The QC Problem Solving

Approach

Solving Workplace Problems

 What is a Problem?
A problem is the gap between the present and the ideal
situation or objective

Ideal situation or objective

Control characteristic
 Good

Gap  problem = (ideal situation or objective) – (present level)

Present Level
 Problem Solver Types
Which Type are you ?
 Type 1: The self-negating type
Convince themselves that they cannot
solve the problem because of lack of
talent and self-confidence
“The person who has never failed is
the person who has never tried”
 Problem-Solver Types ..cont.
 Type 2: The “someone-else’s-fault” type
 Always blame others without self-reflection
 Always perform observers’ role
 Type 3 : The “ostrich” type
Think that the existing situation cannot be
improved
Must realize that they are surrounded by a sea of
problems, and they must cultivate a burning desire
to solve them
Problem-Solver Types ..cont.
 Type 4: The problem-solving type
 Act with a specific objective in mind
 Actively seek out problems to tackle
 Are flexible in their thinking when drawing
up plans for problem-solving
Types of Problem
 TYPE C: simple problems, simple causes.
Action needed is simple
 TYPE B: requiring high level of technology.
Causes identified, but do not know how to
solve
 TYPE D: action to solve is known, but do not
understand the causes
 TYPE A: neither causes nor
countermeasures are known
The Four Types of Problems
Not Known  Known B A
Countermeasures

Problems requiring a Problems really

high level of worth solving
technology

C D
Simple problems Problems requiring
care

Known  Not known

Causes
 The “Real” Problems
Not Known  Known B A
Countermeasures

Problems requiring a Problems really

high level of worth solving
technology

C D
Simple problems
The problems of this type Problems requiring
cannot be solved without care
using QC tools and pooling
the talents and abilities of
Known  Not known
the group following the QC
Problem Solving Approach Causes
Creating a Strong Workplace
 A strong workplace is one that recognizes
problems and can take steps to solve them
Creating a Strong Workplace
 In spite of difficulties faced, we must
continue to think of ways to solve problems
rather than reasons why they cannot be
solved
 To survive in the coming times, we must not
merely accumulate fragmentary knowledge
but must constantly develop our own
personal abilities and confront new and ever
more difficult problems without being
hidebound by traditional concepts
 The QC Problem-Solving
Approach
The QC problem solving approach is a method of solving
problems rationally, scientifically, efficiently and effectively
using QC view point, the QC 7-Step Formula and the QC
tools
Problem Solving
1. QC Viewpoint
Rationally

Scientifically
2. QC 7-Step Formula
Efficiently

Effectively 3. QC Tools
 “Quality First”

“Quality First” means putting quality above everything

else in order to create highly satisfactory goods and
services of guaranteed quality that customers will be
attracted to buy and delighted to use.
“Quality First” Strategies:
• Develop complex, highly original, new technology.
• Unearth the latent wants and needs of the marketplace and develop
new types of products that will stimulate fresh demand and create
new markets.
• Improve and control processes to eliminate defects, and produce
products that will function as nearly perfectly as possible.
Chart
 Quality-first Activities

Planning of Survey marketplace and identify sell well

quality Plan products able to create new demand
Decide targeted quality and set product specifications
Design
Fabricate prototypes and evaluate their quality
of
Quality-First

quality Predict design problems and devise countermeasures

activities

Design processes for building in quality

Manufacture Control and improve processes and build in quality via
of quality the process
Check quality through experiments and surveys
Sell product

Sales and Establish service system

service of Deal with repairs and complaints promptly and reliably
quality
Enhance quality assurance system by passing
information onto relevant division
 Consumer Orientation

Consumer Orientation Is the Desire to Produce Goods and

Services That Customer Want and That They Will Be
Happy to Buy

The fundamental aim of quality management is to develop, manufacture and sell goods and
services that satisfy customers and are acceptable to society. The “market in” philosophy is
essential for this .
The “market in” philosophy means placing oneself in the user’s shoes and manufacturing
goods and services that meet market needs. This contrasts with the “product out”
philosophy, a manufacturer-centered approach that consists of forcing onto the market
goods and services produced for the manufacturer’s benefit.
Keys to Consumer Orientation
 Identify market wants and needs, and plan and
develop goods and services that meet them.
 Strengthen and enhance the quality assurance
system, design and manufacture products from the
user’s standpoint, and produce defect free products.
 Provide an effective after sales service, deal with
complaints promptly, and use the information
obtained to prevent any recurrence.

