Chapter 3 Quality Improvement tools and PDCA Shyamal Gomes Introduction: Continuous process improvement is designed to utilize the

e resources of the organization to achieve a quality driven culture where the individual think, act and speak about quality for customer satisfaction and standardization in competitive environment. Deming and Juran observed that while majority of the quality problems are associated with processes, few are caused by workers themselves. Therefore, No purpose is served by blaming individual workers for something over which they do not have any control. It is the management who should share the responsibility with the work force to continuously improve the PROCESSES with which human beings are works Now the question is what process is and what is process improvement? A process is a systematic series of actions directed to the achievement of a goal A process is a unique combination of people, materials, equipments, method, measurement, and the environment or causes that collectively produces a given outcome such as a product, a service, or an input to another process.

FEEDBACK

INPUT

PROCESS

Materials Money Informati on Data etc.

People Equipmen t Method Procedure

OUTPUT Informati

on Data Product Service etc.

OUT COMES

CONDITION

Fig. Input and out put process model (Chap -5 TQM: Besterfield)

The components of a process may be classified as 7Ms: Materials : Raw materials Manpower : People and Power Method: Product design, process design and operation procedures Machines : Tools & equipments used in process Maintenances: are for process components including Training of people. Management: Policy work rules and environment

Process management involves the design, control and improvement of key business processes. It helps to prevent defects and errors, eliminate waste and redundancy and thereby leads to better quality and improved competitive performance through shorter cycle times, improved flexibility and faster customer responsiveness. The methodology for process management is based on the following principles: process quality improvement focuses on the end to end process the mind set of quality is one of the prevention and continuous improvement Everyone manages a process at some level and is simultaneously a customer and a supplier. Customer needs drive process quality improvement. Corrective action focuses on revolving the root cause of the problem rather than on treating its symptoms. Process simplification reduces opportunities for errors and rework. Prior to total quality movement, process improved considered as a proactive task of successful management. Because process improvement helps organization to strive not only to meet or exceed customer expectations or improve internal performance measures, but also to out perform all direct competition and be recognised as world class leaders.

Prior to total quality movement, process improved considered as a proactive task of successful management. Because process improvement helps organization to strive not only to meet or exceed customer expectations or improve internal performance measures, but also to out perform all direct competition and be recognised as world class leaders.

What is process Improvement?

Understanding existing processes and introducing process changes to improve product quality, reduce costs or accelerate schedules. Most process improvement work so far has focused on defect reduction. This reflects the increasing attention paid by industry to quality. However, other process attributes can also be the focus of improvement. Now process could be improve in the following manners: Viewing all works as a process, whether it is associated with production or business activities.

Making all process effective, efficient and adaptable. Anticipating changing customer needs. Controlling in process performance using measures such as scrap reduction, cycle time, control charts and so forth. Maintaining constructive dissatisfaction with the present level of performance. Eliminating waste and rework where ever it occurs. Investigating activities that do not add value to the product or service, with the aim of eliminating those activities. Using Benchmarking to improve competitive advantage. Using technical tools what ever it requires Incorporating lessons learned into future activities.

Process Improvement Cycle

Scientific methods for process Improvement:

Identify and define the problem Study the existing situation: collect necessary data. Generate possible solution alternatives Evaluate alternatives and choose the preferred one. Develop the Action Plan Implement the plan and improvement and measure the results. Other wise return to step one and start again with a new problem.

A method of asking questions about a process that includes what , why, where, when, who, how and how much (7 brothers) principles can assist to improve the process. Category Subject Purpose 5W2H What? Why ? Typical question What is being done Why is this necessary Goal Identify the focus of analysis Eliminate unnecessary

Location

Where?

Where is it being done

Sequence

When?

When is it done

People

Who?

Who is doing it

Method

How?

How is it being done

Cost

How much?

How much does it cost now

tasks Improve the location, Why is it done there? Would it be better to do it some where else? Improve the sequence. Would it be better to do it at another time? Improve the sequence or output. Could some one else do it better? Simplify tasks, improve output. Is there a better way? Select an improve method What would be the cost?

