Anyone have info on the "toshira" (sp?) problem solving process?

I was asked today. phonetically to - sheer - a if I heard it right, used in Japanese companies.

Toshira...? I have heard something similar, but don't know what it is. Anyway, I'm interested in anything concerning problem solving.

/Claes

I'm getting a book on it today. I'll let you know the spelling and underlying concepts.

Key this in "toshiro problem solving process"in www.Google.com and you will have loads of info.

...Think alike..

Nitin, I just did exactly that... :agree:

and Laura. I'll await your comments then...

Thank's both of you.

/Claes

You guys (He says in a non-gender specific manner) must be nuts! I tried the search and I'm not sure I could read the titles, let alone the material. It sounds to me like this is almost exclusively mathamatics, and like the simple country boy I am, If I have to take off my shoes to count I'm in trouble.

I did the google search too. I haven't given up yet, but it looked like alot of papers by various Toshira's that solved problems and their project was written up. I may have the name wrong. I was hoping it was a known process like 6S, or something being used in Japan.

I'll let you know what I find out.

What I have seen is it looks like going back to the old Boolean Algebra - Logic flows.

Yeah, that's what I thought. The two subjects I have always failed; algebra and logic!

I'm interested in anything concerning problem solving.

Me too! I have read about TRIZ and Kepner-Tregoe, but toshira is a new one on me.

Well, its Tashiro. And its nothing new. I'm still not sure who he is. There is a nice summary form in the process. It gets to real root cause - 5 why, semi Shainan looking. Nothing too exciting - but it looks like a nice package.

I stumbled across The Center For Intefrated Facility Engineering and one of the papers listed there was TR138. It is titled "When Project Information Flow Becomes Turbulent: Toward an Organizational Reynolds Number". In a nut shell it talks about using formulas from fluid dynamics and fluid mechanics to look at info flow problems through an organization. It is a free download and I thought it was a very interesting concept. May require a new thread but I'd like to hear what others have to say.

I'm interesting to know about Tashiro problem solving process.

I'm working with the next methodology for a year and performs fine, read on!

We have many options to solve a problem, for example:

Traditional DOE
Taguchi Methods
Shainin Techniques

And there are tremendous disscussions about which is best!

but when we combine the best of them in an integrated methodology we have a
good "problem solving methodology" don't you think?

For example:

1. Definition of the problem (Pareto Chart, Brainstorming, etc)
2. Use the quality loss function to determine the non-quality cost.
3. Apply Multi-vari Charts to define type of variation in the problem
4. Perform a Orthogonal Array to find the most important factors
5. With the 2 or 3 most important factors found, validate the solution using DOE Traditional
6. Then we use again Quality Loss function to measure the solution or improvement.

in other words...

1. Pareto Charts, Brainstorming, Ishikawa fishbone diagram
2. Taguchi. Quality Loss Function
3. Shainin. Multi-Vari Charts
4. Taguchi. Orthogonal Arrays
5. DOE 2 or 3 Full Factorial to Validate the solution
6. Taguchi. Quality Loss Function.

In your opinion this methodology will work?

which are the advantages or disadvantages in the methodology?

Ideas, suggestions, comments, are welcome!

thanks for your help!