Revised First Edition: November, 1998

Revised Second Edition: November, 2003

PROBLEM
SOLVING
TECHNIQUES
Published by
A simplified revised practical guide
QCFI
A non-profit, National body for propagation of
Quality Circles.

K. Ganapathy Registered under A.P. Public Societies Act, 1350 F

Prof. V. Narayana
All rights of this book are reserved.
B. Subramaniam
2003.

QUALITY CIRCLE FORUM OF INDIA

Secunderabad
ii
 Hitoshi Kume, AOTS Publications, “Guide to Quality
Control” by Dr. K. Ishikawa, published by Asian
Productivity Organisation, “Course on SQC” by SQC
Acknowledgement and OR unit ISI, Hyderabad, “Statistical Process
Control” by John S. Oakland and “Mastering the
tools of QC – Learning through diagrams and
illustrations” by Prof. Hajimo Karatsu and Toyoki
At the outset we are thankful to our President Dr. Ikeda, PHP Institute Inc.
R.C. Agarwal and Board of Directors for their
encouragement. This book was originally published We are thankful to our Chapter Chairpersons and
as ten booklets. Later on we made audiovisuals on Secretaries who are helping us in selling these books
them. When the revised edition of this book was to various organisations.
prepared we used the pictures from the audiovisuals.
We are thankful to Mr. G. Vijay Kumar who made We are also thankful to M/s Jayalakshmi Enterprises
those audiovisuals. Mr. C. S. Balaji Sharma and Mr. for printing this book.
P.S. Sanjay were entrusted with the task of preparing
it. We made many revisions, additions and K. Ganapathy
alterations. They patiently carried out all those
changes.
We are thankful to Mr. D. K. Srivastav who took
special interest in the preparation of this revised
edition and made us to include all types of Shewhart
Control Charts. In fact he helped us in preparing
them.
For preparing this book we have referred to various
books, particularly “Quality Improvements Tools”
by Juran Institute Inc., “SPC simplified” and “SPC
simplified for services” by M/s D.M. Amsden,
H.E. Butler, and R.T.Amsden, Unipub Kraus
Publication, White Plains, New York, “Statistical
Methods for Quality Improvements” by Mr.
iii iv
 CONTENTS
Foreword

Foreword --- vi
The Quality Circle Forum of India, devoted to the
Preface --- vii propagation and practice of ‘Quality Circle’ as a vital
ingredient of ‘Total Quality Management’, has
Preface for Revised Edition --- viii
considered the production of training literature and
Need and Benefits of using --- 01 material as a crucial input for its labours.
SQC Techniques
In this effort, the QCFI is bringing out a series of
Steps needed to be taken before --- 23 monographs on the various aspects of ‘Quality Circles’
problem solving and ‘TQM’. This monograph “Problem Solving
Techniques” is one of the series. It is most important
Flow Diagram --- 37 one and knowledge of these techniques is basic
requirement for everyone in an organization, whether
Brainstorming --- 67
it is manufacturing or service.
Data Collection --- 95
These tools are presented in a simple and easily
Graphs --- 117 digestible form with pictures and cartoons to make
them interesting. As usual, the QCFI owes its
Stratification --- 151 gratitude for this publication to Shri K. Ganapathy,
Prof. V. Narayana and B. Subramaniam who
Pareto Diagram --- 171
constitute the core group at its Headquarters.
Cause and Effect Diagram --- 195

Scatter Diagram --- 229

Dr. R.C. Agarwal
Histogram --- 255 President
Control Chart --- 285

v vi
 Preface
The first edition of ten Problem Solving Tools
brought out in the form of ten separate booklets as
a set was received well and was reprinted two times
to meet the demand. During the course of its use,
two specific feedbacks were received. First, whether
the format could be changed to have all the tools
in one book, second, some additions may be made
in Control Chart topic. Added to this, it was felt
that inclusion of a set of exercises would be handy
for the trainer to give assignments to the participants
and participants can use the exercises for self-practice.
Responding to these needs, this revised edition has
been brought out, keeping in view the policy of the
Forum to make available study materials at low cost
for the benefits of users – Managers, Leaders and
Quality Circle members. It is hoped; this edition
too will receive good response.
K. Ganapathy
Prof. V. Narayana
B. Subramaniam
Hyderabad,
22nd October 1998.
vii
Preface for Revised edition
We are extremely grateful to all Chapters,
Organizations, Quality Circle Members and various
other persons for making use of this book. We have
received lot of suggestions and are in the process of
bringing out two separate editions i.e. one for
industrial sector and another for service sector. It is
taking time as we are also in the midst of various
other improvement activities. This edition was brought
out as the earlier one is exhausted. Some changes
are made in Chapter 1 and 2 and there are no
major changes in other chapters. We are confident
that this edition will receive the same good response
as we received for the earlier one.
K. Ganapathy
Prof. V. Narayana
B. Subramaniam
Hyderabad,
15th November 2003.
viii