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Analyze & Improve

6 important questions on Analyze & Improve

Define the improve part of DMAIC model.

Improving is identifying route to improving performance & confirm changes will achieve the project goals.

Explain why you should use an Ishikawa diagram.

A Cause and effect diagram is a tool that helps identity, sort and display potential causes of a specific problem (or effect)
It graphically illustrates the relationship between a given outcome Y and all the factors X that influence the outcome
Increases knowledge of the process
Performed through brainstorming
You can combine Ishikawa with sidebook tool.

When should you use a Pareto chart to analyze?

Pareto principle: we want to concentrate our efforts on the "vital few"
- Bar chart arranged in descending order from left to right;
- Bars on left relatively more frequent than those on the right;
- The cumulative percentage of effect of the causes separates the "vital few": from the "trivial many" (80-20 Pareto principle)

What are the steps for making a Pareto analysis?

Step 1: order from bigger to smaller
Step 2: Make percentages
Step 3: Add up percentages cumulative --> how many would you choose: it make more sense to choose the first 2 or 3, because you have only 9 items.

What are Kaizen circles?

Kaizen circles;
- Group of employees (front line - CEO) who meet regularly to solve problems;
- Trained in planning, problem solving, and statistical methods;
- Often led by a facilitator
Goal: pressure on the employee by triggering him/ her with asking “how to improve?”

Explain the idea of Poka - Yoke.

Poka - Yoke is Japanese for a mistake - proofing device.

The idea is: you want to prevent mistakes --> we make things in our way to make it impossible to make mistakes. (e.g. sim card shape, USB, dop at benzine tank, thrash bin)

Check list:
- Prevents re-occurence?
- Low costs?
- Simple to use?
- Easy to implement?
- Durable?
- Easy to maintain?