Tools For

The Quality
Journey
Tools for the Quality
Journey
As mentioned in our previous lesson, quality
improvements can be divided into two
categories:
1. internal quality improvements
2. external quality improvements
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 THE QUALITY STORY
The problem-solving process called
‘the Quality Control story’, which
has proven to be very valuable when
working with quality improvements.

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The problem-solving process called ‘the QC story’
results from the following 10 steps (a slight extension of
Ishikawa’s nine steps, 1985):
• Plan
1. deciding on a theme (establishing goals)
2. clarifying the reasons this particular theme is chosen;
3. assessing the present situation;
4. analysis (probing into the causes);
5. establishing corrective measures;
• Do
6. Implementation
• Check
7. Evaluating the Result
• Action
8. standardization;
9. after-thought and reflection, consideration of
remaining problems;
10. planning for the future.
THE SEVEN TOOLS
FOR QUALITY
CONTROL
As ‘the seven tools of quality control’ is a phrase which
originated from Japan and which is inseparable from
quality circles we will begin this section with a definition
from the ‘quality circle bible’ (Japanese Union of
Scientists and Engineers, 1970).

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A Quality Circle is:
▸ a small group
▸ voluntarily carrying out quality control activities
▸ within its own work area.
This small group, where each member participates, carries out:
▸ continuously
▸ as part of the company’s total quality control activities
▸ quality and improvement
▸ within its own work area
▸ using quality control techniques.

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CHECK SHEETS
There are two different types of ‘checks’ in the quality
improvement cycle (the PDCA cycle). For both types
of checks a specifically designed sheet (form) may be
very helpful. To ensure adherence it is advisable to
design a check-list check sheet with the constraints
(‘must be operations’) listed.

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An Example Of Check-list
Check sheet

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THE PARETO DIAGRAM
The Pareto diagram is a graphic depiction showing
both the relative distribution as well as the absolute
distribution of types of errors, problems or causes of
errors. The Pareto diagram indicates the type of error
(problem) to be reduced first to improve the
production process.

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Example of Pareto Diagram

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When quality improvement programs are
initiated, it is important that:

1. all those 2. a concrete 3. the program has a

involved co- goal is chosen great effect.
operate; (the problem);

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THE CAUSE-AND-EFFECT DIAGRAM AND THE
CONNECTION WITH THE PARETO DIAGRAM
AND STRATIFICATION
The cause-and-effect diagram is also called an
Ishikawa diagram because the diagram was first
introduced by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa in 1943 in
connection with a quality program at the Kawasaki
Steel Works in Japan. Sometimes the diagram is also
called a fishbone diagram.

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Most causes can be put down to men, materials,
management, methods, machinery and milieu (the
environment), cf. Figure 7.3.

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The main trunk and branches of the diagram show the answers to the
first ‘why’, while secondary branches show the answers to the next
‘why’, and so on, cf. Figure 7.4

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If data on the individual causes are available, then the
Pareto diagram can be used again afterwards, as shown in
Figure 7.5.

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When constructing cause-and-effect diagrams it may sometimes
be a good idea to equate the main causes in the diagram with the
processes to follow when producing a product or service. The
production process of preparing (boiling) rice can be used as an
example.

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The following steps are used in the construction of
the cause-and-effect diagram:
Step 1: Choose the quality you wish to improve or control
Step 2: Write the desired quality in the ‘box’ to the right
and draw a fat arrow from the left towards the box on the
right.
Step 3: Write down the most important factors (causes) that
may be of importance to the quality considered.

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Within quality control of industrial products, the
‘six Ms’ are often listed as the most important
potential causes, i.e.
▹ manpower
▹ materials
▹ methods
▹ machines
▹ management
▹ milieu.

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HISTOGRAMS
A histogram is a graphic summary (a bar chart) of
variation in a specific set of data. The idea of the
histogram is to present the data pictorially rather
than as columns of numbers so that the readers can
see ‘the obvious conclusions’ which are not
always easy to see when looking more or less
blindly at columns of numbers.

