SEVEN MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR QUALITY CONTROL

1 AFFINITY DIAGRAM

THIS IS USED IN BRAINSTORMING TO ORGANIZE AND REALIGN IDEAS BY SUBJECT MATTER
2 RELATION DIAGRAM
THIS SHOWS THE INTERRELATIONS OF MANY FACTORS, CLARIFYING CAUSE-AND-EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS
3 TREE DIAGRAM
THIS IS USED IN VALUE ENGINEERING FOR FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS, IT SHOWS THE INTERRELATIONS OF GOALS AND MEASURES
4 MATRIX DIAGRAM 
THIS IS USED IN QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT TO CLARIFY RELATIONS BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT FACTORS
5 ARROW DIAGRAM

THIS IS USED IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT WITH CPM (CRITICAL PATH METHOD) ANALYSIS TO PLAN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A QUALITY PROGRAM
6 PROCESS DECISION PROGRAM CHART (PDPC)

THIS IS A FLOWCHART USED FOR PLANNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY PROGRAMS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE UNDESIRABLE EVENTS THAT COULD OCCUR
7 MATRIX DATA ANALYSIS

THIS IS USED WHEN THE MATRIX DIAGRAM IS NOT SUFFICIENT. IT USES DATA ANALYSIS AND GIVES NUMERICAL RESULTS

SEVEN MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR QUALITY CONTROL


Traditional Seven Tools for Quality Control (denoted as 07) could be used to solve most QC problems. Q7 which mainly utilizes numerical data for solving QC problems, being easy to make and use, has played a great role in promoting QC based on the principle of control.

However, there are many problems in which numerical data are non-existent or hard to get. A set of techniques effective for solving such problems is the Seven Management Tools for Quality Control (or some times known as New Management Tools for Quality Control ) which is denoted by N7. It must be Borne in mind that N7 does not replace Q7 but supplements it and that N7 is not only for managers.
The Seven Management Tools for Quality Control (N7) was first proposed in 1978 by the Committee for Developing QC Tools at the Union of Japanese
Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). N7 originates from such management disciplines as Creativity Techniques, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research and Value Analysis or Value Engineering.


SEVEN MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR QC consists of the following seven tools.

1.Affinity Diagram

2.Relation Diagram

3.Tree Diagram

4.Matrix Diagram

5.Arrow Diagram

6.Process Decision Progress Chart (PDPC)

7.Matrix-data Analysis


N7 is mainly used in the planning stage in problem solving or of the PDCA cycle. These tools have the following features

(a) N7 is a set of tools which mainly use descriptive data

(b) N7 is a set of tools to make plans complete by making it possible
- for the users to draw out knowledge and ideas

- to decrease omissions or failures during planning

- to foresee obstacles in problem solving procedures, and

- to assure and control the process of carrying out the plan
(c) N7 is used to make all members concerned to participate and co-operate in problem
solving

1.AFFINITY DIAGRAM
 This is a techniques used to clarify a problem by arranging the individually obtained descriptive data according    to their mutual affinity.

The Affinity diagram makes it easier to generate ideas. It is used mainly for problems in unknown or inexperienced fields or those that are anticipated in the future. Out of the vague, unclear and chaotic state of the problem, the related information are collected and summarized based on estimations, predictions and opinions.

The Affinity diagram is taken from the KJ Method, a creativity technique developed by Jiro Kawakita.
How to make an Affinity Diagram

Step 1 Decide on the theme to be investigated.

eg. What is a party like in which everybody can enjoy ?

Step 2 Collect descriptive data on the theme from various aspects of the problem and write them
down on cards.

A descriptive data should simply state the idea in the form of subject (noun)+ object (verb) and a card should contain only one descriptive data. The number of cards differs from theme to theme but at first try to make about 20 to 30 cards.

eg. The place should be roomy enough

Step 3 Make affinity cards grouping the raw data cards. Scatter the cards on a table and read them two or three times. Put together two or more cards which give you the feeling of similarity or the sameness or in affinity. This card gathering should be done not by logic but by feel or intuition.

