October 14, 2015 Industry Forum Blog When is structured problem solving the right method to use? Most of us probably still remember the pain of tackling our first fearsome quality issue. And if you were a supplier into Ford you will have been using the 8D method.I hope you had more success than I first did! Since then I have also used Practical Problem Solving (preferred by Toyota), PM Analysis and the TPM Quality Maintenance steps. Each method has its pros and cons, and my success rate has improved with practise. However, the most useful thing I learned along the way is that you don’t always have to jump into to root cause analysis! Welcome to the infinity loop. May it save you many hours of painstaking work! The infinity loop In this model normal working is shown as a combination of two cycles; the sustain cycle and the improve cycle. The Sustain Cycle If there are no problems we continue working to the set standards. A problem can be described as the difference between what is happening and what should be happening – a gap to target. If a problem does occur then we need to take action. Step 1 Measure the current situation. We need to check if the problem is a result of the deterioration of standard working conditions and practices. If basic conditions have deteriorated they will have adversely affected the inputs to the process (man, material, machine, method). Therefore the outputs will also have been affected. Step 2 Restore basic conditions. Ensure the 5S conditions of the work place are as required, everyone is working to the Standard Operations and the equipment maintained at the correct standard. We then ask “Has the problem been resolved?” Typically 8/10 problems are resolved by restoring basic conditions. If the answer is yes then we continue round to step 3 in the sustain cycle. Step 3 Return to normal working standards to sustain basic conditions. In these cases we do not need to deploy a structured problem solving technique. Step 4 We complete the cycle by making it easier to maintain the basic conditions so they don’t slip again. However, if the answer is no, the problem isn’t resolved by restoring basic conditions, we follow the cycle on the right hand side. The Improve Cycle is where we deploy our preferred method of structured problem solving.In this diagram the steps of your chosen structure are summarised in steps 3, 4 and 5; carry out root cause analysis, countermeasure the root cause and define improved standards to work to. Again we ask the question “Has the problem been resolved?” If the answer is no, we must go round the improvement cycle again. If the answer is yes, then we return to the sustain cycle and complete Step 6, the original step 3, maintain basic conditions. Step 7, the original step 4, make it easier to maintain the basic conditions. Finally Remember structured Problem Solving can be used proactively to improve a process, as well as to prevent the re-occurrence of a problem. And don’t just stick to quality problems. I have had success using it to solve a range of issues from accident levels to manning problems. If you want to know more about any of the structured Problem Solving techniques mentioned please contact us.
