© 2004 Cayman Business
Systems
Rev:
Pre-G3 - Rendered Thursday,
February 12, 2004
•An investigation into all identified potential causes is
necessary for effective problem solving.
A cause and effects diagram can be used to brainstorm all
potential causes of the described problem. The team should decide on what C&E diagram(s) is to be used:
5M, Process Flow and/or stratification. The
more detailed the C&E diagram, the higher the chances the root cause will be included on the C&E
diagram. An effective C&E diagram will
include input from all team members and will be discussed in detail.
•Any existing
data should be reviewed for clues to
potential causes. Further data collection
may be required to investigate additional causes.
•If the problem has not previously been seen, a timeline analysis should provide
significant data. The timeline will identify events occurring about the time the problem developed. If enough documentation
is available, potential causes can be
further identified. For example, if a new operator was put on a process or if a new supplier began supplying
parts. Investigation into the events
occurring at the same time the problem was discovered could lead to several important potential
causes.
•“What Changed?” “When?” are important questions.