Since the first method for process improvement is identifying the problem, we must understand the problem definition, the types of problems and problem solving method; so that achieve the target zero defect and reach the goal customer satisfaction. A problem is a deviation between what should be happening and what actually is happening. It is an unwanted situation that affects the normal way of life or product life cycle. Problem can be defined in several ways: Felt difficulty Gap or obstacle to be circumvented Something that fails to bring about a desired effect or result Undesirable / unwanted situation Persuade variance or gap between present conditions and some desired state of affairs. Successful quality improvement always depends on the ability to identify and solve problems. Problem solving is the activity associated with changing the state of what is actually happening to what should be happening. Most of the managers first recognize problems by noticing symptoms. Symptoms indicate that something is wrong, but they do not tell the reasons for the trouble therefore to eliminate the symptoms managers must identify and attack causes of symptoms, finalize the root cause for resolve immediately.

Too much
SYMPTOMS

To less PROBLEM

Too high

Types of Problem:
There are 5 types of problem: Compliance, Unstructured, Efficiency, Process design and product design. The first 3 are performance problems and the last 2 are design problems that require a new or improved design. Problem Types Compliance Possible solution When a structured system Feedback Root cause having standardize inputs, from the analysis can processes, and outputs is internal and help to solve performing unacceptably from external this problem the users view point customers Unstructured problems The absence Determine resemble the compliance of standards customers problem except that they are may be due to needs and to not specified by standards. systematic diagnose the immaturity or cause of poor to the need for performance. flexibility in systematic performance When the system is The end users performing unacceptability are satisfied: from the view point of its however the owners or operators process is more costly than desired or works conditions are not acceptable Process design problems This problem involve the development of can be solve new processes and revision of through existing processes which may Benchmarking Occurred Cause

Unstructured

Efficiency

Process design

Product design

obsolete with advances in technology Product design problems involved the development of new products and the improvement of existing products as per needs of customer

This problem can solve through quality function deployment (QFD)

Problem Solving Method: The problem solving method or scientific method based on seven phases related to PDSA (Plan Do Study Act) developed by Shewhart and modified by Deming as PDCA (Plan Do Check and Action). The phases are: 1. Perception of problem 2. Evaluation of Existing Situation 3. Analyze the cause 4. Planning of counter measures 5. Implementation of Counter measures 6. Evaluation of Result, where is key. 7. Standardize the solution 8. Summary and Plan for Future

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase - 3 Phase - 4

Phase 5

Phase 7 Phase - 8

Phase - 6

These phases are integrated because each phase is dependent upon the previous phase. Continuous Process improvement is the objective, and these phases are the framework to achieve the objectives.

This problem solving methodology is supported by seven management tools: 1. Flow chart 2. Check sheets 3. Histogram 4. Pareto diagram 5. Cause and effect diagram 6. Scattered diagram 7. Control charts According to Osborn and Parnes, any problem could be solved by the 6 primary steps by using the appropriate QC tools, they are: Problem Solving Steps Perception of problem / Understanding the mess Evaluation the existing situation / Finding the facts understanding by the true state of quality Cause Analysis and generating ideas Identify the priority of problems understand the true problem, and Planning of counter measure Developing solutions Implementing the plan Principle Tools Flowcharts, control charts Check sheets

Cause and effect diagram Pareto diagram and histograms

Scattered diagrams Planning tools (7 brothers)

1. Flow chart: A flow chart is a diagram constructed from connected shapes representing a process or a plan and used to document the detailed steps in a process Flow chart: or process flow diagram shows entire process (systems, identify potential trouble spots, and locate control activities. It answer the question what / who is the next? Hold

Telephone Fax Letter Log in Credit Check OK Contact Review

Production Etc.

Schedule Production

Inventory Check

Notify customer as to delivery date

2. Check sheet: Check sheets provide a systematic means of collecting and analysing data. Check sheets are special types of data collection forms in which the results may be integrated on the form directly without additional processing. Check sheets facilitate systematic record keeping or data collection.

