PROBLEM SOLVING TOOLS
Brainstorming
Cause & Effect Analysis Technique
Pareto Analysis
Control Charts
1. Brainstorming
• Generates ideas as to the cause(s) of the problem
• Involve relevant personnel, even your suppliers!
Brainstorming Rules
• No criticism is allowed
• Wild ideas are welcome
• A large number of ideas are sought
• Works best in groups of 6 - 12 people
Brainstorming Procedure
✓ Define the problem clearly
✓ Write the topic clearly on the flip chart
✓ Each group member in turn is asked for 1 idea
✓ If a member has no idea to offer, "Pass"
✓ Ideas should be briefly presented
✓ No idea is too stupid or too obvious
✓ No questions or comments on ideas given
✓ All ideas are written down on a flip chart
✓ Combination of previous ideas are welcome
✓ Continue until all members "pass"
After the Brainstorming Session
✓ The list of ideas must be analysed and rationalised
✓ to find the likely root cause(s) of the problem(s)
2. Cause & Effect Analysis Technique
• Commonly called as Fishbone Chart
• Also known as Ishikawa Diagram
• Popular in Japanese Industry
• Ask “WHY” five times
Cause & Effect Analysis Procedure
1. Draw a blank fish-bone diagram:
2. Specify the problem under investigation:
3. Classify the possible causes:
4. Transfer the relevant ideas from the session:
3. Pareto Analysis
Problem solving is only effective if the problem is clearly identified and communicated
A Pareto chart is a type of chart that contains both bars and a line graph, where individual values
are represented in descending order by bars, and the cumulative total is represented by the line.
The chart is named for the Pareto principle, which, in turn, derives its name from Vilfredo Pareto, a
noted Italian economist.
The purpose of the Pareto chart is to highlight the most important among a (typically large) set of
factors. In quality control, Pareto charts are useful to find the defects to prioritize in order to
observe the greatest overall improvement. It often represents the most common sources of
defects, the highest occurring type of defect, or the most frequent reasons for customer
complaints, and so on.
Example of a Perto Chart
Problem Duration Problem Duration 20000.00
Misc. Mechanical problem 198.00 Power Failure 24315.00
Steam 855.00 Misc. Instrument 3088.00 18000.00
40-bar (Utility) 259.00 PLC 2232.00
16000.00
Soft Water 340.00 Limit switch 893.00
Power Failure 24315.00 Steam 855.00 14000.00
Misc. Instrument 3088.00 L.S (Longitudinal Seal) - Instrument 616.00
12000.00
PLC 2232.00 T.S (Transversal Seal) - Instrument 373.00
Limit switch 893.00 Soft Water 340.00 10000.00
Regulating valve (Instrument) 60.00 Syringe Injector 271.00
Pneumatic valve 5.00 40-bar (Utility) 259.00 8000.00
Knocking device 57.00 Electrical Pannel 215.00
6000.00
L.S (Longitudinal Seal) - Instrument 616.00 Auger (Error 5) 203.00
T.S (Transversal Seal) - Instrument 373.00 Misc. Mechanical problem 198.00 4000.00
Gluing (Instrument) 13.00 CCP - Deviation 143.00
2000.00
Electrical Pannel 215.00 Design out (Instrument) 140.00
CCP - Deviation 143.00 Regulating valve (Instrument) 60.00 0.00
Auger (Error 5) 203.00 Knocking device 57.00
T.S (Transversal Seal) -
Metal detector error
L.S (Longitudinal Seal) -
Power Failure
Syringe Injector
40-bar (Utility)
Misc. Mechanical problem
CCP - Deviation
Regulating valve (Instrument)
Knocking device
Pneumatic valve
PLC
Auger (Error 5)
Misc. Instrument
Limit switch
Electrical Pannel
Transducer
Design out (Instrument)
Gluing (Instrument)
Thermal relay
Steam
Soft Water
(Instrument)
Metal detector error (Instrument) 5.00 Transducer 54.00
Instrument
Instrument
Design out (Instrument) 140.00 Gluing (Instrument) 13.00
Syringe Injector 271.00 Thermal relay 7.00
Thermal relay 7.00 Pneumatic valve 5.00
Transducer 54.00 Metal detector error (Instrument) 5.00
4. Control Charts
Control charts are graphical plots used in production control to determine whether quality
and manufacturing processes are being controlled under stable conditions. The hourly status is arranged
on the graph, and the occurrence of abnormalities is judged based on the presence of data that differs
from the conventional trend or deviates from the control limit line.
Control charts, also known as Shewhart charts (after Walter A. Shewhart) or process-behavior charts,
are a statistical process control tool used to determine if a manufacturing or business process is in a state
of control. It is more appropriate to say that the control charts are the graphical device for Statistical
Process Monitoring (SPM).
Traditional control charts are mostly designed to monitor process parameters when the underlying form of
the process distributions are known. However, more advanced techniques are available in the 21st century
where incoming data streaming can-be monitored even without any knowledge of the underlying process
distributions. Distribution-free control charts are becoming increasingly popular.