Back to Basics

2002

Column: Back to Basics: Using the Cumulative Line
How a Pareto chart can help you keep track of the progress of your corrective efforts
The Pareto chart is usually thought of as a problem identification tool, and it is. Once used to identify the potential causes of a problem, it can also report the progress of the corrective efforts. This is where the...

Column: Back to Basics: A good problem description is key
You can cause more difficulties if you don't get off to the right start
A good problem description is the key to the corrective action process described by Kepner-Tregoe. Corrective action teams use the initial problem description as their starting point, but the initial reports are often spotty...

Column: Back to Basics: Is There a Relationship Here?
A scatter diagram can help you determine if there's a correlation between two variables
A scatter diagram is a chart in which one variable is plotted against another to determine whether there is a correlation between the two. These diagrams are used to plot the distribution of information in two dimensions...

Column: Back to Basics: The Benefits of PDCA
Use this cycle for continual process improvement
The PDCA cycle is also known by two other names, the Shewhart cycle and the Deming cycle. Walter A. Shewhart first discussed the concept of PDCA in his 1939 book, Statistical Method From the Viewpoint of Quality Control....

Column: Back to Basics: What Is a Fault Tree Analysis?
Use a general conclusion to determine specific causes of a system failure
The fault tree analysis (FTA) was first introduced by Bell Laboratories and is one of the most widely used methods in system reliability, maintainability and safety analysis. It is a deductive procedure used to determine the...
What Is a Fault Tree Analysis?
Use a general conclusion to determine specific causes of a system failure
The fault tree analysis (FTA) was first introduced by Bell Laboratories and is one of the most widely used methods in system reliability, maintainability and safety analysis. The main purpose of the fault tree analysis is to help identify potential causes...

Column: Back to Basics: It's Fun To Work With an F-M-E-A
10 steps for an effective FMEA: Review the process. Brainstorm potential failure modes. List potential effects of each failure mode. Assign a severity rating for each effect. Assign an occurrence rating for each failure mode. Assign a detection rating...
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