8 D Problem-solving Technique

1. D0 - Prepare
2. D1 - Establish the team
3. D2 - Describe the problem
4. D3 - Interim containtment action (to safeguard the customer, place a temporary solution)
5. D4 - Define and verify root cause and escape point (a point where the problem could have been cought but was not)
6. D5 - Permanent Corrective Action (PCA) : This solution would solve the problem of the team facing it, and not the entire org.
7. D6 - Implement and validate the PCA : Check if the placed solution works.
8. D7 - Prevent occurrence: prevent occurrence of the event for ever so that it can be prevented from occurring in all projects across the org.
9. D8 - Recognize

5 Whys...

You will reach the root cause within 5 whys.

1. Why X has happened?
Because of some Y....
2. Why did Y occur?
Because of factor Y1
3. Why did Y1 occur?
Because of Y2
4. Why did Y2 occur?
Because of Y3
5. Why did Y3 occur
ANSWER

Past - Current - Futuristic

Most of the companies focus their energies in solving the following kinds of tasks:

1. Past related (rework, correction, pending)

2. Current (supposed to be done one mondays as usual)

They do not have time to focus on futuristic activities or plan for them in the first place. The ratio of (past + current) : (futuristic) for most companies is 70:30. This was the same for Motorola as well, while it was 30:70 for Toyota. So Motorola investigated the case further. It found that rework / correction...and current tasks are because of inefficient handling of issues, and issues kept appearing later though they were supposed to have been solved once. This was not the case with Toyota.

According to six sigma, resolve problems once and for all, so they would never recurr.

Mc Donalds...process control

Mc Donalds has transformed the art of cooking into science. In all its outlets worldwide, the variation in tastes of food it serves is almost identical. This has been achieved by carefully controlling the process that goes into preparation of the food.

ICICI - Addressing variation in customer needs...

At reservation counters / banks, which offer single window services, it is often seen that one line moves faster than the rest. (Lets not consider the capability or otherwise of the people who man the counters) Someone who comes late and is queued up in a line that moves faster, gets his work done faster than one who although has arrived earlier is held up in a slow moving line. This often leads to customer dissatisfaction.

ICICI has addressed this problem by introducing the token system - a solution that is foolproof and offers complete customer satisfaction.