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Saturday, May 11, 2013
BEST PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS
Solving Major Problems in a Disciplined Way
(Also known as Global 8D Problem-Solving)
When your company runs into a major problem, you need to address it quickly. However, you also need to deal with it thoroughly and ensure that it doesn't recur – and this can take a lot of effort and elapsed time.
The 8D Problem-Solving Process helps you do both of these seemingly-contradictory things, in a professional and controlled way.
In this article, we'll look at the 8D Problem-Solving Process and we'll discuss how you can use it to help your team solve major problems.
Origins of the Tool
8D
Problem-Solving Process
The Ford Motor Company developed the 8D (8 Disciplines) Problem-Solving Process, and published it in their 1987 manual, "Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS)." In the mid-90s, Ford added an additional discipline, D0: Plan. The process is now Ford's global standard, and is called Global 8D.
Ford created the 8D Process to help teams deal with quality control and safety issues; develop customized, permanent solutions to problems; and prevent problems from recurring. Although the 8D Process was initially applied in the manufacturing, engineering, and aerospace industries, it's useful and relevant in any industry.
The eight disciplines are shown in
figure 1, below:
Figure 1: The 8D Problem-Solving Process
he 8D Process works best in teams
tasked with solving a complex problem with identifiable symptoms. However, you
can also use this process on an individual level, as well.
Applying the Tool
To use the 8D Process, address each
of the disciplines listed below, in order. Take care not to skip steps, even
when time is limited; the process is only effective when you follow every step.
Discipline 0: Plan
Before you begin to assemble a team
to address the problem, you need to plan your approach. This means thinking
about who will be on the team, what your time frame is, and what resources
you'll need to address the problem at hand.
Discipline 1: Build the Team
You should aim to put together a team
that has the skills needed to solve the problem, and that has time and energy
to commit to the problem-solving process.
Keep in mind that a diverse team is
more likely to find a creative solution than a team of people with the same
outlook (although if outlooks are too diverse, people can spend so much time
disagreeing that nothing gets done.)
Create a team charter that outlines the team's goal
and identifies each person's role. Then, do what you can to build trust and get everyone involved in
the process that's about to happen.
If your team is made up of
professionals who haven't worked together before, consider beginning with team-building activities to ensure
that everyone is comfortable working with one another.
Discipline 2: Describe the Problem
Once your team has settled in,
describe the problem in detail. Specify the who, what, when, where, why, how,
and how many; and use techniques like CATWOE and theProblem-Definition Process to ensure
that you're focusing on the right problem.
Start by doing a Risk Analysis – if the problem is causing
serious risks, for example, to people's health or life, then you need to take
appropriate action. (This may include stopping people using a product or
process until the problem is resolved.)
If the problem is with a process, use
a Flow Chart, Swim Lane Diagram, or Storyboard to map each step out; these
tools will help your team members understand how the process works, and, later
on, think about how they can best fix it.
Discovering the root cause of the
problem comes later in the process, so don't spend time on this here. Right now,
your goal is to look at what's going wrong, and to make sure that your team
understands the full extent of the problem.
Discipline 3: Implement a Temporary
Fix
Once your team understands the
problem, come up with a temporary fix. This is particularly important if the
problem is affecting customers, reducing product quality, or slowing down work
processes.
Harness the knowledge of everyone on
the team. To ensure that each person's ideas are heard, consider using brainstorming techniques such as Round Robin Brainstorming or Crawford's Slip Writing Method, alongside more
traditional team problem-solving discussions.
Once the group has identified
possible temporary fixes, address issues such as cost, implementation time, and
relevancy. The short-term solution should be quick, easy to implement, and
worth the effort.
Discipline 4: Identify and Eliminate
the Root Cause
Once your temporary fix is in place,
it's time to discover the root cause of the problem.
Conduct a Cause and Effect Analysis to identify
the likely causes of the problem. This tool is useful because it helps you
uncover many possible causes, and it can highlight other problems that you
might not have been aware of. Next, apply Root Cause Analysis to find the
root causes of the problems you've identified.
Once you identify the source of the
problem, develop several permanent solutions to it.
If your team members are having
trouble coming up with viable permanent solutions, use the Straw Man Concept to generate
prototype solutions that you can then discuss, tear apart, and rebuild into
stronger solutions.
Discipline 5: Verify the Solution
Once your team agrees on a permanent
solution, make sure that you test it thoroughly before you fully implement it,
in the next step.
Consider:
Last, conduct a Blind Spot Analysis to confirm
that you and your team haven't overlooked a key factor, or made an incorrect
assumption about this solution.
Discipline 6: Implement a Permanent
Solution
Once your team reaches consensus on
the solution, roll your fix out. Monitor this new solution closely for an
appropriate period of time to make sure that it's working correctly, and ensure
that there are no unexpected side effects.
Discipline 7: Prevent the Problem
From Recurring
When you're sure that the permanent
solution has solved the problem, gather your team together again to identify
how you'll prevent the problem from recurring in the future.
You might need to update your
organization's standards, policies, procedures, or training manual to reflect
the new fix. You'll likely also need to train others on the new process or
standard. Finally, you'll need to consider whether to change your management
practices or procedures to prevent recurrence.
Discipline 8: Celebrate Team Success
The last step in the process is to
celebrate and reward your team's success. Say "thank
you" to everyone involved, and be specific about how each person's hard work
has made a difference. If appropriate, plan a party or celebration to
communicate your appreciation.
Before the team disbands, conduct a Post-Implementation
Review to analyze whether your solution is
working as you thought, and to improve the way that you solve problems in the
future.
Key Points:-
In the late 1980s, Ford Motor Company
developed the 8D (8 Disciplines) Problem-Solving Process to help manufacturing
and engineering teams diagnose, treat, and eliminate quality problems. However,
teams in any industry can use this problem-solving process.
The eight disciplines are:
0. Plan.
1.
Build the Team.
2.
Describe the Problem.
3.
Implement a Temporary Fix.
4.
Identify and Eliminate the Root Cause.
5.
Verify the Solution.
6.
Implement a Permanent Solution.
7.
Prevent the Problem From Recurring.
8.
Celebrate Team Success.
The 8D Problem-Solving Process is
best used with a team solving complex problems; however, individuals can also
use it to solve problems on their own
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Business Model
What is a business model?
Your business model defines the way your SME operates. A good business model outlines exactly how you’re going to make your business work and essentially explains how your business is going to make money.
Because your business model combines your vision for your SME (the why) with the means of achieving your vision (the how), it’s critical that you take the time to put one in place and work to refine this on an ongoing basis.
The difference between a business model and a business plan
Don’t confuse your business model with your business plan. Remember that your business plan is an operational document that’s usually in place for a three to five-year period. It outlines your plans to grow your SME and make it sustainable (i.e. expansion projections; how to drive sales; when to introduce new products etc).
Your business model on the other hand, defines how your business will make money. As such, it functions as the engine-room of your business plan, showing you how your business will actually operate.
How to develop your own business model
Develop your own business model by asking yourself the following questions:
- What is the flow of transaction within my business?
- Who are the key players involved in making these transactions?
- What is my value proposition to the market? (What makes my business unique?)
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