Improve Phase PDF

Improve phase - confirm and test the statistical solution Improvement tools: Brainstorming Creativity Technique Effectiveness and Practicality Matrix Solutions Evaluation Checklist Threats & Opportunities Matrix Paired Choice Matrix Risk Assessment Piloting Solution...

Improve phase - confirm and test the statistical solution Improvement tools: Brainstorming Creativity Technique Effectiveness and Practicality Matrix Solutions Evaluation Checklist Threats & Opportunities Matrix Paired Choice Matrix Risk Assessment Piloting Solution Implementation Contingency Planning Error Proofing: POKA YOKE Inspection Methods Levels of Error Proofing Validating Improvement: Boxplot before and after Calculating the Sigma Level after improvement Improve phase: Find solution Identify and evaluate possible improvement solutions Plan improvement actions KEY STEPS 1. Brainstorm potential solutions 2. Evaluate and select the best solution 3. Develop improvement action plan 4. Perform potential risks assessment and stakeholders analysis. 5. Pilot solutions and check effectiveness IMPROVEMENT TOOLS Tools that are commonly applied in the Improve phase: Brainstorming Creativity Technique Effectiveness and Practicality Matrix Solutions Evaluation Checklist Paired Choice Matrix In addition to effective use of tools, innovative mindset and subject matter knowledge are also important in getting effective solutions. BRAINSTORMING How? 1. Get a long list of possibilities. This requires maximum level of creativity 2. Being creative means identifying ideas that might sound farfetched at the beginning. This improves the chances of exploring more innovative and out-of-the-box solutions. 3. Do not be restricted by boundaries, rules, constraints, policies, procedures, and norms. 4. Go for quantity – target at least 20 or so potential solutions Keep the following in mind: 1. Look at many possible solutions, do not assume the first solution is the best. 2. Look outside standard practice. Do not be constrained by the current system. 3. Challenge inbuilt rules and assumptions. 4. Logic can sometime be helpful and sometime inhibiting. At times, impractical and silly thoughts can lead to new ideas. 5. Do not be afraid of being laughed at CREATIVITY TECHNIQUE Methods that help in generating a long list of ideas: 1. Analogy 2. Anti-solution 3. Chain Letter 4. Billboard ANALOGY - Identify another but similar (analogous) situation and generating ideas from there first. Steps: 1. Define the brainstorming objective. 2. Identify a similar but different situation that would be more easy for brainstorming ideas. 3. Perform brainstorming on the analogy situation. 4. Examine the ideas and try to draw a “parallel‟ ideas for the real situation. ANTI-SOLUTION - Brainstorm the opposite of what is to be accomplished. Steps: 1. Define the brainstorming objective. 2. Create an opposite objective to the real one. 3. Brainstorm ideas using the opposite objective. 4. Examine the opposite ideas and draw what positive ideas they might suggest. CHAIN LETTER - Instead of a meeting, generate and pass ideas around via memo or email. Steps: 1. Define the brainstorming objective. 2. Identify persons to solicit ideas. 3. Route memo or email to gather ideas. First round, each person writes two or three ideas and passes to next person in the distribution list. 4. Next person builds on and adds to the ideas. BILLBOARD - Instead of meeting, gather ideas from the public. 1. Define brainstorming objective. 2. 2. Post a poster in a public place asking for ideas. 3. Gather the ideas at the end of the time frame. 4. (Don‟t forget to thank people for contributing) MIND MAPPING - it is like a concept map Tree Diagram Solutions Formulation - A technique for searching the measures to solve a problem by arranging the relations among objectives and their measures of a problem in a form of a tree, and by examining them systematically. EFFECTIVENESS AND PRACTICALITY MATRIX Process Steps: 1. Copy the ideas on Post-it notes. 2. Place the ideas on the appropriate locations on the matrix. 3. Focus the idea that is effective. If it is not practical, see what can be done to make them workable by asking questions such as: What is this idea trying to accomplish? Is there other means to accomplish the same thing? Is there a new technology that can make it works? 4. Capture the refined ideas and add them to the lis SOLUTIONS EVALUATION CHECKLIST Process Steps: 1. Generate a list of criteria. 2. Define clearly each criteria so that everyone has the same definition in mind. 3. Discuss and rate the solutions using the criteria. 4. Be open to new perspectives. 5. Look for the possibility to combine parts of different solutions. Evaluation Criteria: 1. Effectiveness of solution How effective is the solution in addressing the root cause? 2. Impact on the organization Which employees will be affected and how? How much resistance might there be? 3. Ease of implementation How easy would it be to implement the solution? 4. Cost Dollars, time, additional investments needed (e.g. equipment, training). 5. Time How long will it take to implement the solution? PAIRED CHOICE MATRIX Process Steps: 1. Assign a letter to each solutions. Set up a Paired-Choice Matrix as shown in previous page. 2. Begin with the first row, decide which is a better solution between each pairs. 3. Write in the box the choice between the two. 4. Skip the box with the same solutions. 5. Repeat the process for each row. 6. Tally up the number of A‟s, B‟s, etc. The solutions which have been chosen most frequently will become the short list. Matix Diagram - Rank each in terms of F – Frequency I – Impact S – Solvability U – Urgency AD – Available Data Impact-Effort Matrix - High vs Low impact and Hard vs Easy Effort Threats & Opportunities Matrix: A Threats & Opportunities Matrix is a simple 2 x 2 grid that captures the threats of not implementing a proposed solution and, conversely, the potential opportunities if the solution is accepted. This matrix is often completed with a particular Stakeholder group in mind and then it becomes part of Stakeholder Management efforts. POTENTIAL RISK ASSESSMENT: Implementing improvement solutions usually involve making changes to the process. These changes may result in unexpected problems or side effects to the process involved or to the extended processes. It is necessary to identify these potential risks and take preventive measures. Potential inspect risks assessment M(2) L(1)helps the2 project Not applicable team to anticipate potential risks as a result of the process change. The purpose is to make the team thinks through what might go wrong and address them early. This is an simple exercise and should be conducted as part of Improve phase activities. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a more detailed approach and should be applied if a more detail assessment of potential risks is necessary Process Steps: 1. Brainstorm potential risk items: Possible adverse effects that could arise from introducing new methods. New factors that could cause the process to deteriorate from its improved state. 2. Quantify the risk level of each risk items. 3. For high risk items, identify the appropriate preventive measures. Quantifying Risk Level: 1. Rate the probability of the risk item occurring as high (H), medium (M) or low (L). 2. Rate the impact or severity of the risk item if it does occur. Again use high (H), medium (M) or low (L). 3. Quantify the risk level of each risk item by multiplying its ratings of probability and impact. H is assigned a score of 3, M is 2, and L is 1. 4. The product is the risk level of the item