Hi

I'm having trouble getting my head around what is actually required here. I'm still quite new to the G8D methodology so apologies and although I've read a fair bit, much of it is conflicting.

I have just had an 8D rejected on the basis that my D8 was too D7-ish. I identified lessons learned, systemic improvements and who had been responsible for these. Elsewhere on the form (which is of my own design) is an author/date closed box so that part is covered.

Looking at a Ford exemplar G8D, it has step D8 as "We bought everyone a T-shirt". Is this the kind of thing that other people put here? Our company doesn't really have a T-shirt buying mentality :lol:


Thanks

We just put in a general "Thanks to the people involved for the successful completion of this G8D." Typically, you will not get any grief for that response. :cool:

We just put in a general "Thanks to the people involved for the successful completion of this G8D." Typically, you will not get any grief for that response. :cool:

Bob is right on with this. The 8th discipline is sometimes left out of the system altogether now. I have seen some applications that only cover 7 Ds.

One new line of thought is to use the 8th discipline to not only thank and congratulate the team but to emphasize the lessons learned in the process.

Dave

I once had a boss whose answer to step 8 was universally "Verbally congratulated the team and bought them sodas." No one ever squawked.

In my 20 or so years of working with and processing 8D's I could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have seen a completed D8.
A general statement of thanks is OK, but as was quoted to me by an external auditor,
"we must be careful to ensure that this opportunity for employee motivation is not overlook in the wider context of the QMS!"
A valid point, but one not easily answered. I think it will depend on your industry, corporate philosophphy and even sometimes wider cutural influences.
My only advice would be it is better to something than nothing at all, so a statement from the 8D team leader that all team members were thanked personally for their contribution to the G8D activity, should be enough ( and traceable for audit purposes!)

8d's are not a key motivating factor for most firms. Completing them is not all that motivating, either. The motivation is to get it done because there are 4 more waiting that are already overdue....:cool:

Thanks for the speedy responses guys (and diolch yn fawr to celtic warrior :D)


As Dave Scott has suggested, I tried to incorporate a more holistic 'lessons learned' rather than the specific lessons regarding the failure that my D7 included.

The customer is a highly prestigious automotive OEM in Europe if that makes any difference.


Well, I think it's sodas and thanks all round if that is the level they want to work at, cheers for the help everybody.

The 8th D is sort of patronizing, in my opinion. Hey, they're just doing their job. If you want to share with them part of the company's increased profitability, great. But please, no more T-shirts, caps, jackets, etc. I can get those at flea markets for a whole lot less work!

IMO, just plain verbal 'Thank You' or 'Congrats', from the Team leader does not satisfy the 8th descipline. Such an approach relegates this important descipline to a mere formality. The 8th Descipline was added later, purposefully to the existing 7D, to boost the morale of the participants, to motivate and encourage them to excel consistently. Encouragement is considered necessary since the path of 7D is very slippery, difficult and an uphill task. Any team coming out victorious, richly deserve to be recognised and congratulated for showing fine mettle.

There is nothing hard and fast on the method of congratulations. It has to commensurate with the grade of accomplishment, and may vary from 'verbal congratulation from management before a gathering' to 'citation' to 'certificate of excellance' to material or pecuniary award etcetra etcetra. Management has to oversee and decide as to what form of 'reward' will be able to fetch the desired result.

Umang :2cents:

IMO, just plain verbal 'Thank You' or 'Congrats', from the Team leader does not satisfy the 8th discipline. Such an approach relegates this important discipline to a mere formality. The 8th Discipline was added later, purposefully to the existing 7D, to boost the morale of the participants, to motivate and encourage them to excel consistently. Encouragement is considered necessary since the path of 7D is very slippery, difficult and an uphill task. Any team coming out victorious, richly deserve to be recognized and congratulated for showing fine mettle.


The 8D is used for anything from simple to complicated corrective action tasks - and it is a nice document for capturing the information. Some of these issues really do not rise to the level of a victory celebration. Even so, IMHO the need to document it really is a formality.

This can really get carried away. C'mon - we could do an 8D on the effectiveness of D8. All we need is someone to say that they were not sufficiently thanked for their work resolving the problem and we really are sliding down the proverbial slippery slope. At thje end will we thank them for correcting the thanks? I suppose - but I hope they are satisfied with that thanks, or the cycle will continue... Even if the activity rises to the $500,000 corporate retreat to celebrate the success of the 8D, does writing that in the response really heighten the quality of the use of the tool?

I understand why they put it there (I had the T.O.P.S. training in Dearborn), but as a record it really is a formality.:cool: