Problem Solving Techniques - Seeking Information

[nunogvieira]

Hi everyone.
I'm doing a research in Problem Solving Techniques and I need your help to be as transversal as possible. I would apreciate every contribute with information in different techniques (data, bibliography, presentations, articles, etc ... ).
I believe that all the information posted here can be useful to other persons that work in Quality and that are searching for informations to apply in their one organizations.

Hope you can help!


Nuno Vieira

[Wes Bucey]

I see by your Profile

Company Size (Employees) or Consultant:
>750 Occupation:
Quality Managment Biography:
4,5 years in the Quality Department in the Automotive area and, lots of grey hair since then.....

you are no newbie to Quality.

Can you please tell us the purpose for your research? What do you intend to do with the information once you get it? Armed with that information from you, we can focus more tightly on giving you a usable answer instead of burying you with stuff which may be too simple or redundant to what you already have.

The internet is full of information on problem solving techniques. All you need to do is search on some key terms. I'd recommend that you look for information on the following: Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA), Eight Discipline (8-D), Six Sigma Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC), root cause analysis (RCA), General Motors' Drill Deep and Wide (DDW), and poke-yoke (mistake proofing) as a starter. That way you can decide which is most appropriate for your need.

[RCBeyette]

Bom dia, Nuno Vieira!

Wes and dokes have provided some feedback, and I don't think it can much more detailed than what they have provided. The topic of "Problem Solving Techniques" is wide, diverse and not always agreed-upon! My organization alone has many training modules set up on this topic, dealing with how we can solve problems and when it is appropriate to use a particular technique...but this is, by no means, a proven science!

There are files that can be downloaded from the Cove on various Problem Solving methods, as well as many threads initiated on these topics. Try doing a search here in the Cove first before wandering out to the Internet - this might help keep your research to a management level.

What will you be doing with this information? Are you putting a presentation together for some coworkers? Are you training colleagues on Problem Solving Techniques? What is their current level - are they new to the concept? As Wes said, we do not wish to flood you with information that is not suitable to your needs.

[nunogvieira]

Hello,

as I said I'm doing a research. The purpose of this research is to prepare a full presentation that puts together definitions and aplications of different methods and techniques. The origins, when to use, strong points/week point, etc... . I'm doing a post-graduation in Quality engineering and I'm selecting Problem Solving Techniques as graduation project. I believe that there are a lot of methods but it's dificult to find details from them. I thought that, instead of just searching in books, I would prefer to also have a practical aproach, to have the contact with peaople that know the methods and that work with them every day. That's why I asked the help of my coleagues in the Cove. If they have examples, presentations, bibliography that could be interesting for this project, I would apreciate. I also count on my coleagues to give the opinion on the project, as soon as I have enough material to start writing.

Thanks,

Nuno Vieira

PS - It was a surprise to "read" portuguese in the Cove.

[cokyat]

Nuno Vieira,

Pax!
In my company, we are using the 7-QC Tools which are familiar also in the Automotive Industry...these are:

1) CHECKSHEETS
2) PARETO DIAGRAM
3) HISTOGRAM
4) ISHIKAWA DIAGRAM
5) GRAPHS AND CHARTS
6) SCATTER DIAGRAM
7) CONTROL CHARTS

These are basic tools and the methods are also simple and basic...efficient in presenting a QC STORY, where the Japanese had introduced in my company eversince Masaaki Imai deviced the small groups called the " QC Circles".


Have a nice day.

[RCBeyette]

Originally Posted by nunogvieira

The purpose of this research is to prepare a full presentation that puts together definitions and aplications of different methods and techniques. The origins, when to use, strong points/week point, etc... . I'm doing a post-graduation in Quality engineering and I'm selecting Problem Solving Techniques as graduation project. I believe that there are a lot of methods but it's dificult to find details from them. I thought that, instead of just searching in books, I would prefer to also have a practical aproach, to have the contact with peaople that know the methods and that work with them every day. That's why I asked the help of my coleagues in the Cove. If they have examples, presentations, bibliography that could be interesting for this project, I would apreciate. I also count on my coleagues to give the opinion on the project, as soon as I have enough material to start writing.

With your experience from the "real world", I have no doubt that you have enough knowledge to start developing your paper on this topic.

However, if you use the search function here in the Cove - enter in ' Problem Solving Techniques ' - lots of stuff will appear before you.

Here is just a sample of what I've been able to find:

• FMEA
• 8D
• Poka yoke
• Standardization of problem solving
• Improvement tools
• Toshiro problem solving techniques

At my own organiztation, as I mentioned, we have training modules set up for our employees to understand how to apply specific problem solving techniques - after all, we do not wish for them to use a sledge-hammer to kill a mosquito, nor do we wish for them to trivialize a high risk/cost issue.

What I would suggest is that you do the research and start your paper/presentation first. When you are done explaining the theory of problem solving techniques, share it with us and perhaps then we will be better able to give some applications and "real life" problem solving success stories!

[wmarhel]

Originally Posted by nunogvieira

I would apreciate every contribute with information in different techniques (data, bibliography, presentations, articles, etc ... ).



Nuno Vieira

One useful method is to use the advanced search function of the Google search engine and search for filetypes "PDF". This should help to eliminate a lot of the garbage that is out there on the net and you'd probably be surprised on what you may run across.

Regards,

Wayne