Tool Selection Matrix

Tool

Definition

4 Quadrant Analysis A tool used to compare multiple improvement ideas

against two key variables in order to select the items
that a Kaizen team will immediately begin to work.
Usually the ideas are judged against significant impact
(to improvement metrics) and timing.

5 Why's

5-S

The process of asking "Why" five times in order to

drive the problem statement down to the root cause
level.

When to Use
Use this tool when you need a quick
method to determine the
improvement ideas to be
implemented during the Kaizen run
week.

Key Questions to Answer

Notes:

Do I have a long list of good

improvement ideas?
Do I need to determine what a
limited group of resources need to
work on in order to make an
immediate impact?

Anytime that a problem is first being Do you really understand what the
studied.
root cause of the problem is?

A very simple, but powerful tool.

Can be used out in the Genba with a
flipchart to drive to the correct
When the process was in a steady
Is your course of action really going problem statement.
state and some change has occurred to resolve the situation?
for the worse or better.
Why is that a problem?

Enabler for making sure you have the right material at This is a foundational tool.
the right time
Should be used in an ongoing basis
Key ingredient for organizing a workplace to enable in all departments.
flow

How much time do I spend

searching for items?

Will highlight problems with flow

and equipment operation.

Is everything in its place and a place Improves morale.

for everything?
Frees up floor space.
As a building block to any Kaizen or Does the place look neat, clean, and
improvement effort.
organized?
What method is in place to sustain
the 5S? Can I readily tell when
there is a problem?

Affinity Diagram

The affinity diagram is the product of a team's

brainstorming and consensus activities. This process
groups large amounts of data into logical elements
based on the natural relationships among items.

When you need to identify key ideas Do you need to maximize the
for process improvement.
creativity of your breakthroughs?

Assemble post it notes, craft paper,

etc ahead of time.

When you need to identify patterns Do you need to reduce a long list of Allow people to move ideas into
among seemingly unrelated factors. improvement ideas or potential
affinity groups without much debate
problems down to a manageable
at first.
level?
Do you need to decide which single
improvement idea may have the
greatest overall impact?

C and E Matrix

Matrix that identifies a few key process input

variables that must be addressed to improve the key
process output variables. Similar to a fishbone
diagram but in matrix form.

Cellular
Manufacturing

A manufacturing cell or transactional work cell

This is a foundational tool.
Can you get to one piece flow?
comprises a group of equipment or processes, usually
laid out in the shape of a U, that is dedicated to the Use this tool when trying to
Do you need a process that will vary
complete production of a family of parts or services. maximize flow and flexibility while output to match demand?
reducing inventory.

All work cells do not have to be in

an "U" shape. Select a shape that
will maximize your resources, but
always consider the "U" first.

Control Charts

Control charts are line graphs that display a dynamic

picture of process behavior. A process variable or
attribute can be measured on some given frequency
and that value is plotted verses time on the line graph.

You must select the correct control

chart system for the type of data
being collected.

Corrective Action
Kaizen

A collection of quality improvement tools used to

reduce readily identifiable variation and or defects
resulting in a sustained stable process.

When you need to see what effect

various inputs and outputs have on
ranked customer priorities.

Do you understand which of your

process steps have the biggest
impact on your customer?

Use this tool when you need to make Do I have a stable, in control
a realtime process performance
process?
visible and you need to react to
issues quickly.
Does the associate know when to
make adjustments to the process and
when to contact additional resources
for assistance?
When there is a great deal of
variation or defects within a process
either transactional or manufacturing
but the root cause is known with
relative certainty.

This tool really focuses the efforts of

the team.

Control Charts are still somewhat

reactive in nature so look for the
mistake proofing opportunity.

Have you completed a Cause and

Effect Diagram?

Eliminates easier to see quality

issues and prepares the way for other
tools such as standard work or a
Does your control chart demonstrate DMAIC project.
how you have changed your noises
to constants?
What does the Pareto show is the
root cause of the 80%?
How are you measuring
sustainability?

Daily Management Management process and tools which drive

improvement in Value Stream KPIs at the Genba.

To manage daily process through

conversion of batch to lean
manufacturing, and beyond
Examples include production control boards,
conversion to make continuous
communication boards, KPI's and daily "Green Area" incremental improvement. If a
meetings.
process area lacks sound daily
management then most improvement
activities will only be marginally
realized.

Solution Need/ Want A Decision Analysis tool that is used to compare

Comparison
several solutions to understand which one is the most
balanced. It is rooted in understanding what are
customer requirements (needs) and what the customer
finds favorable (wants).

Do we understand how to manage

the factory floor on a daily basis?

Are we having difficulty with OTD,

Past Due, quality, efficiency etc.?
Do the Associates at the cell know
what they need to produce today and
in what sequence?

When there are several good

Do you have multiple good
solutions that could be implemented solutions?
but resources only allow for one
option.
Have you thoroughly evaluated what
is important to the customer?

The highest want is valued at a 10

and then the rest of the wants are
scaled proportionally to the highest
want.
Needs are considered "Musts."

