The basic procedure for solving any problem is to identify the problem, analyze its causes, put together a plan for solving it, and carry out that plan. The QC story (or Improvement Story) is a simple, practical way of doing this and thereby solving problems efficiently. It consists of the following steps:
- Step 1: Choose a topic
- Step 2: Assess the current situation and set targets
- Step 3: Draw up a schedule of activities
- Step 4: Identify the causes of the problem
- Step 5: Formulate and carry out a plan for eliminating those causes
- Step 6: Check the results
- Step 7: Ensure that the problem cannot recur (e.g. by standardising)
- Step 8: Decide on the next topic to tackle, and make a plan for doing so
Although the details of the steps may vary from one company to the next or from one textbook to the next, the basic QC Story remains the same and should be studied until it is well understood. Table “The QC Story and the QC Tools” outlines each of the steps of the QC Story and indicates which QC tool should be used at each step.
4M Analysis Process
The purpose of this procedure is to define the steps to do a 4M …
