Cosmos

In Section 1, we introduced the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. A Process Control System should include all of these steps:

The PLAN

1. The first step in PLAN is to determine the objectives of the process through our customer research. What products and services should be produced? What are the customers’ needs and expectations (both “stated” and

“hidden” -those that they don’t know about)?

2. Next, how can we meet these with our product or service? As we begin to develop the product or service, which characteristics should be emphasized (consider all aspects: quality, cost, delivery, sales & service, safety, corporate responsibility)? At what quality level should the products or services be produced?

3. Based on knowledge of the process' objectives, targets or goals must be set. Quality control is impossible without knowing the "level" at which the process must perform. The targets should not be arbitrarily set, but must be

20Both “Control” and “Management” terms come with some negative baggage. The object of a Process Control/Management System is to assure the quality of our products and services. It is not designed to control people, nor is it the sole the province of management - everybody’s involved!

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a "negotiated settlement" considering what the customer's needs and expectations are and what is currently "technologically" feasible. Since the customer has both needs (must-be requirements) and expectations (requested or delighted requirements), some of the process targets must be met, others are desirable to meet.

Target or goal setting cannot be considered in isolation by one department. Their processes are part of a system and the targets should aim to optimize the system. For instance, if Marketing sets sales targets that the Production people cannot meet, shipments will be delayed or backlogged, quality may suffer in the rush to fill orders.

4. The process objectives/targets should be put in writing and communicated widely. Decisions should be made on how to measure the performance of the process (i.e. what indicators are to be set, how these indicators will be measured. A Quality Table can help summarize this phase of the PLANNING cycle. Information from this Quality Table can be combined with the actual process flow and work standards to construct a Process Control System.

QUALITY TABLE PRODUCT/SERVICE: CONTROL CHART TRAINING COURSE

Customer Needs/ Expectations Quality Characteristics/CTQs Indicator/ Target Process Responsible Department Green

Belts

Control Chart Theory • Variation

• Measures of Central

5. The next step in PLAN is to determine what methods (or "standards") will be used to achieve the objectives. For an existing process, a flowchart of the process will at least document how the process works and maybe who performs the work (a Tischer or responsibility chart shows this explicitly). A Cause and Effect Diagram can help organize knowledge about the important factors that affect the quality of the process. Since the process may have multiple quality characteristics, multiple cause and effect analyses may be needed.

There are many, many factors that can affect the output of the process. The Pareto principle tells us that there are generally only a few, key process variables that must be managed to ensure the quality of the product or service. The quality control system must clearly identify these key process variables and the methods established to manage them (i.e. make sure they are at the correct level or "setting," or to minimize their variation). These key process variables may also be measured as part of the control system. As with the process' objectives/targets, the process methods must also be documented. The process flowchart and Cause and Effect diagram(s) are basic documentation. Procedures or instructions manuals are also helpful.

The DO

1. The first step in DO is to educate and train workers on the methods developed as part of the PLAN. This is a major job of management and, if possible, should not be delegated to the "training department." There are two reasons for this: a) by giving management a "teacher" role, they can actually learn what the methods are requiring the workers to do. This can often help accelerate improvement by itself. b) If management assumes the "teacher"

role, the workers will understand the importance of following the established methods. This too, helps clearly point out where the established methods are deficient.

2. The second step of DO is simply to do the work according to the methods/ standards. Data is collected to determine how the process is performing and how the key process variables are "behaving." This helps promote

"upstream" control of the process.

The CHECK

1. Based on the data collected from the process (quality characteristics and process variables), compare the process' performance to the objectives/targets. Is there a performance "gap?" Are there special causes of variation present? If there is a "gap," or if special causes of variation are detected, then the process should be studied to understand why the gap exists and what to do about it. DMAIEC projects may be needed to close the gap.

The ACT

1. Once an understanding is reached of how to close the gap, action must be taken. Depending on the process variables at work, this could include improved training, revising the methods, machines, materials, information, etc.

This is where the "narrow" PDCA cycle kicks in. The change must be planned, implemented and checked to see if it is an improvement.

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