Infosys

QUALITY SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION

Reference

SPC Guidelines
June, 2002

INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED

Bangalore

Document No. QSD/REF/1010 Ver. Rev. 8.0

Authorized by Ramakrishnan M. Signature/ 3-June-2002
Date

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 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
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Infosys SPC Guidelines

Revision List

Ver. No. Date Author Description

0.00a Apr 20, 2002 R.Shivram/Dharmendraraj GN Draft version
0.00 b Mar 10,2002 Dharmendraraj GN Incorporated Ramakrishanan M Review
Comments
0.00 c May 20,2002 Dharmendraraj GN Incorporated Ashoka kr & Anoop
kumar Review comments
8.00 June 27,2002 Dharmendraraj_gn / Authorized Version
R.Shivram

References Ver.Rev.8.00 i
QSD/Ref/1010
Infosys SPC Guidelines

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................1

2. Basics of Statistical Process Control..........................................................................................................1

3. Control Charts......................................................................................................................................................1

4. Types of Control Charts:......................................................................................................................................2

5. Control Limits for Charts:...........................................................................................................................3

6. Interpreting Control Charts..................................................................................................................................4

References Ver.Rev.8.00 ii
QSD/Ref/1010
 1. Introduction

This document provides the basics concepts of Statistical Process Control. It helps the
Software Engineers, Programmer Analyst and Project managers to understand the
SPC concepts and how to interpret the control charts.

2. Basics of Statistical Process Control

2.1 Statistical Process Control

The objective of SPC is

i) To detect and eliminate the special causes and bring back the process
under the influence of chance causes alone. Please refer definition of
special cause and chance cause in section 2.2.

ii) To quantify the variability due to inherent characteristics of the process

(Chance causes).

iii) To measure the capability of the process.

2.2 Types of Variation

Inherent Variation (Chance Cause)

Sources of variation, which are built into the process and will be
caused by such problems as Variation due to Software, Hardware,
Technology, Language, environment, Link Slow etc. These are the sources of
variation the extent of which can be measured and monitored.

Special Cause Variation (Assignable Cause)

Sources of variation, which will be due to specific assignable causes
such as Variation in Skill level of the people, Wrong Estimation, Less
Knowledge of application, Coding standards not followed, process not
followed, DD is not clear, Requirement is not clear etc.

3. Control Charts

Control Chart is a simple graphical tool, which will help to identify the presence
of any assignable cause.

Control Chart consists of a central line, a pair of control limits, one each,
allocated above and below the central line. The line above the central line is
called Upper Control Limit and line below the central line is called Lower Control
Limit.

References Ver.Rev.8.00 Page 1 of 5

QSD/Ref/1010
 The control chart is graphical representation of process behaviour of the parameter
over time.

4. Types of Control Charts:

There are two types of control charts, the one for variable data and the other for
attribute data.

Variable data is the one, which is measured and plotted on a continuous scale e.g.
effort, cost, productivity, etc.

Attribute data is the one, which is counted and plotted as discrete events. E.g.,
Defects, Review efficiency& Testing efficiency, etc.

The commonly used control charts are mentioned below:

Variable type of control charts:

i. Average and Range chart

ii. Moving Average and Moving Range chart
iii. Individual and moving range chart.

Attribute type of control charts:

a) c chart
b) p chart
c) u chart
d) Individual and moving range chart.

Note: Individual and moving range chart will be used for both the types of data.

This document will explain only three types of control chart. They are Individual &
moving range and c chart.

Individual and Moving Range Chart:

Two charts will be used, one for the individual values (i.e. Individual Chart) and
another for the range between two successive samples (i.e. Moving Range Chart).

This combination of charts for individual observations and moving ranges is called
XmR charts.

This chart will be useful when each measurement is used by itself to evaluate or
control a process.

C chart:

References Ver.Rev.8.00 Page 2 of 5

QSD/Ref/1010
 When the areas of opportunities are constant i.e. Chances of detecting the defect in
different modules are same.

The equation for calculating individual and moving range chart and c chart is given in
the below table

Type of Control Central Line Control Limits

Charts
Individual & Individual Chart Individual Chart
Moving Range UCLx = X bar + E2 *
Chart Xbar = (X1+X2+. Rbar
Xn)/n
(XmR chart) UCLx = X bar - E2 * Rbar
CLx = Xbar
Moving Range Chart
Moving Range Chart
UCLRm = D4 * R bar
R1 = (Xmax Xmin)
LCLRm = D3 * Rbar
Rbar = (R1+R2+
Rn)/Rn For Sample size =1:
E2 = 2.66;D4 = 3.27;D3
CL Rm = Rbar =0
UCLc = Cbar + 3Sqrt(c)
C chart (number C bar = c /n
of defects) Where c = no of defects LCLc = Cbar - 3Sqrt(c)
and n = no of
LOC/person hours

Currently the following control charts are available

Control chart for defect injection rate (c chart)
Control chart for effort deviation (XmR chart)
Control chart for effort distribution (XmR chart)
Control chart for review effectiveness (XmR chart)
Control chart for review efficiency (c chart)
Control chart for testing efficiency (c chart)
The charts are available at http://172.25.44.50/spc

5. Control Limits for Charts:

Initially control limits from the PCB will be used in the Control Chart wherever
applicable. Afterwards control limits will be calculated based on the project data; the
procedure is explained below.

References Ver.Rev.8.00 Page 3 of 5

QSD/Ref/1010
 Control limits are calculated automatically after 12 data points. The advantage of
calculating early limits is to get early indications on whether assignable causes of
variations are present or not

Control limits will be recalculated in the following situations

When the process has shifted or when you have made a deliberate change to
the process.

When 45 to 50 data points are collected, SQA will revise the control limits.

The procedures for revising the control limits are

Out of control points will be eliminated, if the point is due to an assignable

because otherwise it should be included for calculating the new control limits.

This process of removing and recalculating can be repeated until all points
without known assignable causes are within the recalculated limits.

More than 25% of data shouldnt be removed. If removed, then the control
limits shouldnt be recalculated you have to use the previous limits only.

When revising control limits by omitting certain values, dont delete any
points in the chart but merely omit the values when calculating the limits.

6. Interpreting Control Charts

A process is said to be out of control if either one of these is true:

o One or more points follow outside the control limits

o A run of seven or more consecutive points are on one side of the central line

o There are six consecutive points, increasing or decreasing

o At least 10 out of 11 consecutive points occur on one side of the central line

o At least 12 out of 14 consecutive points occur on one side of the central line

o At least 16 out of 20 consecutive points occur on one side of the central line

o There are fourteen consecutive points that alternate up and down

If any of the above patterns are observed on the chart means, then it can be said that
process is not stable. Root cause for instability to be identified and suitable corrective
actions are to be taken. These details should be recorded in the Analysis sheet.

References Ver.Rev.8.00 Page 4 of 5

QSD/Ref/1010
 The above interpretation can be done for all types control charts.

Note: In XmR chart, range chart analysis shall be given priority over the individual
control chart.

References Ver.Rev.8.00 Page 5 of 5

QSD/Ref/1010