Make a new card with a summary of the ideas on the gathered cards with the image of the contents in mind. This new card is called an affinity card.

eg. Tiredness should not remain until the next day

Next day should Limit the time be off to two hours

An affinity card
Avoid writing on the affinity card the simply-additive idea of the original cards. Also avoid adding other ideas than the contents of the original cards. When you cannot find any cards in affinity with a particular card, leave it alone.
Step 4 Repeat the card gathering and arrange them according to their affinity.
Make new affinity cards gathering affinity cards. Leave any card which cannot be put together with other cards.
When this process is completed draw arrows to show the relationship among the cards.Record the relevant details like the name of the members participated, date and place of meeting on the diagram.

Affinity

Descriptive Descriptive Descriptive Descriptive Data (a) data (b) data (c) data (d) Conceptual Scheme of Affinity Diagram

2.RELATION DIAGRAM
This is a technique to clarify true causes (or effective means) by connecting their relations logically when the causes and effects (or objectives and their means) are entangled.

Sometimes there are many causes which effect a problem and they are interrelated mutually in a very complex manner. In such a case these causes are difficult to arrange in a cause-and-effect diagram and a Relation Diagram becomes very useful.

Affinity data (A)

Between (a) and (b)
Affinity data (B)

between(c)and(d)
Affinity data between (A) and (B)

Relation Diagrams could be classified according to the purpose of use as follows :

(a) Centralized type

(b) One-direction intensive type

(c) Relation only type

(d) Plural problems type

How to make a Relation Diagram-

The following procedure refers to a centralized type Relation diagram.
Step 1 - Write the problem to be analyzed on a card and place it on the center of a paper and
frame it with a double line.

eg. Why customers won’t come (to a restaurant) ?

Step 2 - Make cause cards.

Bring out the causes to the problem through a brainstorming session with all members participating. It is importance to look for the causes from multi-perspectives. When stalled, try to think the reason why ? and the causes will come out with relative case.
Do not write more than one meaning on a card.

eg. Service is The building is The store does inferior old fashioned not stand out

Step 3 - Arrange cause cards.

Place related cards together beforehand and arrange the cards in such a way that the cards with strong relationship to the problem are placed near the centre and those with weak relationship in the periphery
eg. Waiters move slow

Service is Inferior
Why customers won’t come ?

Step 4 - Decide major causes and connect them with the problem statement with tentative
arrows. Choose about 3 to 6 major causes.

Step 5 - Connect the cards with tentative arrows according to the cause-and-effect relations.
Repeating why-why questions, continue logically with second causes which are the causes for the first (or major) causes, next with the third causes, connecting them with tentative arrows.
You can draw tentative arrows freely if the cause-and-effect relations are clear. Search for the causes and modify them if necessary until you can grasp the status of the problem. It a loop appears in the diagram, then cut it where the relationship is weakest. It is important to draw the arrows carefully so as not to have the end causes showing results or effects rather than causes, or the relationship showing the reverse cause-and-effect relations.

Step 6 - Review the cause-and-effect relations.
Check the whole diagram for omissions. Repeat the why-why questions for each of the cards and add cards if necessary. Redraw the tentative arrows as permanent arrows. Change the locations of the cards if necessary so that arrows do not cross each other for ease of comprehension.

Step 7 - Narrow down to the major causes.
The causes which are concrete and from which many arrows originate can be considered as the candidates for the major causes. All members should participate in the discussion to select major causes. Highlight the major causes by shading those cards. Do not forget to confirm the cause- and-effect relation with Q7 in case where numerical data is available.

Step 8 - Record the conclusions
Analysis with N7 does not and with the completion of making a diagram. Summarize and record the conclusions. Record the relevant details such as names of members participated, date and place of meeting.


3.TREE DIAGRAM
This is a technique for searching the measures to solve a problem by arranging their relation among objectives and their measures in the form of a tree and by examining them systematically.
The tree diagram is used to find out the most adequate means to accomplish a purpose or a target. This is done by deploying the means in a serces of target and means.