4. Histogram: Histogram display large amount of data that are difficult to interpret in their raw form. By providing a visual summary of the data, histograms reveal whether the process is cantered around a target value, the degree of variation in the data and whether the data meet specifications. Thus histogram could help in identifying process capability relative to customer requirements. Histogram present graphic pictures that quickly summarise the variation.
100 80 60 40 20 0 1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year Xavier Ram Rahim

Pareto Chart:
l Pareto chart have been named after Alfredo Pareto (1848-1923). This chart is based on the 80:20 principles of Pareto as applied in quality management. It means that quality problems are the result of only a few problems e.g. 80% of the problems usually stem from 20% of causes. In the preparation of this chart, various causes resulting in quality problems are identified and arranged in the descending order of the magnitude of defects the produce Dr. Joseph Juran coined the phases vital few and trivial many. A Pareto diagram is a bar chart that illustrate the frequency of recurrence or the cost of a set of items. Here we see one example Causes for late arrival Number of occasions 25 42 10 59 08 20 73 Percentage 15% 26% 6% 36% 05% 12% 100%

Causes for late arrival Transportation Child care Oversteps Traffic Emergency Bad Weather Total

Causes for late Number of occasions arrival (Decreasing order), Traffic 59 Child Care 42 Public Transport 25 Bad Weather 20 Oversteps 10 Emergency 08 Total 164

Percentage

Cumulative Percentage 36% 62% 77% 89% 95% 100% 100%

36% 26% 15% 12% 06% 05% 100%

F R E Q U E N C Y

Vital Few

Trivial Many

C U M U L A T I V E P E R C E N T

ERROR CATEGORIES
6. Cause and effect Diagram: A problem can be due to a variety of reasons or causes. The goal of problem solving is to identify the causes of problems in order to correct them. The cause and effect diagram is an important tool in this task, as it assists the generation of ideas for problem causes and in tern, serve as a basis for solution findings. Cause and effect diagram was introduced by Dr. K. Ishikawa of Japan. It is a simple, graphical method for presenting a chain of causes and effects and for sorting out causes and organising relationships between variable. Because of its structure, it is often called fish bone diagram. There are two sets of general categories of main causes used in the fish bone diagram: 1. 3 Ms and 1P (Method, Machinery, Materials, and People) 2. 4Ps ( Polices, Procedures, People and Plant)

Example: Potential Causes of excess scrap

People
Lack of supervision Lack of training Substitute workers

Material
Lower quality Wrong selection of vendors / suppliers Wrong specification Lack of Inspection

Inadequate skill

Excess Scrap
Poor Maintenance

Erroneous Design
Poor Communicatio

Improper assembly instructions Wrong bill of materials

Machine Wrong set up

Method

Machinery

Before, arranging this diagram, Why Why analysis is very important. Cause, cause of the cause and root cause analysis may helps to identify the cause, sub cause and reasons of that cause. Cause

As Because

Cause of Cause Cause of cause of cause Root cause

Why

Scattered Diagram: Scattered diagram is used to find the kind and level of relationship between a cause and effect. Ishikawas fishbone diagrams helps in finding the root causes of an effective or a problem, scattered diagram helps to quantify the kind and level of relationship. l SD is used to study possible relationship between two variables. Although these diagram cannot prove that one variable causes the other, they do include the existence of a relationship, as well as the strength of that relationship . A SD is composed of a horizontal axis containing the measured values of one variable and a vertical axis representing the measurement of the other variable. The purpose of the SD is to display what happens to one variable when another variable is changed. The diagram is used to test a theory the two variables are related

l l

Ishikawas cause and effect diagram help in finding the root cause of and effect or a problem, it helps to quantify the kind and level of relationship.

7. Control Chart: A control chart is simply a run chart to which two which two horizontal lines called control limits are added, upper control limit and lower control limit. Control chart were first proposed by Walter Shewart at Bell laboratories in 1920. Control limits are chosen statistically so that there is a high probability that points will fall between these limits if the process is in control. Control limits make it easier to interpret patterns in a run chart and draw conclusions about the state of control.

UCL Measured of Quality Characteristics Central Line LCL

3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 Time or number of subgroups

12

However, to implement a solution to a problem, changes are made in how things are done. A new producers must be used, a new piece of equipment must be installed and debugged, or people must start paying attention to some aspects of quality that had been ignored previously. The implementation step would be easier if problem solving teams have been properly organized. Prepared by: PROF. DR. SHYAMAL GOMES XISS, Ranchi, Jharkhand

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