Hi All,

Our auditor has recommended the use of a decision tree for helping us to decide whether a project is a process engineering program or a product engineering task. Any examples out there???

Thanks,

mshell

Hi All,

Our auditor has recommended the use of a decision tree for helping us to decide whether a project is a process engineering program or a product engineering task. Any examples out there???

Thanks,

mshell

Sounds like you are looking for an example of a decision tree rather than ideas on the projects themselves? I have a chart sellection tree which should give you the idea of how they work but it has nothing to do with engineering. I hope it at least gives you a start.

Dave

I am looking for examples. Thanks Dave this will help me with the task at hand.

Our auditor has recommended the use of a decision tree for helping us to decide whether a project is a process engineering program or a product engineering task. Any examples out there???

mshell,
Has your auditor defined the expected criteria for deciding if a project is a process engineering program or a product engineering task?
The key words here are process and task (Or procedure).
Wallace.

We currently receive drawings from our customer. Upon receipt, our engineering team reviews the drawing with the customer and they make any required changes. The customer updates the drawing and forwards the final approved copy to us. Upon receipt of the approved drawing, we begin to develop the processes required to manufacture the part. All of this is handled as defined in our design & development procedure. Our auditor has suggested that we are not actually designing the product we are designing the process needed to achieve the product hence the recommendation for a decision tree. We have only recently implemented the design & development procedure and began to gain control over that area of the organization. Before, things we accomplished with little or no record of how we managed to achieve the requirements of the drawing. We may be going a little overboard for the process design function but it is helping us to maintain more accurate records of action taken.

Basically, we treat any product drawing as if it were designed internally and I am a little hesitant about changing this practice.

I hope that this answers your question.

mshell,

In other threads, Covers have discussed the issue of auditors making recommendations and potential conflict of interest. Maybe the auditor was just making a suggestion on an approach to solve a problem but was not necessarily requesting that it be done.

A decision tree is a tool used to choose between multiple paths of action. Usually it is set up like a flow chart with yes/no as shown in Dave's example or it can look more like a tree with branches showing each possible action as you move through the process.

If you can show your process as a series of decisions that need to be made than a decision tree may help simplify what needs to be done in your process. With the limited information provided, it is difficult to determine if you have a decision process. It is not relevant whether you are designing the product or designing the process, the decision tree can be used for either.

If you don't believe it is a value added tool, then you do not have to do it just because of the auditor's suggestion.

Bill

I agree with Bill,
Your auditor merely made a recommendation.
It's your call whether you believe his advice is relevant to your internal business needs or not.
Wallace.

That is exactly what I am trying to do. I have no intention of implementing a tool if it is not going to add value to our process. My main concern is that we will relapse into past practices and abandon the improvements that have been made.

For us, treating everything as a design works (for now).

I am looking for examples. Thanks Dave this will help me with the task at hand.

I have some sources for information about decision trees.

First is a good explanation of how to do them by hand and what is in for the user: http://www.mindtools.com/dectree.html

Second is an add-in for Excel -- and it adds a few levels of sophistication to the process: http://hallogram.com/precisiontree/

Third is a source to buy the Memory Jogger II, which has an explanation of how to make them by hand. You can also but the Coach's Guide, which as I recall has extra examples of decision trees. I would also venture a guess that the Six Sigma Memory Jogger has them, too.

http://www.goalqpc.com/problemsolving.htm

--Jodi

I often use Mind mapping to get through the decision making process.
Search the Cove for Mind mapping and you'll come up with lots of examples.
Wallace

I need to bark up the right tree also!
I need a few examples of an operator level decision tree. We make a pipe insulator that can have a variety of "blemishes" of different types and different "degrees" and different criticalities based on part or part family. My ability to mentally generate a prototype is letting me down.:thanx:

I need to bark up the right tree also!
I need a few examples of an operator level decision tree. We make a pipe insulator that can have a variety of "blemishes" of different types and different "degrees" and different criticalities based on part or part family. My ability to mentally generate a prototype is letting me down.:thanx:

Welcome Ajax. You reminded me of one of my favorite football club (Europe).

Mindtools recommended in post #9 is a good reference. Cause and effect diagrams otherwise also known as fish-bone diagrams (http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_03.htm) may suit your purpose.

Welcome Ajax. You reminded me of one of my favorite football club (Europe).

:topic: Hello Harry,

Ajax is from The Netherlands, but right now, they're not doing so well. Read this (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2007-08-29-239822953_x.htm).

Stijloor.

:topic: Hello Harry,

Ajax is from The Netherlands, but right now, they're not doing so well. Read this (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2007-08-29-239822953_x.htm).

Stijloor.

Thanks for the update, Stijloor.

I guess I am a stubborn old faithful. My favorite British Club is Leeds and Liverpool is only second. Many had forgotten or never heard of Leeds but I can still remember their heydays. Same as Johann Cruff of Ajax.

How appropriate ! Ajax is a very large pure white mule I have for a pet and is gentle as a bunny. With his strength and reach he could literally decapitate you with a kick. But he is not a kicker althouhg he did kill a german shepard once. (mules retain a lot of the aggressiveness of the ass toward predator types). My oldest son plays inter-city soccer league and is also A-circuit equestrian rider. Socccer is very big in Oklahoma , as well as is the horse industry. American football is very equipment intensive relative to soccer and fromthat standpoint is to expensive for many small school to maintian a program, whereas soccer is relatively inexpensive to maintain. Municipally supported youth sports programs can more readily afford soccer where they can not afford football.
In any event-- what I need might be called a decision table or matrix by many--- very similar to a troubleshooting matrix an auto machanic might use to chase down problems in a car or similar to the "help wizards" in Windows. I need some mental stimulation.