How to make a Tree Diagram
Step 1 - Write the basic objective on a card and place it at the centre of the far left side of a paper.
Note down any limitations. Write the objective with a concrete expression.
eg. To maintain proper body weight

Step 2 - Make first measures cards and deeply.
The first measures are those means to accomplish the basic objective, which are used as a help or guide to think of various other measures. The expression of the means, as a rule, is composed of a subject (noun) * object(verb) and only one idea is written on a card. Deploy the first measures cards on the right side of the basic objective vertically and connect them with tentative lines.
Change life

eg. To maintain proper body weight Change eating
      Increase exercises

Step 3 - Make second measures cards and deploy
Regarding first measures as the objectives, consider measures to accomplish them.
eg. Decrease drinking
     Change life Sleep earlier

Step 4 - Deploy third and subsequent measures
Regarding the third measures as the objectives and fourth measures as the objectives in turn,
continue deployment until the measures become concrete.
eg. Set no drinking days 
      Decrease drinking
      Change to a smaller bottle

Step 5 - Confirm the relationship between Target and Measures.
When deployment is complete check whether there are omissions or contradictions, starting from the basic objective to the concrete implementation level.
First starting from the basic objective to first, second, third …etc. measures, then starting from the lowest measures to the basic objective confirm that the relation is that of between objective and its measures.

Step 6 - Connect the objectives and measures with solid lines.
Connect the relationship of objective and its measures with permanent lines, which were connected by tentative lines. Include necessary information such as theme, names of the members participated and data and place of meeting.

4. MATRIX DIAGRAM
This is a technique for finding out the direction to solve the problem by examining the problem in its combination of elements.
The matrix diagram focuses on the interaction of two or more stratification and show the effect of combination.

5. ARROW DIAGRAM
This is a technique for making optimum scheduling and to control the progress of the plan effectively by showing the relationship of the orders of job execution by arrows.
The Arrow diagram arranges the selected means to accomplish a purpose in sequential order of time by using arrows. It is used for making the most appropriate schedule and to control its execution process effectively. The Arrow diagram is adopted from the network method for scheduling called PERT (Progress Evaluation and Review Technique) in operations Research

6. PDPC - PROCESS DECISION PROGRAM CHART
PDPC is a technique for achieving the original target and/or to escape fatal failures by preparing against foreseeable undesirable events in the future.

7. MATRIX DATA ANALYSIS
This is a technique to obtain a good perspective of a problem by analyzing a large amount of data. Matrix Data Analysis is a technique of multivariate analysis known as Principal Component Analysis and the name Matrix Data Analysis is a special name given to it for general use as one of the tools of N7. This is the only tool in N7 which deals with numerical data and which requires elaborate computations.

A SUMMARY OF SEVEN MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR QUALITY CONTROL
1 AFFINITY Grasps facts opinions and DIAGRAM ideas in Linguistic form and clarifies Location and the form of problems to be solved
2 RELATION Clarifies causal relations of DIAGRAM problems in which cause/ effect, objective/means and other factors are mixed up
3 TREE Clarifies key points of a DIAGRAM problems and seeks optimum means and measures to attain a goal
4 MATRIX Arranges in order degrees of DIAGRAM corresponding relations among objectives, phenomena means and causes
5 ARROW A progress control chart which DIAGRAM ` indicates in networks, relations among various jobs for carrying out a specific plan
6 PROCESS Estimates results of uncertain DECISION events in advance to introduce PROGRAM the progress of a process in a CHART (PDPC) desirable direction
7 MATRIX-DATA A method to arrange complex ANALYSIS numerical data in good order and is also known as principal Component Analysis Method

AFFINITY DIAGRAM
What is Affinity Diagram ?
Affinity diagram is a tool/method that gathers large amounts of disorganized and confused intertwined verbal data (ideas, opinions, issues etc.). It organizes the verbal data into groups based on natural relationship. Such formation of distinct groups help a meaningful picture to emerge, thereby making it feasible for further analysis and to find a solution to the problem.

