problem solving tools

Engr. Abdun Noor, Centre for Management Development, [email protected]


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Ste

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Plan

Do

Action

Check

Sample Test/Trial & Error test


Identify ProblemsIdentify Problems

Identify the problems of workplace Check each process of work

Many problems in the workplace

Starting point for KAIZENKAIZEN targets for 3Ms for improvement.

Ms stand for (a) Muda (b) Muri (c) MuraMuda- Wastage (Avoid all wastages)Muri – Strain (causing inefficiency-

Avoid strain, work smarter) Mura – Errors/Discrepancies

(Avoid errors)

(1) Improve customer service(2) Ensure safety (3) Keep deadlines, secure production quantity (4) Improve the work environment(5) Improve morale(6) Reduce cost

Brainstorming

Flow Chart


Choose a ThemeChoose a Theme State the theme specifically: what will be improved to what

Theme Selection

Customer focusLook for problems in own workplacePrioritize/Categorize/Sort problemsEvaluate and shortlist problemsConsult with boss/Top managementSelect a theme

Sort problems

How to prioritize?

Use ‘Matrix’ or ‘Pareto Diagram’.

Importance

Impact

Feasibility

etc.Cost

How to State a Theme

Use expression: what and how much and by when ?


Problem Statement Should be Specific so that Problem Statement Should be Specific so that Improvement is Well FocusedImprovement is Well Focused

Examples below show, how the problem statement may be reformulatedPoor Problem Statement

Weakness in Problem Statement

Correct Problem Statement

Problem 1:We do not have the equipment

Problem statement contains a cause.

While all tests are to be done using equipment, at present 60 percent of cases are being tested using equipment.

Problem 2:We need more staff

Prob. Stat. contains a premature solution.

Clients arriving at the counter are to wait for a long time to receive service.

Problem 3:We do not work as a team.

Problem statement is too vague for concrete action.

Team members do not plan and schedule their work together.


Check Sheet

Know the Current Status & Set GoalsKnow the Current Status & Set Goals Analyze the current status using facts/data Determine the targets and deadlines

Collect the current data and grasp situation Recognize the desirable situation Set a goal

State the goal in numbers as much as you can. A goal must be S-M-A-R-T


What is SMART?What is SMART? S M A R T

PECIFICEASURABLE

CHIEVEABLEEALISTICIME Bound


Analyze Cause and FactorsAnalyze Cause and Factors

Identify causes of the problems Factors affecting the issue

Cause-Effect Diagram


Develop Measures for ImprovementDevelop Measures for Improvement List improvement ideas Study improvement ideas Think the specifics of the improvement ideas

Use members’ knowledge and experience fully

Use techniques

Incorporate ideas of the experienced

Obtain advice and approval from the supervisor.

5 W 1H Technique


Develop an Activity PlanDevelop an Activity Plan Why an activity plan? To determine the schedule and members’ roles To demonstrate “What steps to be completed

by when”.

Gantt Chart


Implement MeasuresImplement Measures Act and implement improvement measures Allocate resources, make person(s)

responsible and implement activities as per schedule


Check the EffectCheck the Effect Collect data after implementationUse the same data sets as the current status analysis for

clear comparison Analyze dataCompare with targetsKnow the level of impact of the measures Compare with targetsEvaluate intangible and ripple effectsEvaluate the problem-solving process


Prevent Recurrence/Standardize Prevent Recurrence/Standardize (1) Based on the results of the measures, implement the preventive measure(s). Standardize the measures that were effective Train personnel on the standardized processes to maintain the effect Check if the effect is maintained

(2) Reflect on the activity. Review the results and activity process, and identify good points and the

points that need to be improved List remaining issues

(3) Discuss a future plan. Find a place where the feedback can be utilized


Some Problem Solving ToolsSome Problem Solving Tools Brain Storming Flow Chart Matrix Check Sheet

