Why, Why Tool for Problem Solving

• Statistical process control (SPC) tools are effective for problem-solving, but not in all situations.
• Some tools are beneficial for teams and individuals and rely on subjective information rather than hard data.
• The first three tools of the seven management and planning tools are simple, while the other 7 are more complicated.
• Application of these tools has been proven useful in process improvement, cost reduction, policy deployment, and new-product development.
• Using quality improvement tools during innovation results in higher quality, lower costs, and shorter lead times.
• The tools are useful in conceptualization and idea generation using a structured approach to problem-solving

Why, Why Tool

• A simple but effective tool for finding the root cause of a problem.
• Focuses on the process rather than people.
• Describe the problem in specific terms and ask "why" multiple times.
• Helpful in developing critical thinking and quick problem-solving.

Forced Field Analysis

• Used to identify forces and factors influencing a problem or goal.
• Helps understand promoting/driving and restraining/inhibiting forces.
• Positives are reinforced, and negatives reduced/eliminated.
• Steps include define objective, determine evaluation criteria, brainstorm forces, prioritize forces, and take action.

Nominal Group Technique

• Provides for issue/idea input from everyone on the team which results in effective decisions.
• Each team member writes the most important problem on a piece of paper.
• The problems are collected and listed on a flip chart.
• Each member ranks the problems from least to most important using numerical values.
• Points are totaled, and the item with the highest number of points is considered most important.

Affinity Diagram

• Allows teams to creatively generate and group issues/ideas logically for problem understanding and breakthrough solutions.
• State the issue in a full sentence.
• Brainstorm using short sentences on self-adhesive notes.
• Post the notes for the team to see.
• Sort ideas into logical groups.
• Create concise descriptive headings for each group.
• Large groups should be divided into smaller groups with appropriate headings.
• Stand-alone notes can become headers or be placed in a miscellaneous category.
• This encourages team creativity, breaks down barriers, facilitates breakthroughs, and stimulates ownership of the process.

Interrelationship Diagram (ID)

• It clarifies the interrelationship of many factors of a complex situation.
• The team can classify the cause-and-effect relationships among all the factors.
• The key drivers and outcomes can be used to solve the problem.
• The team should agree on the issue or problem statement.
• Ideas/issues from other techniques/brainstorming should be laid out in a circle.
• Start with the first issue and evaluate cause-and-effect relationship with the next issue.
• For example, "Lack of Respect for Others” (A), compared to "Lack of Awareness of Impact” (B).
• Determine which of these two options is stronger
• The issue that is stronger is given the arrow.
• The entire diagram should be reviewed and revised where necessary.
• Seek external opinions for up and downstream processes

Tree Diagram

• A broad objective is reduced to increasing levels of detail to achieve the objective.
• Choose an action-oriented objective statement from the interrelationship diagram, affinity diagram, brainstorming, team mission statement, etc.
• Then brainstorm to choose the major headings.
• Generate the next level by asking, "What needs to be addressed to achieve the objective?"
• Repeat the question at each level.
• Three levels below the objective are sufficient for the diagram and assignments.
• The diagram should be reviewed to see if actions give the anticipated results or if something is missing.
• The diagram encourages creative thinking, makes large projects manageable, and generates a problem-solving atmosphere.

Matrix Diagram

• Teams identify, analyze, and rate the relationship among two or more variables.
• Data are given in table form and can be objective or subjective, and can have symbols or numerical values.
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is an example of the use of a matrix diagram.
• There are 5 standard formats: L-shaped, T-shaped, Y-shaped, C-shaped, and X-shaped, with L-shaped being the most common.
• Select the factors affecting a successful plan.
• Select the appropriate format, which is the L-shaped diagram.
• Determine the relationship symbols and create a legend.
• Complete the matrix by analyzing each cell and inserting the appropriate symbol.
• The matrix diagram shows the relationship of the two variables and encourages thinking in terms of relationships, strength, and patterns.

Prioritization Matrices

• Tools prioritize issues, tasks, characteristics, etc., based on weighted criteria using tree and matrix diagram techniques.
• Prioritization allows for effective decisions by reducing options before implementation planning.
• Utilizes a combination of tree and matrix diagrams.
• There are 15 implementation options
• Construct an L-shaped matrix combining the options with the criteria.
• Determine implementation criteria using the nominal group technique (NGT) or any other technique that will satisfactorily weight the criteria.
• Prioritize the criteria using NGT.
• Each team member weights the criteria so the total weight equals 1.00.
• Using NGT, rank the options in terms of importance by each criterion, averaging the results.
• Compute the option importance score and the options with the highest total ones should be implemented first.

Process Decision Program Chart (PDPC)

• Avoids surprises and identifies possible countermeasures for achieving objectives.
• The team states the objective, such as planning a successful conference.
• Followed by the first level, which is the main conference activities.
• Determine what could go wrong with the conference as the "what if" level.
• Brainstorm countermeasures and place them in a balloon in the last level.
• Evaluate the countermeasures and select the optimal ones by marking an O underneath.
• Reject bad options by marking an X under them
• Use when the task is new/unique, complex, or potential failure has great risks.
• This provides the mechanism to effectively minimize uncertainty in an implementation plan.

Activity Network Diagram

• Also known as program evaluation and review technique (PERT), critical path method (CPM), arrow diagram, and activity on node (AON).
• Allows teams to schedule a project efficiently
• Highlights completion times, simultaneous tasks, and critical activity paths.
• Brainstorm or document all the tasks.
• These tasks are recorded on self-adhesive notes so all members can see them.
• The first task is located and placed on the extreme left of a large view work surface.
• Tasks that can be done simultaneously are placed below.
• Number each task and draw connecting arrows.
• Determine and post the task completion time in the lower left box.
• Recorded completion times in hours, days, or weeks.
• Determine the critical path by completing the four remaining boxes in each task.
• The boxes are used for the earliest start time (ES), earliest finish (EF), latest start (LS), and latest finish (LF).
• Benefits include (1) a realistic timetable determined by the users, (2) team members understanding their role in the overall plan, (3) bottlenecks discovered and corrected, and (4) members focus on critical tasks.

Summary

• The first three tools can be used to resolve situations and are beneficial
• The last seven tools are called as the seven management and planning tools which can be used individually or as a solution
• The team can also create customize the sequence based on their needs