Problem Solving.
Some tools to help your team visualise the process, pinpoint problems, find their causes and determine solutions. They also provide a way to evaluate proposed changes.
1. FLOW CHART
This is a visual way of breaking down a problem into its component parts. Before you can change your processes in order to improve quality, it is necessary to understand the process which provides the goods or services involved.
The first step towards doing something positive is process analysis.
Flow charts are powerful and effective tools to help people understand and analyse a process. Yet they are quite simple. So simple that people are tempted to disregard or overlook this vital step.
• MS Power Point allows you to draw flowcharts.
• Microsoft Vision software does a much better job of it.
2. PARETO CHART
This is a bar graph of the identified causes shown in descending order of magnitude or frequency. The Pareto Chart makes the process of making decisions easier by arranging the information so that comparisons can be made on facts. The Chart is based upon the “80/20 rule” This refers to the critical few versus the trivial many”. For example, 80% of the sales come from 20% of the customers.
3. CAUSE AND EFFECT DIAGRAM OR “FISHBONE CHART”
This is a diagram for analysing problems and the factors that contribute to them. The problem is the effect and is written in the box to the right. The possible causes for the problem are written in the area to the left. It is common to group the causes under the “4 M’s” – Material, Manpower, Methods and Machines. Other Categories can be added as required.