Pareto Diagram Cause & Effect Diagram 5W 1H Questioning Technique Gantt Chart


Brain StormingBrain Storming Alex Osborne introduced it as a way of encouraging

groups to be more creative in their ideas Brainstorming is the method for generating a lot of

ideas by a group of person is a short span of time Brainstorming is used in problem identification,

problem analysis and problem solution stages by the Quality Control Circle members


Rules of Brain StormingRules of Brain Storming Rule 1: No critism Rule 2: Freewheeling Rule 3: Generate as many ideas as possible Rule 4: Record/ Note down every ideas Rule 5: Incubate the ideas


Steps in Brain StormingSteps in Brain Storming Step 1: Restate/ Write-up the rules Step 2: Write-up the subject to be Brain Stormed Step 3: Start the ideas coming Step 4: Say “Pass” if one have no idea Step 5: Record the ideas Step 6: Incubate the ideas Step 7: Evaluation


Brain StormingBrain Storming


Flow Chart/ DiagramFlow Chart/ Diagram Flow diagram/chart is a graphical / pictorial

way to depict a process easily It can show the process sequence It helps one to understand the process clearly It can be used for better understanding and

analyzing the process for re-planning or making change


Symbols Used in Flow Chart/DiagramSymbols Used in Flow Chart/Diagram Terminal (Start/End)

Decision

Document

Delay

Movement /Transportation

Storage

Connector

Operation (Process, activity)

Inspection/Check (Counting, quality, quantity)


MatrixMatrix

Item No Cost Feasibility Importance Total PriorityA _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Etc.

1 2 3 4 5

Costly Moderate Cost No costTeam Can’t solve Moderate Feasible within team

Unimportant Moderate important Urgent/Important

U

W

X

Y

Z

3rd

5th

1st

4th

2nd


Check SheetCheck Sheet It is “a sheet pre-designed to easily collect

and sort out data.” We can collect necessary information, and

check those in a rational order without omission

Using a Check Sheet, we can sort out the data


Steps of Check SheetSteps of Check Sheet

Item/ Fault Type

Frequency/Check Sub Total Total Data

A

_ _ _ _

B

C

D

C DB AC New Item

New Item

C ACC

U

W

X

Y

Z


Pareto Diagram Pareto Diagram

Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed in 1906 that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population

Vilfredo Pareto developed the principle by observing that 20% of the pea pods in his garden contained 80% of the peas


Pareto Diagram Pareto Diagram The Pareto principle states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects

come from 20% of the causes

It is also known as the 80–20 rule, the law of the vital few, and the principle of factor sparsity


ExamplesExamples 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients 80% of a company's complaints come from 20% of its customers

Microsoft noted that by fixing the top 20% most reported bugs, 80% of the errors and crashes would be eliminated

20% of the hazards will account for 80% of the injuries


Drawing Pareto DiagramDrawing Pareto Diagram Step 1: Decide the kind of problem you want to investigate Step 2: Decide what data will be necessary and how to classify them Step 3: Determine the method of collecting data and period during which it

is to be collected (use check sheets)

Step 4: Design a data tally sheet to record data with space to put their total

Step 5: Collect data and calculate total Step 6: Make a Pareto diagram data sheet and fill out the data sheet

in order of quantity, in descending order


Data Collection (step 5)Data Collection (step 5)Type of Defect Tally/ Frequency Sub Total

Crack |||| |||| 10Scratch |||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |||| ||||

|||| ||42

Stain |||| | 6Strain |||| |||| |||| |||| ………….. ||||

|||| |||| 104

Gap |||| 4

Pinhole |||| |||| |||| |||| 20Others |||| |||| |||| 14Total 200


Pareto Diagram Data Sheet Pareto Diagram Data Sheet (Step 6) (Step 6) Type of Defect

Number of Defects

Cumulative Sum

Percentage of overall Total

Cumulative Percentage (%)

Strain 104 104 52 52Scratch 42 146 21 73Pinhole 20 166 10 83Crack 10 176 5 88Stain 6 182 3 91Gap 4 186 2 93Others 14 200 7 100Total 200 100


Drawing Pareto DiagramDrawing Pareto Diagram Step 7: Draw two vertical axes and one horizontal axis Step 8: Construct a bar diagram Step 9: Draw the cumulative curve

