Establish a QC policy concerning new projects,
new products, or new technology and to
implement that plan.
Conduct quality assurance market surveys
when entering a new untested policy.
Find a starting point for a new TQC promotion
by creating a consensus among people with
varying opinions regarding the problems that
arise within each department.
Invigorate project teams within various groups.
 Relations Diagram
The relations diagram shows cause-and-
effect relationships.
A Relations Diagram is used for persistent,
complex problems that have no apparent
solutions.
Data teams explore a problem by first
thinking of all the possible causes and then
use a Key Driver process to determine
which causes are driving most of the
others.
The key driver process reveals which cause
to address first with a solution.
 Relations Diagram
To use the Relations Diagram, the
team looks at each cause and
determines which causes are the
strongest drivers.
Each cause is measured against other
causes individually.
The stronger cause is depicted with
the arrow pointing away from the
cause.
 Relations Diagram
This example was completed with a team of teachers and administrators who were
exploring why the high school had such unruly students. The problem existed for years
surviving several different administrations and staff changes. Each of the causes below
was identified and grouped together through a Think, Ink, Link activity.
Relations Diagram
 Relations Diagram
The stronger cause is depicted with the
arrow pointing away from the cause.
In this example, Lack of information and
training for staff and students on common
school policies is the number one driver
(7/0) followed by office staff not
communicating expectations and roles to
teachers (6/1).
Using this tool will help teams know what
action they need to take first to solve the
problem they are facing.
 Tree Diagram
Also called: systematic diagram, tree
analysis, analytical tree, hierarchy diagram.
The tree diagram starts with one item that
branches into two or more, each of which
branch into two or more, and so on. It looks
like a tree, with trunk and multiple
branches.
It is used to break down broad categories
into finer and finer levels of detail.
Developing the tree diagram helps you
move your thinking step by step from
generalities to specifics.
 Tree Diagram
When to Use a Tree Diagram
When an issue is known or being addressed in broad
generalities and you must move to specific details, such as
when developing logical steps to achieve an objective.
When developing actions to carry out a solution or other plan.
When analyzing processes in detail.
When probing for the root cause of a problem.
When evaluating implementation issues for several potential
solutions.
After an affinity diagram or relations diagram has uncovered
key issues.
As a communication tool, to explain details to others.
 Tree Diagram
Tree Diagram Example
The Pearl River, NY School District, a
2001 recipient of the Malcolm
Baldrige National Quality Award, uses
a tree diagram to communicate how
district-wide goals are translated into
sub-goals and individual projects.
They call this connected approach
The Golden Thread.
 Tree Diagram
The district has three fundamental
goals. The first, to improve academic
performance, is partly shown in the
figure below. District leaders have
identified two strategic objectives
that, when accomplished, will lead to
improved academic performance:
academic achievement and college
admissions.
Tree Diagram
 Tree Diagram
Lag indicators are long-term and results-
oriented. The lag indicator for academic
achievement is Regents diploma rate:
the percent of students receiving a state
diploma by passing eight Regents
exams.
Lead indicators are short-term and
process-oriented. Starting in 2000, the
lead indicator for the Regents diploma
rate was performance on new fourth and
eighth grade state tests.
 Tree Diagram
Finally, annual projects are defined,
based on cause-and-effect analysis, that
will improve performance. In 20002001,
four projects were accomplished to
improve academic achievement.
Thus this tree diagram is an interlocking
series of goals and indicators, tracing the
causes of system wide academic
performance first through high school
diploma rates, then through lower grade
performance, and back to specific
improvement projects.
 Matrix Diagram
The matrix diagram shows the relationship
between two, three or four groups of
information. It also can give information
about the relationship, such as its
strength, the roles played by various
individuals or measurements.
Six differently shaped matrices are
possible: L, T, Y, X, C and roof-shaped,
depending on how many groups must be
compared
 Matrix Diagram
An L-shaped matrix relates two groups of
items to each other (or one group to itself).
A T-shaped matrix relates three groups of
items: groups B and C are each related to
A. Groups B and C are not related to each
other.
A Y-shaped matrix relates three groups of
items. Each group is related to the other
two in a circular fashion.
 Matrix Diagram
A C-shaped matrix relates three groups
of items all together simultaneously, in
3-D.
An X-shaped matrix relates four groups
of items. Each group is related to two
others in a circular fashion.
A roof-shaped matrix relates one group
of items to itself. It is usually used
along with an L- or T-shaped matrix.
 Matrix Diagram
L-shaped 2 groups A B (or A A)
T-shaped 3 groups B A C but not B C
Y-shaped 3 groups A B C A
C-shaped 3 groups All three simultaneously (3-D)
X-shaped 4 groups A B C D A but not A
C or B D
Roof- 1 group A A when also A B in L or T
shaped

REF: http://www.asq.org/learn-about-quality/new-management-planning-
tools/overview/matrix-diagram.html
 Arrow Diagram
Also called: activity network diagram,
network diagram, activity chart, node
diagram, CPM (critical path method) chart.
The arrow diagram shows the required order of
tasks in a project or process, the best schedule for
the entire project, and potential scheduling and
resource problems and their solutions. The arrow
diagram lets you calculate the critical path of the
project. This is the flow of critical steps where delays
will affect the timing of the entire project and where
addition of resources can speed up the project.
 Arrow Diagram
When to Use an Arrow Diagram
When scheduling and monitoring tasks within a
complex project or process with interrelated
tasks and resources.
When you know the steps of the project or
process, their sequence and how long each step
takes, and.
When project schedule is critical, with serious
consequences for completing the project late or
significant advantage to completing the project
early.
 Process Decision Program
Chart
The process decision program chart
systematically identifies what might
go wrong in a plan under
development. Countermeasures are
developed to prevent or offset those
problems. By using PDPC, you can
either revise the plan to avoid the
problems or be ready with the best
response when a problem occurs.
 Process Decision Program
Chart
When to Use PDPC
Before implementing a plan,
especially when the plan is large and
complex.
When the plan must be completed on
schedule.
When the price of failure is high.
 Process Decision Program
Chart
PDPC Example
A medical group is planning to improve
the care of patients with chronic illnesses
such as diabetes and asthma through a
new chronic illness management program
(CIMP). They have defined four main
elements and, for each of these elements,
key components. The information is laid
out in the process decision program chart-
next slide
Process Decision Program
Chart
 Process Decision Program
Chart
Dotted lines represent sections of the
chart that have been omitted. Only
some of the potential problems and
countermeasures identified by the
planning team are shown on this
chart.
 Process Decision Program
Chart
For example, one of the possible
problems with patients goal-setting
is backsliding.
The team liked the idea of each
patient having a buddy or sponsor
and will add that to the program
design.
 Process Decision Program
Chart
Other areas of the chart helped them
plan better rollout, such as arranging
for all staff to visit a clinic with a
CIMP program in place. Still other
areas allowed them to plan in
advance for problems, such as
training the CIMP nurses how to
counsel patients who choose
inappropriate goals.