Affinity Diagram
- is an innovative tool creatively used
- it helps to understand and discover problems
- it is based on verbal data or information and hence not quantifiable
- in this only overall idea of a problem situation and possible solution can be arrived at
- it gives clarity in confused situation
- analysis based on creativity and gut-feeling to explore, rather than on logic

RELATIONS DIAGRAM OR INTERRELATIONSHIP DIAGRAPH
WHAT IS RELATIONS DIAGRAM?
Relation Diagram also known as Interrelationship digraph is a tool for finding solution to problems that have complex causal relationship. This helps to untangle and find the logical relations among the intertwined causes and effects. It is a creative process, which allows for ‘Multi-directional” rather than ‘linear’ thinking to be used.

MAJOR USES OF RELATIONS DIAGRAM
Broadly, major uses of Relations Diagram are:
- This is applicable when issues are complicated;
- Where various factors and number of agencies are involved for a given task
- For assessing the responsibilities of various agencies involved and inter-linking factors
- It helps to have a broad, overall picture before a policy guideline or an office order is issued.
- It opens up thinking and every issue gets highlighted before a decision could b e taken.
- Where multiple objectives are involved in an issue or problem with many agencies.
  Relations Diagram is quite useful.

TYPES OF RELATIONS DIAGRAM :

01) Focused Centre Point Type/Centrally converging Relations Diagram Keep the problem in the centre. Write down causal factors around it. Once the process is over, start drawing arrows to connect them. Arrows run towards the centre.
02) Uni-directional Type/Directionally Intensive Relations Diagram
Problem/issue is kept on the left or right side. Start writing causal factors up and down. Connect them with arrows.
03) Relations Indicative Type
Problem is written at the beginning (top left). Causal factors are on the sides and below.Inter connect with arrows.
04) Practical Application Type 1 Application Format Relations Diagram Combination of any or all of the above.


TREE DIAGRAM

WHAT IS A TREE DIAGRAM?
Tree Diagram is a technique for mapping out full range of paths and tasks that need to be done in order to achieve a primary goal and related sub goals. Such a diagram reveals in a simple way with clarity not only the magnitude of the problem but also helps to arrive at methods which are to be pursued to achieve the results. In other words, it serves the purpose of developing the essential means to achieve an objective or goal.

TYPES OF TREE DIAGRAM

01) Functions Type Tree Diagram

Used for developing administrative functions
Target conditions Clarifies purpose of For work in each work Department
02) Quality Tree Diagram
Used for quality designing and quality assurance
03) Means Deployment Tree Diagram
Used for annual quality improvement assessments
04) Cause and Effect Diagram

MATRIX DIAGRAM
WHAT IS MATRIX DIAGRAM?

Matrix Diagram consists of a number of columns and rows whose intersections are checked up, to find out the nature and strength of a problem. This help us to arrive at key ideas and analyses the relationship or its absence at the intersection and find an effective way of pursuing the problem solving method. This enables conception of ideas on two dimensional relationship basis. The intersection points are called “idea conception points”.

ILLUSTRATION OF DIFFERENT MATRICES

ARROW DIAGRAM
WHAT IS ARROW DIAGRAM?
It is a network technique using nodes for events and arrows for activities for project planning,scheduling and monitoring. It is a very useful tool when we want to plan the activities of a known but a complex task or project. With the help of this tool we can workout an ideal project plan and also a daily plan for not only the main task but also for the other allied tasks and
monitor their progress in an effective manner.

PROCESS DECISION PROGRAMME CHART (PDPC)

WHAT IS PDPC?
The Process Decision Programme chart (PDPC) is a very useful and a powerful method to overcome problems when a goal to be achieved which are not familiar. With the help of PDPC ,we can map out all the conceivable events or contingencies that can occur in the implementation stage and also find out feasible counter measures to overcome these problems.
 
MATRIX DATA ANALYSIS
WHAT IS MATRIX DATA ANALYSIS?
Matrix Data Analysis is a multivariate analysis technique called ‘Principal Component Analysis”. This technique quantifies and arranges data presented in a Matrix Diagram, to find more general indicators that would differentiate and give clarity to large amount of complexly intertwined information. This will help us to visualize properly and get an insight into the ituations.