Page 1 of 4

Tool Selection Matrix

Tool
Design For Six
Sigma

Design of
Experiments

Definition
A process to ensure designs can be manufactured at
required Sigma levels to meet the customer
expectations and manufacturing capabilities.

When to Use

DOE is the purposeful changing of Inputs to a process As part of new product/process

to observe the corresponding changes in the Outputs development

A variation reduction methodology used primarily for

the reduction of variation in complex processes.
DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve
and control.

To understand and reduce the

variation of a complex process. This
variation may be leading to a wide
variety of issues such as, defects,
over usage of raw materials or
leadtime issues.

To assist a team to reach a common

Fishbone Diagram The Fishbone diagram typically displays major
generic categories such as manning, methods,
understanding of a problem and its
materials, equipment, measurement and mother nature root causes.
that cause an effect, often perceived as a problem.
To expand the team's thinking and
consider all potential causes.

FMEA

A failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) is a technique When you need to develop and plan
that allows a cross-functional team to identify
possible solutions or change.
potential failure modes that may occur as a result of
design or process deficiencies.
When you need to evaluate a quality
system for protection of your
customers.

Measurement System A methodology for determining if a Measurement

Analysis (Gage
system is capable of measuring a product or process
R&R)

Mistake Proofing

Notes:

When designing or redesigning any Have I completed a DFSS as part of This tool will yield a more robust
product or service that demonstrates developing a new product or
design and an effective product
variability concerns.
process?
launch with reduced engineering
changes post product launch.

To tackle an on-going quality

problem that has an unknown root
cause.

DMAIC

Key Questions to Answer

Have you first done an MSA / Gage A DOE is mathematical model that
R&R?
describes the relationship between
the inputs and outputs of a process.
Is standard work in place?
It generally takes someone with
extensive training to complete and
Do you need to first do a corrective analyze properly such as a Six
action kaizen to reduce the number Sigma Green Belt.
of inputs?
Have we done a corrective action
kaizen first?
Do we have GB/BB resources
available?
Have we tried other Lean tools first
that may eliminate "background
noise"?
Have we investigated all aspects of
the problem?
Have you organized the x's into
affinity groups?

Do you understand which process

deficiencies will impact you the
most?

Do not overload categories.

Establish another category if more
detail is desired.
This tool is more effective when
used in conjunction with other
decision making tools such as the 4
Quadrant Analysis.
This tool can get a little long.
Remember to only focus on the high
RPN's typically something over 200.

Are you certain that you understand

what all of your liabilities are and
where they exist?

Before performing a DOE and after Is standard work in place?

a corrective action kaizen.
Do you need to first do a corrective
When there is a process/product
action event to reduce the number of
with poor quality out of a machine / inputs?
test equipment.
Is the issue really a problem?
When a product or service passes
your test and fails at the customer
(or supplier)

Mistake-proofing the process is to change the method When a process has a low First Pass
or equipment to ensure that a particular error cannot Yield.
happen.
When a defect occurrence becomes
the largest source of waste or
variation.

Typically a DMAIC project and can

take up to several months to
complete. Often the Improve phase
can be accomplished utilizing a
Kaizen event.

Can we design the process or

product so that it cannot be
incorrectly performed or made?
Do we frequently blame the
employee for making an error?

You have to develop a confidence in

the ability of your measurement
system to decide between 'good' and
'bad' products or services.

Use devices or inspection techniques

that detect errors during the work
process rather than at the end of the
process.

When defects create the demand for

excessive inventory or impede the
ability to meet customer demand.

Pareto Diagram

A Pareto Diagram is a bar chart arranged in a

Pareto Diagrams can be used almost
descending order of importance from left to right. The anytime and for almost any question.
Pareto Principle states that 80% of issues are created
by only 20% of the potential root causes. By
determining the "Pareto" you can determine the root
cause to attack first.

Policy Deployment A process that facilitates the creation of resultsoriented business processes with sustained
improvement that result in sustained competitive
advantage.
The organization is aligned to the same goals and
objectives.

Potential Problem
Analysis (PPA)

The potential problem analysis (PPA) is a tool used for

minimizing the probability of solution implementation
failure by identifying potential problems and possible
countermeasures. It is a simpler version of a FMEA
and can be applied to less complex changes quickly.

Do you understand what the most

significant problem is?

You can "stack" Paretos as you build

to root case.

Are you working on the issue that

will yield the largest amount of
improvement?

Paretos work really well when using

the "5 Why" technique.

How are you communicating goals

and objectives to all parts of the
organization?

Creates management accountability.

Creates direct linkages for all
objectives from top to bottom of the
organization.

Use in situations where an incorrect Have we thought through all the

change could have serious impact to possible ways this action plan may
the business.
fail?

This tool can take as little as 15

minutes or as long as a day
depending on the complexity of the
process change and the level of
preparation for the tool use.

This is a foundational business

management tool.

When you need to drive the strategic

initiatives to point of impact.
Does your current Policy
Deployment give you the continuity
When you need total organizational to be successful?
alignment on business priorities.

Use if there is a good deal of anxiety Do I have a contingency plan if the

over process improvements
new process does not work as
implementation.
planned?

