Abstract

Typically, the relationship between a problem’s cause and its effect is investigated, but it is equally important to investigate the relationship between the problem’s essence—for example, the nonconformity of a product—and its appearance—the symptoms of the nonconformity. Using a case study that traces the effect of transistor production problems to the end user’s experience of a car not starting, the author demonstrates how to investigate the relationship between a problem’s essence and appearance using advanced quality tools.