Question

1. Using the internet, explain the improvement methods used by some companies listed below. How do they differ from the five and seven step methods in the text?

• 8D Improvement method

• TRIZ

• Any other method used by organizations:

Findings:

Answer 1

Part 1:

In order to improve their products and processes, different sectors indulge in implementing different improvement methods. Several process improvement approaches are implemented for successfully improving projects. Different approaches have different steps. Some the majorly used improvement methods are as follows:

Eight Disciplines (8D) Improvement method:

• The basic concept of this method is to determine the root cause of the identified problem, to implement the project with short term fix, and execute the long term solution that will prevent the same issue from reoccurring.
• This approach was developed by Ford Motor Company.
• In order to solve critical problems that were identified in production process, this team oriented approach is applied.
• Some of the problems that can be resolved by this improvement method are:
  • Safety issues,
  • Resolving customer complaints,
  • Complains regarding warranty,
  • Problems related to waste, poor performance and other internal issues.
• 8D stands for:
  • D1: Forming a Team,
  • D2: Describing the Problem
  • D3: Interiming the Containment Action
  • D4: Determining the Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
  • D5: Determining the Permanent Corrective Action (PCA)
  • D6: Implementing and Validating the Permanent Corrective Action
  • D7: Taking measures for Preventing the Recurrence of problem
  • D8: Performing necessary documentation for closure and finaly time for Team Celebration

TRIZ (Teorya Resheniya Izobreatatelskikh Zadatch) method:

• It is one of the innovative approach for looking at problem and determining its solution.
• It was believed by the Russian engineer Genrich Altshuller who developed this approach that inventions and creativity are neither random nor based on chance.
• TRIZ approach is based on 5 basic principles and 40 inventive principles.
• These 5 basic principles are:
  • Achieving ideal end result,
  • Less is more: It means innovative ideas do not need more investments.
  • Solutions already exist
  • Searching and defining contradictions,
  • Fixed pattern of evaluation.

Apart from these two approaches some of the common improvement methods employed by companies are:

• DRIVE
• Process mapping,
• Simulation,
• Statistical Process Control (SPC) etc.

Part 2:

These approaches differ from five and seven step methods in the way that both these approaches stresses on innovation while implementing improvement methodology.