SPC training games - Basic training for manufacturing shop-floor guys and engineers

[Dave W 2005]

I'm just about to provide some basic training for manufacturing shop-floor guys and engineers in control charting and process capability.
Does anybody have any short 'fun' game ideas that I can use to help reinforce this learning?

[Atul Khandekar]

Dave,

I have developed a computer based Quincunx SPC Simulator software that you can use to teach and learn through experiment, the basic concepts of how and why SPC works. It covers variation, process shifts, control charts, histogram and process capability.

The Quincunx SPC Simulator can be used in training to cover basic SPC topics, such as common versus special cause variation and a variety of other topics such as to demonstrate the variability in estimates of Cpk, to help discuss inferential methods, and to demonstrate how the power to detect a critical shift increases as sample size increases. The simulator has proved to be an excellent tool for training of personnel in SPC basics.

For more details please visit:
http://www.symphonytech.com/quincunx.htm

You can also download a Shareware Version from my site.

Regards,
-Atul.

[Marc]

I'm old school. I bypass the games and get right to the cattle prod!

[Rick Goodson]

Dave,

I don't have a specific game to offer, but you might consider the concept.

I try to find something of common interest to the group. In Wisconsin football works well. You can use game results and published information on teams and players to 'predict' outcomes. In many cases my participants are using basic statistics when they talk about games and player stats but don't realize it.

[Dave W 2005]

The software will be fine for a lab environment, I'm looking for a nice hands on type of thing.
Being based in the UK, football means something completely different and our soccer and statistics don't make good bedfellows! - but I like the association of using something that will be of interest to the average guy.
You've got me thinking.

[Atul Khandekar]

You could probably use Cricket in the UK.
Unfortunately, all the 'statistics' I can think of is average and strike rate!

[Brian Dowsett]

Dave,
I always used a packet of drinking straws and some cheap scissors. We start off cutting one inch lengths by eye and measuring on a rule.
I then prompted the group to use each previous length cut as a marker for the next. Then progressed to measuring a perfect inch and used that as the marker. This data was all plotted onto charts, initially showing a wide variation, then improving the variation but not the setting, then finally having good setting and low variation.
We even sometimes progressed onto a simple assessment of gauge variation and introduced a better gauge than the rule.


Hope that helps...

Brian

[Howard Atkins]

Originally posted by Atul Khandekar
You could probably use Cricket in the UK.
Unfortunately, all the 'statistics' I can think of is average and strike rate!

You are selling the game short, go to www.cricket.org/ and at the bottom of the page you have a database full of statistics.