Masonry Magazine April 1995 Page. 16
mind
* To support your conclusions with measurable data; and
* To increase the involvement of the problem solvers by getting your employees involved in the problem solving process.
The Quality Problem Solving Process results in permanent solutions, efficient use of your time, increased morale and an excitement about solving those problems that are inevitable in your business. It gives you time to plan, to be proactive-what you should be doing as a manager.
The Quality Problem Solving Process includes the following steps:
* Problem Identification-Asking your customers (external and internal) to help you find your problems.
* Problem Definition-Calculating the cost of your problems.
* Problem Analysis-Determining the real causes of the problems.
* Data Collection-Verifying the problem causes with measurable data.
* Solution Generation-Generating all of the possible solutions.
* Solution Selection-Selecting the best solution.
* Solution Implementation Delegating the implementation of the solution.
* Solution Evaluation-Measuring the results to make sure you have the best possible solution.
Problem Identification
There are a number of ways to determine the problems that exist in your business.
If, in fact, you are in business to satisfy your customers (profitably), one of the best places to look for problem areas is to ask your external customers. This can be done by face-to-face interviewing or by written surveys. If you will take time to ask your external customers how you are doing, they will tell you.
Another valuable source of information with regard to inefficiencies in your business is from your internal customers-your employees. As with your external customers, you need to ask your employees how you are doing. You need to ask them where you have problems, where you can improve your efficiency. If you are sincere and really want their input, they will tell you the answers.
As with your external customers, you can use face-to-face interviews and written surveys to talk to your employees. If open communication with your employees is something new for your company, then we would strongly recommend that you start with written surveys.
Another method that you and your employees can use to identify problems in your organization is to use the skill of "flow charting." A flow char is a step-by-step method of describing a general process or system in your business. Often you know that you have a problem in an area of your business but you can't put your finger on the exact problem. If you will allow your internal employees who are involved in the process to sit down and analyze the various steps involved in the process; they will help you identify the inefficiencies, or problems.
Problem Definition
Once you have identified your problems the next step is to assure that you have properly defined those problems.
You need to ask your employees how you're doing... If you're sincere and really want their input, they'll give you answers.
The Quality Problem Solving Process tells you that you must write a problem statement for each of your main problems. These problem statements must be clear, concise, objective statements of the problem as it currently exists. This is also known as the "as is" statement.
One of the main problems discussed in our Quality training is "re-work." Depending on the degree of the problem with the company, an example problem, or "as is." statement would be as follows:
"Two Percent Re-Work"
The problem statement should not suggest any causes or solutions but should merely point out where you are with regard to the problem. Our example lets us know that two percent of our gross revenue is lost due to redoing work.
The next step is to state our goal in relationship to this problem. This is the "should be" statement. Our goal, or "should be," statement for the above example would be:
"Zero Re-Work"
This goal statement now becomes the challenge to our company and, as stated against our current problem of two percent re-work, gives us a measurable goal for the company.
Part of the definition phase requires a cost analysis of the main problem. Although we know that we are losing two percent of our gross revenue due to re-work, this is only the direct loss. We also must figure in the lost profit opportunity in having to use otherwise productive labor to do the re-work. We must also factor in lost administrative time and the possibility of losing customers and referrals.
Problem Analysis
Once you've identified, defined, and cost analyzed your problem, you must break the problem down into bite size pieces. This is the process of Problem Analysis.
The best place to find out why we have re-work is to talk to your internal customers who are producing or installing the work. If you are sincere in asking for their input, they will identify all of the causes of your problem. Once the underlying causes of the problem have been identified, you can then prioritize the causes and begin to seek solutions.
Data Collection
Part of the Quality Problem Solving Process is assuring that you have collected data to support the causes you have identified and to measure the results of your solutions. Each step of the Problem Solving Process involves the collection of important data.
For example, as you analyze the causes for re-work, you should begin to track the main causes for the re-work (for example, improper materials) for a period of time to assure that your cause analysis is correct. Then, once you determine the proper solutions for correcting re-work caused by improper materials, you can continue to track the data to assure that you have the best solution.
Once this data is collected, it can be put in charts in order to measure your progress and to visually demonstrate the results.
Solution Generation
Once you have analyzed your problem and determined all of the causes, you can begin to discuss the various solutions. Remember, make sure that you involve your internal customers not only in identifying causes but also
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16 MASONRY-MARCH/APRIL, 1995