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Tool Selection Matrix

Tool

Definition

Production
A tool used to establish the best design or the best
Preparation Process process taking quality, flow, and speed into
3P
consideration.

When to Use
Used to eliminate barriers to flow
for developing new products or
processes.

Key Questions to Answer

Is 3P being incorporated into our
product development system?

Have you done a 3P to determine if a

Assists in thinking 'outside the box' and is used during Also used to improve an existing
Capital Appropriation is necessary?
a Kaizen week as a substitute for a DFSS project.
product or process. Must be used in
the development stages of a new
product or process.

Pull - Kanban

A process to transition businesses from the traditional This is a foundational tool.

Push System to a Pull System. A Kanban is a signal in
the system that indicates when work is to be done and When one-piece flow is not
when it is to end. This allows for minimal inventory possible.
and no overproduction.
To ensure that materials are
available when needed and in the
quantities needed.

Quick Changeover Changeovers are situations where one process must be

(SMED)
stopped and reconfigured to run a different product or
service. We define the changeover time as the amount
of time between the last good piece (A) of the current
run and the first good piece (B) of the next run.

SIPOC Map

A form of process mapping that separates out the

process into key inputs and outputs and gives a high
level view of key process steps.

Proactively remove barriers to flow

while building in quality.
Significantly reduces start-up costs.

Why is one-piece flow not possible? Can be used anywhere that 1 pc flow
does not exist and materials must be
Are you experiencing Stock-outs or transported to the cell. Eliminates
poor OTD?
running out of inputs while reducing
carrying costs.
Is inventory creating leadtime,
quality or cash flow issues?

If your set-up time is longer than

How much set-up scrap do we have?
your Takt time (customer demand in
seconds)
Is our set-up time within our Takt
time?
If your set-up is internal to the
machine.
Are we doing things while the
machine is off that can be done
If a long changeover time creates a while it is running?
need to build excessive inventory.

Use this mapping technique when

you need to define and control the
scope of your project or event.

Notes:

Can be done anywhere that a process

must be changed over from one
product to another or a machine
must be stopped to load supplies.
Great productivity booster! The
goal is to have the change occur in
less than 10 minutes.

Do you need to better describe the

process scope of your event?

Limit the number of process step

mapped to 5-7. Include the step just
below and beyond the process in
Do I understand the real needs of my order to better define the scope.
customer?

Spaghetti Diagram A spaghetti diagram is a map of the physical flow of This is a special standard work tool How many times does the work or Try to "straighten out" the spaghetti
either the material, people or information in a process. and should be used anytime the flow worker cross paths during one Takt? during your process improvements.
of a process needs to be
documented.
How much non value added motion
exists in the process?

Stakeholder Analysis A stakeholder analysis is a matrix that captures how

all key customers, process owners and senior
management is impacted by and feels toward the
potential process change.

Standard Work

Use this tool early in the change

Do I know how all the key "players"
process to understand key concerns feel about the work that I am
and roadblocks that you may have to attempting to do?
the improvement implementation.
Do I know what issues may come up
at the last minute and prevent or
delay success?

A process to maximize performance with minimum

waste through the best combination of people and
process. It captures the key elements needed to meet
cost, quality delivery and safety objectives.

This is a foundational tool.

Often deployed while implementing cellular flow.

When we need to improve

productivity and or quality.

When there is too much / too little

capacity.

Every process should have

documented standard work.

Total Productive
Maintenance

Value Stream
Mapping

Use caution in documenting

"personal" reasons or bias that are
true roadblocks, but need to be
handled delicately.

Do products and materials flow

through the operation or cell?

With Standard Work in place, you

are able to see problems much faster
and once you see the problem, you
Are we using Standard Work, do we are able to solve it much faster.
have a set of Standard Work
documents posted?
Increases predictability and therefore
control over the outcomes of
Are Standard worksheets posted in processes.
every work place

A series of methods, used to ensure that all equipment Always on critical pieces of
is always able to perform its required tasks so that the equipment within the site.
process is never interrupted due to that equipment
being down for un-planned repairs. It places much of
the responsibility on the actual person running the
process.

Is your OEE low?

Do you have key pieces of
equipment that you are dependent
on?
Do you have equipment down time
issues?

Increased OEE and reduced

equipment downtime. Move from
unplanned to planned downtime.

Value Stream Mapping is a method that visually

shows the product, material and information flows
within a product or service

Where is your future state map?

Maps and action plans should be

updated every 6 months.

Use VSM to provide the focus and

direction to the objectives
determined by Policy Deployment.

What is the status of your VSM

Action Plan?

Use to communicate how

improvements in Lead Time, OnHow do you know which
time Delivery, Inventory Reductions, improvements will take you closer to
etc will impact the process.
your vision of the future?

Visual Management Visual Management is a powerful tool that uses visual

techniques to communicate information broadly.
Think in terms of can a new person enter into the
process area and understand how it is performing in
less than 2 mins, without any explanation?

Use visual management in almost all Can I perform a 2 min 360 and
situations where it is better, faster
understand how well the process is
and cheaper to communicate directly operating?
to associates.
Is the information that is important
to users obvious?

Examples range from color codes

files to overhead realtime displays.

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Turn Around
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Productivity