1

Tumolo’s Toolbox

7 Step Improvement Process

2

Elements of process improvement and control

Every process has three (3) elements

1. The area of discovery Understanding the customer requirements and

developing the process to meet these requirements

2. The method of process control Assessing performance and variation

3. The element of improvement Problem solving and quality improvement

3

7 Step Improvement Process

Process Control

Process Improvement Opportunity or Problem Identification

4

Improvement or Problem

Other world

prayerclairvoyance

Inner self

real world

others

the ininnovationinsightinventioninspirationintuitioninstinct

gut feel

CopyImitationconsultationBenchmark

delegationnegotiationjust waitingpassing-the-buckconfusingfinger pointingtransferringrandom

trial-and-errorguessaccidentchanceluck

systematic

PDCA7 Steps

5

PDCA 7 STEP 7 QC Tools

PLAN

DO

CHECK

ACT

1. Select a Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze causes/opportunities

4. Plan and implement

solution / improvement

5. Evaluate effects

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on process

Check sheet, graph,Histogram, scatter diagram,Pareto diagram, cause-and-effect diagram,flowcharts

Flowcharts

Check sheet, graph,Histogram, scatter diagram,Pareto diagram, cause-and-effect diagram,run chart/control chart

Flowchart

(provides repetition) (provides process) (provides tools)

6

7 Step improvement process

1. Select Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze Causes

4. Plan Solution and Implement

5. Evaluate

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on Process

• Focus on weakness

• Thoroughly explore the problem/opportunity

• Carefully select the theme

• Clearly state the theme

• Have weakness orientation

• State as a problem/gaps, not a solution

• State in terms of results

7

Selecting the theme

• Weakness is difference between current situation and the target.

• Weakness orientation focuses on eliminating weakness as basis of improvement (Closing the Gap).

Current

Target

} WeaknessCustomerNeed

ActualPerformance

} Weakness

Focus on facts, processes, and root causes

8

7 Step improvement process

1. Select Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze Causes

4. Plan Solution and Implement

5. Evaluate

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on Process

• Define your data collection process• Appropriate to process• Multi-variable data

• Analyze the data• Stratification• Graphics• Focus on deviation

• Draw a logical conclusion• Based on facts• Focus on vital few

“Primary tool used is Pareto Diagram

9

Frequently used data collection tools

CHECKSHEET

PARETO DIAGRAM

CONTROL CHART

GRAPH (RUN CHART)

HISTOGRAM

Used to systematically collect data or tabulate data. (e.g. frequency of occurrence of defect types)

Excellent method to identify vital few. (2 levels minimum) (e.g. Percent of failures due to various defect types arranged in descending order of occurrence)

Method to identify non-standard process variation (e.g. Solder paste height versus time)

Method to identify trends in data (e.g. In circuit test yield versus time)

Method to identify distribution of the data (e.g. Number or solder paste observations falling into various height ranges)

10

7 Step improvement process

1. Select Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze Causes

4. Plan Solution and Implement

5. Evaluate

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on Process

• Create cause-and-effect diagram from Pareto

• Investigate cause thoroughly

• Draw logical conclusions (i.e. supported by data)

Ask Why?5 times

11

100%

Pareto Diagram

Man Machine

MaterialMethods

A B C D E F

A

1st why

2nd why

3rd why

4th why

5th why

• ASK 5 WHYS to get to the proper level of analysis and causes.

• Segment by 4 Ms• Man• Machine• Methods• Material

Cause effectDiagram

12

Verifying Root Causes

Collect data on root causes

Use run charts, Pareto, Graphs, scattergrams, etc. to determine strength of correlation between root cause and problem

If verification fails to validate choices, return to diagram and choose new root causes to verify.

13

7 Step improvement process

1. Select Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze Causes

4. Plan Solution and Implement

5. Evaluate

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on Process

• Focus on the primary root causes

• Focus on solution which you can implement

• Dont try to fix everything at once

• Involve those who will be affected

• Run a controlled experiment (Pilot)

14

Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

Solution 4

-------

Fe

as

ibil

ity

Eff

ec

tiv

en

es

s

To

tal

Sc

ore

A tool to help determine whichsolution is best.

= HIGH = MEDIUM = LOW

Solectron Criteria

Scoring values

Possible score 3 or 2 or 1values 6 3

15

You

You andOthers

Others

A tool to help determine ease or difficulty in solving specificproblems.

Equipment Methods Human Behavior

Easy Easy Difficult

Moderately Moderately Very Difficult Difficult Difficult

Very Difficult Difficult Difficult

Data Collection/Potential solutionimplementation

Area of Problem

16

Solution Implementation

What When Where Who How

How will they get it done

Who is responsible for doing it

Where will it be done

When will it be done

What will be done

17

7 Step improvement process

1. Select Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze Causes

4. Plan Solution and Implement

5. Evaluate

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on Process

• Confirm improvement (Before and after comparison)

• Evaluate all subsequent effects

• Measure improvement gains over time

18

100%

Pareto Diagram

A B C D E F

100%

Pareto Diagram

A B C D E F

Original Pareto “BEFORE

New Pareto “AFTER

}

}

Improvement

Effect onRoot Cause“Fewer defects

19

7 Step improvement process

1. Select Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze Causes

4. Plan Solution and Implement

5. Evaluate

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on Process

• Move from PDCA to SDCA cycle

• Revise the standard

• Create a process to detect future problems

20

Plan Do

CheckAct

Std Do

CheckAct

PDCA SDCA

NewStd

Control

Improvement

Standardization

21

7 Step improvement process

1. Select Theme

2. Collect Data

3. Analyze Causes

4. Plan Solution and Implement

5. Evaluate

6. Standardize

7. Reflect on Process

• Analyze strengths and weaknesses

• Determine the next problem

• Document the Quality improvement story

• Identify the critical difficulties during the process - using tools, etc.

• Identify the critical strengths

• Identify the key things the team would do differently

• Identify what key things the team needs to learn to improve the 7 step process.