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Figure 7.9 shows the histogram of the subgroup
averages constructed on a computer package.

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HISTOGRAMS
One weakness of the histogram is that you
do not see a picture of the variation in
time. For example the variation shown in
a histogram may be the result of a
combination of two or more different
distributions.
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CONTROL CHARTS
Control charts may be used partly to control variation
and partly in the identification and control of the
causes which give rise to these variations. Shewhart
defined a production process as, in principle, a
specific mixture of causes. Changing just one of the
causes, e.g. change of operator, results in a completely
different production process.

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Shewhart divided the causes of quality
variations into the following groups:
1. specific causes
2. ‘random’ causes (=system causes).
‘Random’ causes are characterized by the fact that
there are many of them and that the effect of each of
these causes is relatively small compared to the
special causes. Shewhart’s use of the word ‘random’ is
somewhat unfortunate—we prefer system causes
instead.
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As opposed to system causes, there are only a
small number of specific causes and the effect
of each specific cause may be considerable.
This being so, it is possible to discover when
such specific causes have been at work which,
at the same time, allows us to locate and thus
eliminate them.

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As Figure 7.10 shows, there are two points outside the control
limits. This is a sign that the process is out of statistical control.

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Example:
The historical data for the
last 20 weeks were
collected and the data are
shown in Table 7.9. The
number of sales invoices
per week was relatively
constant in this period.

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From Figure 7.13 we can see that the
process is not in statistical control. The
specific causes behind the out of control
data in weeks 3 and 16 should be identified
and controlled.

The revised control chart is shown

in Figure 7.14 the process is now in
statistical control. The control
chart can now be used to control
future credit note data.
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SCATTER DIAGRAMS AND THE
CONNECTION WITH THE
STRATIFICATION PRINCIPLE
The important stratification principle was discussed in
relation to the cause-and-effect diagram and the
Pareto diagrams. The basic reason for dealing with
stratification is that it enables an effective causal
analysis to be carried out and so improves the design
of effective prevention methods.

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CASE EXAMPLE: PROBLEM SOLVING IN A
QC CIRCLE USING SOME OF THE SEVEN
TOOLS (HAMANAKO DENSO)
a) Introduction a) Factorial Analysis
b) Process and our Circle b) Actions and Results
c) Reason for Starting the c) Results and
Project Industrialization
d) Goal Setting d) Conclusion
e) Understanding the e) Future Plans
Present Situation
f) Study of Causes
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FLOW CHARTS
With this last tool we have ‘passed the seven
basic tools for quality control. But as the bible
says the last shall be the first—so is it often
with the flow chart technique.

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John T. Burr (Costin, 1994) said it in this
way:
▸ Before you try to solve a problem, define it.
▸ Before you try to control a process, understand it.
▸ Before trying to control everything, find out what
is important.
▸ Start by picturing the process.

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Quality tools are only effective if they are used in
the right way and the basic rules to follow are:

1. Educate your people in understanding the

aims and principles of the different tools.
2. Train your people in applying the tools.
3. The best training is ‘on the job training’.

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 When constructing a flow chart we recommend you
follow the following nine steps.

1. Agree upon the Flow Chart Symbols to be used

2. Define the Process
3. Identify the Steps in the Process
4. Construct the Flow Chart
5. Determine the Time for Each Step
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When constructing a flow chart we recommend you
follow the following nine steps.

6. Check the Flow Chart

7. Improve the Flow Chart
8. Check the Result
9. Standardize the Flow Chart (Standardize the
Process)
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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TOOLS
AND THE PDCA CYCLE
The seven tools for quality control can be applied in
different parts of the PDCA cycle. Three of the methods
may be applied in the planning phase (P), all of them may
be applied in the Do and Check phases while three of the
methods may be applied in the Action phase. Only one of
the methods—flow charts—may be applied in all the
phases of the PDCA cycle.

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Summary conclusion to this chapter we
present Table 7.10

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Thank You! 😉

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