General Frameworks Flashcards
PROBLEM SOLVING
Problem Solving Framework - stages of solving a problem
- Define the problem
- Understand the complexity of the problem
- Solve the problem
PROBLEM SOLVING
Define the problem - tools
- 5 whys
- Appreciation
- Root Cause analysis
- CATWOE
PROBLEM SOLVING
Review the problem from different angles
Use CATWOE
PROBLEM-SOLVING
5 WHYS TOOL - when to use
simple to medium complex problems - for troubleshooting, quality improvement, and problem solving
PROBLEM-SOLVING
5 WHYS TOOL - how to use
How to use:
- Assemble the team
- Define the problem
- Ask the first why?
- Ask why 4 times more (5 x is a rule of thumb, can be asked more times)
- Know when to stop - when asking “why” doesn’t produce any useful responses anymore
PROBLEM-SOLVING
Difference between 5 whys & Appreciation
Appreciation is similar to the 5 Whys technique.
Appreciation is used to get the most information out of a simple fact or statement,
5 Whys is specifically designed to drill down to the root of a problem.
PROBLEM-SOLVING
Appreciation - how to use
Ask So what when a statement is made and you want to understand it more.
Statement: Our department’s budget is going to be cut 25 percent starting January 1.
So what?
So the only way to accommodate that cut is to reduce our spending dramatically.
So what?
So we’re probably going to have to cut staff, and we’ll definitely have to cut spending on supplies, research, and staff parties.
Understand complexity of the problem / What is actually causing the problem - TOOLS
- Affinity diagrams - organizing topics by themes and mapping relationships between them
- Cause-and-effect diagrams / Fishbone / Ishikawa
- Flow chart, Swim lane diagram or systems diagram - when problem within a business process
- Drill down technique - for splitting larger problems > smaller manageable parts
Solving the problems - tools/models
Tools
- Constructive Controversy
- Gap / Means-End Analysis
Models
- FOCUS
- PDCA
Root cause analysis (RCA) - What does it do?
Answers the question of why the problem occurred in the first place
Root Cause analysis (RCA) - How to perform?
5 STEPS:
- Step 1. Define the problem (what is happening, what are symptoms)
- Step 2. Collect data (proof of existence, how long is problem present, what is the impact of the problem) - use people who do the work, understand the situation, use CATWOE to understand the problem from all angles
- Step 3. Identify Possible Causal Factors - use appreciation, 5 whys, drill down, cause-effect diagrams
- Step 4. Identify the root cause
- Step 5. Recommend and implement solutions - (FMEA, Impact Analysis, kaizen)
Cause-and-effect diagrams / Fishbone / Ishikawa - What does it do?
for better understanding the cause of the problem -
Cause-and-effect diagrams / Fishbone / Ishikawa - How to perform?
4 STEPS:
- Step 1. Identify the problem. - write down exact problem you face, who is involved, when and where does it occur, use CATWOE
- Step 2. Work out the major factors involved in the problem. - use McKinsley 7S, Marketing 4P (product, place, price, promotion), brainstorm any other possible factor involved
- Step 3. Identify possible causes. - take possible involved factors and identify/brainstorm possible causes
- Step 4. Analyze your diagram. Analyze the diagram, investigate most likely causes further if needed with investigations, carrying out surveys, and so on. These will be designed to test which of these possible causes is actually contributing to the problem.
FOCUS MODEL - What does it do?
Problem-solving model/framework for improving quality
Related to TQM
Mostly used together with PDCA
FOCUS MODEL - What does the acronym stand for?
F - Find the problem
O - Organize the team
C - Clarify the problem
U - Understand the problem + generate solutions
S - Select a solution
