As a device technology manager, I am well aware that problem analysis ability is a necessary skill for us, and my most commonly used method is the "5WHY analysis method" proposed by Toyota Production System (TPS) founder Naiichi Ohno. I remember once there was a small water droplet like accumulation on the corners of a product after applying white glue on the surface. The customer requested us to improve it within a week. After checking the defective items, it was found that only the customer feedback problem appeared on the right side. The product is mainly processed by equipment, so the main focus of improvement fell on me. Our team first conducted a 5WHY simulation analysis:
Why does the product accumulate white glue on the right edge after being processed by equipment?
Because the stroke on the right side of the adhesive block exceeds the specifications.
Why does the stroke of the adhesive block on the right side of the device exceed the specifications?
Because the limit sensor on the right has shifted.
Why is the limit sensor on the right side locked but still displaced?
The screws became loose due to equipment vibration.
Why does the sensor move so severely after the screw is loose?
Because the sensor is locked with a U-shaped slot.
Can we replace it with a straight threaded hole lock type sensor?
It can achieve signal transmission function and can be replaced.
Finally, we went to the site for pre - and post improvement trials and recorded videos, and the problem was effectively resolved. We will present the causal path to the client in a concise "why → why" chart style, and the improvement plan will be recognized by them.
discover problems
Perhaps some people may think that 5WHY analysis is simply asking 5 whys, but in fact, it is not. Management philosopher Akov said: Accurate understanding of problems is the prerequisite for solving them. The reason for our failure is mostly due to trying to solve the wrong problem with the correct method. So, in order to master the application of the 5WHY analysis method, we first need to understand the iceberg theory of the problem.
From the graph, it can be seen that the problem we can recognize at a glance is only the tip of the iceberg in appearance, so we need to accurately grasp the five elements of the problem in order to find the root cause in an orderly manner:
1. Problems often present themselves in a collective form, and we need to organize and subdivide them to determine the priority order for solving them;
2. When tracing the place where the problem occurred, it is important to remember that the place where the problem was discovered is not equal to the place where the problem occurred;
3. Conduct an investigation using the 5W2H method to obtain basic information about the occurrence of the problem;
4. Pay attention to the changes and distribution characteristics of 4M (people, machines, materials, methods);
5. It is necessary to understand the structure and function of related things and systems.
Master the steps
How can we implement and improve the ability to accurately grasp problems and identify root causes? Firstly, it is necessary to explain the problem and describe its relevance, and all relevant personnel involved in the analysis need to clarify the theme of the problem being analyzed. The second step is to continuously ask 'why' until the root cause is identified, and each 'why' answer must be recognized by everyone to avoid leaving hidden dangers. The third step is to develop practical countermeasures. When doing this step, the entire process should be reviewed, and hidden dangers should be included in the countermeasures. The fourth step is to evaluate and verify the effectiveness. It is necessary to comprehensively analyze whether the implementation has an impact on other aspects and make timely corrections. The fifth step is standardization and selective implementation, which includes standardizing improvement measures and conducting inventory activities on similar production processes.
Avoiding traps
In the process of analyzing and improving, we will inevitably encounter many interfering factors. Therefore, in order to avoid a lack of distinction between primary and secondary, we need to pay special attention to the following seven points:
Firstly, avoid making unnatural inferences and never use excuses to answer the questions raised;
Secondly, to avoid the pursuit of reasons involving human psychology, why should the focus be on the equipment and management aspects that can lead to the development of preventive measures;
Thirdly, focus on the problem itself and avoid shifting responsibility;
Fourth, pay attention to the correlation between layers, and there must be a necessary relationship between each why question and its answer;
Fifth, phenomena only record facts and confirm that everything in the phenomenon column is facts, not inferences;
Sixth, the results of the analysis should be verified and confirmed, and should not be limited to improvement without verification;
Seventh, the analysis should be sufficient. If it is not sufficient, the subsequent disposal based on the identified reasons can usually only be corresponding (abnormal disposal), rather than countermeasures (recurrence prevention).
After studying and researching the 5WHY analysis method, I am able to respond to different problems with clear thinking and quickly identify the root cause. But this is just a drop in the ocean of lean thinking. If one day I can integrate lean thinking with tools, everything around me will be a more beautiful scene. I often tell myself to 'learn more, use diligently, and drill hard'. Every lean tool is a treasure in life. May we all learn and apply it, gain something from it, and achieve something from it.
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