( Pareto curve)

Step10:Write necessary items on the diagram

Draw Pareto Chart in MS Excel easily; check the link for instructions http://www.excel-easy.com/examples/pareto-chart.html


Pareto DiagramPareto Diagram


Cause & Effect DiagramCause & Effect Diagram Proposed by Kaoru Ishikawa, Professor of the University of

Tokyo (1968), that shows the causes of a specific event

Also known as Fishbone Diagrams, Herringbone Diagrams & Ishikawa Diagram


Cause & Effect DiagramCause & Effect Diagram

Cause-and-effect diagram is a method of mapping out all the probable causes influencing the effect

It is difficult to solve complicated problems without considering the cause & effect relation

Cause-and-effect Diagram is a diagram which shows the relation between a quality characteristic and factors


Cause & Effect DiagramCause & Effect Diagram Step 1: Determine the quality characteristic & write

it on the right-hard side of a sheet of paper Step 2: Draw in the backbone from left to right, and

enclose the characteristic in a box Step 3: Next, write the primary causes which affect the

quality characteristic as big bones also enclosed by boxes


Cause & Effect DiagramCause & Effect Diagram Step 4:Write the causes (secondary causes) which

affect the big bones (primary causes) as medium-sized bones, and write the causes (tertiary causes) which affect the medium-sized bones as small bones

Step 5: Assign an importance to each factor and mark the particularly important factors that seem to have a significant effect on the quality characteristic

Step 6: Record any necessary information


Lack of Skill in Spoken English

StudentsTeachers

Environment Management

Lack of Opportunity

Lack of time of guidance

Lack of time of practice

Lacking

Fear of making

mistakes

Fear of being ridiculed

Fear of being isolated

Fear

Medium of instruction isn’t

English

Medium of teaching isn’t

English

Inside Class

Not being strict

Not speaking in English with

Students

Outside Class

Lack of interest in extra curricular

activitiesLack of seriousness

Lack of encouragement

Lacking

Not being strict

Speaking English isn’t encouraged

Less emphasis on teaching English

Education System

Home Environment

Lack of Encouragement

Hardly English is spoken at homes


Cause & Effect DiagramCause & Effect Diagram It will be easy if you mark the big bones (primary

causes) with 6M’s

It’s better if you could avoid the 6th M : Money


Another exampleAnother exampleMachineManSupplier

MaterialManagementEnvironment

Quality Problem


5W 1H Questioning Technique5W 1H Questioning Technique The questioning technique is the means by

which the critical examination is conducted in order to make improvement

Each activity being subjected in turn to systematic and progressive series of questions


5W 1H5W 1H


5W 1H Questioning Technique5W 1H Questioning Technique WHERE = Where ( in which department ) is the problem located WHY = Ask why at least three times to find the root cause of the problem

WHAT = Once you understand the source of the problem, what corrective action is necessary and what standard (measurement) will you use to measure your performance

WHO = Identify by name who will be responsible for implementing the corrective action (department level)

WHEN = Period of implementation HOW = Considering the cost-benefit, is there a savings based on

the QCD Function (quality, cost, delivery)


5W 1H Questioning Technique5W 1H Questioning TechniqueCause 1 Cause 2 Cause 3

WHERE is the problem located?

WHY, WHY, WHY is it a problem?

WHAT needs to be done? Action and measurement

WHO is responsible for the action?

By WHEN will you take corrective action?

HOW much will it cost or save?


Gantt ChartGantt Chart Developed by Henry Gantt, an American

mechanical engineer and management consultant in the 1910s

A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule

The chart shows the actions to be implemented with temporal milestone settings

The vertical bars represent scheduled and implemented timings of each action


Gantt ChartGantt ChartSl. No. Activity Jun’13 July’13 Aug’13 Sep.’13 Oct’13 Nov’13 Dec’13 Jan’14

1 U

2 V

3 W

4 X

5 Y

6 Z

PlanImplemented/Actual

problem solving tools

Engineering