Problem Solving

Simple techniques to
use in Kaizen Meetings.
Kaizen – Problem Solving

Identify & Control the x’s: A Key Concept of Six Sigma

Kaizen – Problem Solving

What does that mean?

It’s a fancy way of saying:
“You reap what you sow”
“Rubbish in, rubbish out”
“You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear”
In short, the right mix of
Materials,
Facilities,
Equipment,
Maintenance and Set-up,
Documentation
Procedures, and
Skilled Employees
will result in quality finished products.
An issue in any of these areas will result in scrap, downtime,
rework, etc.
Kaizen – Problem Solving

How do we use this concept?

At this point we’ve identified a number of “poor results”, but have
to be certain that we understand why they occur. We need to
identify the Root Cause to assure that we can formulate effective
solutions. If we don’t know exactly why things happen, what
hope do we have to prevent them from occurring?
Kaizen – Problem Solving

Building Quality into the Process - RFT

Quality refers to finished products as well as processes.
Some factors of quality principles are;
•Use of mistake proofing to stop work as soon as problem
occurs
•Build quality into the process through standardisation
•Everyone inspects
Worker responsible for own work and work received from prior
process
•Do more than correct defects
Find the cause
Implement solution
•100% designed in the process
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Mistake or Error Proofing (Poka Yoke)
Mistakes can occur through a number of sources:
•Human Error.
•Processing wrong material or work piece. Not following
standardised practices or procedures. Not maintaining
equipment.
•Equipment Error.
•Improper set-up, adjustment error, excessive wear, poor
maintenance. Over-burden or uneven production.
•Improper Parts or Materials
•Missing parts, wrong parts, defective parts.

Mistake proofing is the process of reducing/eliminating mistakes

made by human, equipment or parts errors.
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Poka Yoke - Devices
Poka Yoke means mistake proofing through mechanisms or
devices that prevent or highlight a mistake or error.
Examples of Poka Yoke devices found at Brecon are;
•Polyphem cameras
•Missing label detection
•Missing code detection
•Check weighers
•Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
•Pharamcode readers
•Walleting jigs
•3 Pin plugs
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Visual Standards & Controls
Standards provide a visual representation of the correct way to
do something
Visual Standards in the workplace include;
•Standardised Work Documentation
•Cleaning SOPs
•Action Guides
•Training Aids
•Setting Sheets
•Hot Spot Guides
•Job Banks
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Workplace Visual Standards & Controls

Visual standards & controls in the workplace are tools

to ensure quality work

The Goal is to do it right first time!

Kaizen – Problem Solving
Brainstorming
Purpose: To provide a group with a wide range of ideas around
any topic.
•Brainstorming produces many ideas or solutions in a short
time.
•Brainstorming stimulates the creative thinking process
•Brainstorming helps make sure that all the group members’
ideas are considered
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Brainstorming – How to?

1. Review the problem

2. Clarify the goal or question to be answered
3. Give everyone a few minutes to think & make notes. NO idea
is too outrageous!
4. Gather the ideas on a piece of paper. Go around the room so
people can state one idea at a time. Capture EVERY idea. Do
NOT enter into any discussion on the ideas gathered. Continue
until everyone is out of ideas.
5. Consolidate similar ideas to narrow down the items. Use multi-
voting to prioritise. (if there were 30 ideas, everyone has 10* votes
(*always aim for a ration of 1:3) to assign to their favourites. Decide before
you start if people can cast more than one vote per item!)
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Brainstorming – Do’s & Don’ts

Do…..
•Go for quantity rather than quality
•Build on existing ideas
•Allow individuals to complete their ideas
Don’t…….
•Criticise
•Make judgements
•Paraphrase an individual’s idea
•Allow any one individual to dominate the session.
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Affinity Diagram – How to?
Purpose: To organise facts, opinions and issues into natural
groups to help diagnose complex situations. i.e. to help
organise to outcomes of a brainstorming session.
1. Gather ideas by brainstorming session
2. Write ideas on Post-It notes (1 idea per note)
3. Stick Post-Its randomly on wall/board.
4. Allow team to (silently) start to group ideas
5. If an idea fits into two categories put
it in both.
6. When clustering is done, create &
assign header labels for each group.
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Cause & Effect Diagrams
(Also known as Fishbone or Ishikawa diagrams)
Purpose: To help teams push beyond the symptoms to uncover
the potential root causes.
•Provides a structure for cause identification effort.
•Ensures that major possible causes are not over-looked.
•Best used for cause identification once you have a focussed
definition of the problem.
•Can also be used as a cause
-prevention tool by brainstorming
ways to maintain or prevent future
problems.
Kaizen – Problem Solving
Cause & Effect Diagrams – How to?
1. Name the problem, or effect, of interest. Write this at the head of
the fishbone skeleton.
2. Label the major categories (‘Bones’) typically using the 6M’s
(Measurement, Machines, Manpower, Methods, Materials &
EnvironMent)
3. Work through each category in turn, Brainstorming potential
causes and asking why these happen.
4. Review the diagram for completeness. Eliminate causes that do
not apply.
5. Discuss the finished diagram. Identify the causes you think are
most critical for follow-up investigation.
6. Develop a plan to confirm each of these by gathering data,
Never launch straight into trying to tackle anything until this
stage has been carried out.
 Kaizen – Problem Solving
Cause & Effect Diagram - Example
Measurement Machines Manpower
Mixture Passengers Minor
too rich Heavy Load
Forgot to reset
counter Tyres over
Timing Air filter Car categories
Out blocked
inflated usage
Distance under Poor engine Acceleration
Fast
measured efficiency Cornering
High Low

Fuel over Other power Speed speed

measured demands
Driving Style
Old Battery AC Usage
Fuel Leak Pump meter wrong Low Fuel
Efficiency
Weather
Rough road surface
Short Journeys

Dry Weather Cold Air

(Faster)
Urban Roads
Steep Poor quality fuel
Inclines
Contributing
Factors Congestion
Major
Methods EnvironMent Materials categories
Kaizen – Problem Solving
The Five Why’s – What is it? How do I use it?

Purpose: A method for pushing people to think about real root

causes.
It prevents a team from being satisfied with superficial solutions
that won’t fix the problem in the long run.
1. Select a cause (From a Brainstorm, cause-&-effect diagram or
a Pareto chart)
2. Ask ‘Why does this outcome occur?’ (Why1)
3. Select one of the reasons for Why2 & ask ‘Why does this
outcome occur?’ (Why3)
4. Continue in this way until you feel you’ve reached a potential
root cause.
Kaizen – Problem Solving
5 Why’s – An Example
Problem: Cartons placed by hand onto vignette labeller from check
weigher by an additional operator.
•Why?: Is the vignette labeller in ‘L’ not connected to the conveyor?
•Why?: Because the carton comes off the check weigher incorrectly
orientated.
•Why?: Because the vignette artwork is on the wrong side of the
carton.
•Why? Because the customer supplies the cartons for us.
•Why? They’ve never been asked to change it!

Solution: Approach customer to settle on artwork across their whole

range that ensures all cartons can be labelled automatically without
changing over the labeller to suit each different configuration.
(Tips: Avoid answers that are too broad. There’s nothing carved in stone to
say you must ask why 5 times!)