CS
 The Next Process is Your
Customer

“The next process is your customer” means thinking of the recipient (the next
process) of the goods or the services produced in one’s own process as a
customer and passing on to them only defect free products or services. To
achieve this, each person must achieve his or her assigned duties properly
before handing over to the person in-charge of the next process.

Companies operate by parceling out their work among large number of people. This is
because they adhere to the basic principle that specialization - that is, putting people in -
charge of particular jobs or work areas- leads to fewer errors and enables job-related
techniques and skills to be accumulated.
Since our own process’s output is the next process’s input, the work we do must keep the
people in all the processes downstream of ours, not just the next one, happy and satisfied. In
other words, the idea that next process is customer is important.
Keys to “Next Process…”
 Always think and act from the
standpoint of the next process.
 Understand the role of your own
process as well.
 Establish good communication with
previous and subsequent processes.
Keys to “Next Process…”
 Understand the next process well.
 Exchange accurate information through
feedback and feed-forward.
 Set clear acceptance / rejection
standards.
 Perform rigorous autonomous
inspection.

CS
 The PDCA Wheel

The PDCA Wheel is a step-by-step method of getting

things done effectively and reliably. It consists of drawing
up a plan, implementing the plan, checking the results,
and taking any necessary corrective action.

Step 1: Prepare a plan (Plan)

Step 2: Implement the plan (Do)
Step 3: Check the results (Check)
Step 4: Take action based on the findings of Step 3 (Act)
The PDCA Wheel
 Plan
 Clarify the objectives and decide on the
control characteristics (control items).
 Set measurable targets.
 Decide on the method to be used to
achieve the targets.
The PDCA Wheel
 Do
 Study and train in the method to be used.
 Implement the method.
 Collect data on the quality characteristics
using the method decided.
The PDCA Wheel
 Check
 Check whether the work has been
performed according to the standards.
 Check whether the various measured
values and test results meet the standards.
 Check whether the quality characteristics
match the target values.
The PDCA Wheel
 Act
 If the work deviates from the standards,
take action to correct this.
 If abnormal result has been obtained,
investigate the reason for it and take
action to prevent it recurring.
 Improve working systems and methods.

CS
 Management by Facts

Management by facts means not making decisions

based on experience and intuition alone but acting in
accordance with the facts

•Closely observe the actual location and actual objects

•Decide on the characteristics to be investigated
•Clarify the objectives of collecting the data
•Collect accurate data
•Carefully analyze the data using QC tools
•Consider the results and produce accurate information CS
 Process Control

Process control means not merely chasing results but

paying attention to the process (i.e., the method of
working), controlling this, and improving our working
systems and methods
Output
Input Process Good result Maintain
(Result)
(method of
working) Poor result
Consider control items
Act
Propose
Countermeasures Analyze Causes

Create good result by improving process

Keys to Process Control
 Dissect and improve present working
methods
 Pay attention to standardization
 Standardize the best working methods
 Teach the standards
 See that these are observed
 Quality is built in via the process not
through inspection
Keys to Process Control
 Look beyond the results
 Reflect on the process that produced the
results
 Improve working methods, and raise the
quality of work
 Carry out the gap-analysis and control
the cause-and-effect system

CS
 Dispersion Control

Even when the same worker makes a product by the

same process, according to the same work standards,
using the same materials and equipment, variation in
quality will always be there. This is because data are
obtained from processes that we cannot perfectly control
and that are affected by changes in the environment and
other conditions.
The challenge is to keep this dispersion within acceptable
limits.
Keys to Dispersion Control
 Eliminate deviation from standards
 Identify the shape of the distribution, its central
value (the mean) and its dispersion (the standard
deviation)
 Investigate the causes of any deviation and take
countermeasures
 Keep the process in stable condition
 Identify chance causes and assignable causes
 Eliminate any assignable causes and take actions
to prevent their recurrence

CS
 Recurrence Prevention

Recurrence prevention means identifying the causes of

trouble and taking countermeasures against those
causes to ensure that they never recur
Types of Countermeasures:
1. Emergency countermeasures
2. Individual recurrence-preventing countermeasures (permanent
countermeasures)
Aimed at work or method that created the trouble
3. Systematic recurrence-preventing countermeasures
Aimed at the system, procedures, organization, standards, etc.

Chart
 Standardization

To ensure that work proceeds smoothly in a workplace,

its role in the organization and the correct methods of
working must be clearly specified and put down on paper
so that the job can be done properly by anyone who
follows the instructions. This is the objective of
Standardization.

Businesses must unify, simplify and standardize the 4M’s (Materials,

Machines, Manpower, and Methods) in such a way that the work can
be performed identically whoever does it and whenever it is done,
and so the waste, unevenness, and strain do not arise.
CS