How to best solve a problem - use the 5Ms root cause analysis
Whenever I stare at a problem, I go back to my Quality Management training that I learned while Wang Laboratories (a computer company that invented the word processor). Back in the day, Wang was a computer manufacturer. Most manufacturing operations have its assortment of problems and Wang was no different. Problem solving is really a simple process and one that I have used over and over throughout my career. First you define your problem statement and then you perform a root cause analysis using the 5Ms.
The Problem Statement. You need to ask these key questions to develop a Problem Statement.
What? What is the nature of the defect?
When? When in the process was the defect discovered?
Where? Where is the defect physically in the plant?
To What Extent? What is the magnitude of the problem? Does it follow a trend?
Once we have described the problem statement, we can begin analyzing it with a Cause and Effect (5M) Diagram.
Cause and Effect Diagrams help you:
Identify what to control to prevent a problem from happening again.
Eliminate the conditions causing the product defect and customer complaints.
Establish the relationship between major categories of cause and the ultimate root cause.
There are five major categories of causes influencing any process. They are called the 5Ms.
Manpower - the people involved in the process
Machinery - the physical devices used in a process
Methods - the way things are done
Materials - the elements from which things are made
Measurements - the standards by which the process is evaluated
Once you list the 5Ms, then you brainstorm to determine the Major Causes from each of the 5Ms. After you list the Major Causes, then you list the Potential Root Causes emanating from the Major Causes. Now that you have your potential root causes, you use your best judgment to assign a percentage of impact to each of the potential root causes. Focus on the M’s that received the highest percentages. The percentages should total to 100%. Remember, Pareto’s Law (80/20 Rule). Typically, 20% of the causes contribute to 80% of the problem.
Now, start developing your problem statements and perform your root cause analysis.