THE 8D APPROACH – PROBLEM ISSUE RESOLUTION

In 1987, Ford Motor Company published their manual, Team Oriented Problem Solving
(TOPS), that includes their 8 Disciplines problem solving process. The process was
initially used to deal with quality control and safety issues inside the company, but later
expanded its role to a team approach problem solving method. The 8D process is
employed by engineers and designers to identify, analyze, and correct problems
through eliminating the main source that caused the problem.

The 8 Disciplines aim to achieve the following targets while solving the specified
problem:

 Think as a team while solving the problem

 Isolate the problem and understand its causes
 Identify the factors that contribute to the problem
 Provide a temporary solution to halt the impact of the problem
 Eliminate the causes of the problem and the factors contributing to it
 Prevent the problem from recurring

When to use 8D Problem Solving:

Based on the above targets, the 8D problem solving process is designed for complex
problems whose solution exceeds the ability of one expert. Also, it aims to establish
communication for problem resolution through different levels inside the company. In
some situations, the consumer or the management team requests the application of the
8D process through a number of forms or documentations.

While 8D problem solving is suitable for recurring problems that may occur repeatedly
within a project or company, it is not suitable for simple problems that can be solved
quickly by individual efforts. The process is not suitable for a problem whose causes are
already known or can be solved with direct solutions. The 8D process is designed for
complex problems, which require several weeks to solve and the involvement of at least
4 people. 8D problem solving provides a systematic process to find and solve problems.
Therefore, if the problem requires choosing between alternative solutions, 8D
acknowledges that other tools may help solve the problem better than the 8D process.

The 8D problem solving process includes 8 Disciplines and, in the mid-90s, a D0 step
for planning was added to the process. The 8D steps include the following:

The 8D Problem Solving Process

1. D0: Plan

This discipline is also known as the Pre 8D because it aims to have a general
understanding of the problem and to determine if the 8D process is the right method to
use. At this stage the team aims to answer general questions such as:

 Is this a new problem or has it happened before?

 Is this a recurring problem?
 What is the history of this issue?
 What was the method used to solve the problem before?

At this stage, the target is to learn about the problem’s history and decide if the 8D
process is the best tool to solve the problem.

2. D1: Team Formation

Thinking as a team can produce more efficient solutions than trying to solve a problem
alone. The team includes all the stakeholders associated with the problem. The team
communicates with each other and performs brainstorming in order to solve the
problem. If the team does not know each other, the brainstorming time can be used to
learn how teach members think. To explore ideas together, methods can be used in the
brainstorming session such as Mind Mapping, Six Thinking Hats, Lego Serious Play,
and others.

3. D2: Describe the problem

After team formation, the second step is to understand the problem and its risks. This
stage starts with a risk analysis to identify the situation and how it can affect the project
flow. A number of methods can be used to analyze the problem from different
perspectives, these include SWOT analysis, SCAMPER technique and similar tools.
This stage is essential to building a clear vision about the problem and make sure all the
stakeholders have the same understanding to the situation.