Subject:  

Apparel Quality Management 

 

Exploration on the usage of 

new quality tools. 
 
 

 
 
Submitted By: 
Anisha Chowdhury  

BFT/18/115 

 
2  

New Quality Tools 

Overview 
In 1976, the ​Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE)​ saw the need for tools to promote
innovation, communicate information, and successfully plan major projects. A team researched and
developed these seven new quality control tools, often called the seven management and planning
tools, or simply the seven management tools: 

Benefits 
 
Some of the benefits of incorporating the 7 new quality tools in an organization include:

● better organization of verbal data,

● improved planning,
● secured full cooperation between work teams,
● better situations assessment from various perspectives,
● better clarification of the desired situation,
● more effective prioritization of tasks,
● and the promotion of proactive changes between the organization.

The 7 new quality tools do not intend to replace the ​7 basic quality tools​, but instead to
complement them and use them together to increase the Total Quality Management (TQM)
effectiveness.

 
3  

1. Affinity Diagram
Also known as ​affinity chart​, ​affinity mapping​,​ K-J method​ or ​thematic
analysis​, an affinity diagram organizes a large number of ideas into their
natural relationships. It is the organized output from a brainstorming session
and is used to generate, organice, and consolidate information related to a
product, process, complex issue or problem. It makes it feasible for further
analysis and to find solutions to a given problem.

WHEN TO USE: 

● When you are confronted with many facts or ideas in apparent chaos
● When issues seem too large and complex to grasp
● When group consensus is necessary

Example-​ ​A manufacturing team used an affinity diagram to organize its list of

potential performance ​indicators.
Figure 1 shows the list team members brainstormed. Because the team works a shift
schedule and members could not meet to do the affinity diagram together, they
modified the procedure.

Figure 1 Brainstorming for Affinity Diagram Example

4  

The team members wrote each idea on sticky notes and placed the notes, in
random order, on a rarely used door. Over several days, everyone reviewed the
notes and moved the notes into related groups. Some people reviewed the evolving
pattern several times. After a few days, the natural grouping shown in Figure 2
(below) had emerged.

Notice that one of the notes, "Safety," has become part of the heading for its group.
The rest of the headings were added after the grouping emerged. Five broad areas of
performance were identified: product quality, equipment maintenance,
manufacturing cost, production volume, and safety and environmental.

Figure 2 Affinity Diagram Example

5  

2. Interrelationship Diagram
Also known as relations diagram or network diagram, the interrelationship
diagram is a management planning tool that depicts the relationship among
factors in a complex situation. It allows a team to systematically identify,
analyze, and classify the cause and effect relationships that exist among all
critical issues. It is useful at the planning stage for obtaining a clear
perspective on an overall situation; facilitates consensus among the work
team; assists to develop and change people’s thinking; and enables priorities
to be identified accurately.

WHEN TO USE:

● When trying to understand links between ideas or cause-and-effect

relationships, such as when trying to identify an area of greatest impact
for improvement
● When a complex issue is being analyzed for causes
● When a complex solution is being implemented
● After generating an ​affinity diagram​, ​fishbone diagram​, or ​tree diagram
to more completely explore the relations of ideas
● In ​root cause analysis​, particularly for:
○ Understanding how different aspects of the problem are
connected
○ Seeing relationships between the problem and its possible causes
that can be further analyzed
6  

Example- ​Department Store Interrelationship Diagram

3.Tree Diagram
Also known as ​systematic diagram​, ​tree analysis​, ​analytical tree ​or
hierarchy diagram​, a tree diagram is a planning tool that depicts the
hierarchy of tasks and subtasks needed to complete an objective. A tree
diagram develops a succession of strategies for achieving a goal. It is used to
break down broad categories into finer and finer levels of detail. Once the
tree diagram is finished, it bears a resemblance to a tree, with a trunk and
multiple branches.
7  

 
WHEN TO USE:

● When an issue is known or being addressed in broad generalities and you

must move to specific details, such as when developing logical steps to
achieve an objective
● When developing actions to carry out a solution or other plan
● When analyzing processes in detail
● When probing for the ​root cause of a problem
● When evaluating implementation issues for several potential solutions
● After an ​affinity diagram​ or ​interrelationship diagram​ has uncovered key
issues
● As a communication tool, to explain details to others

Example:
8  

4.Arrow Diagram
Also known as ​activity network diagram​, ​network diagram​, ​activity chart​,
node diagram​ or ​critical path method​, the arrow diagram is a process
diagramming tool used to determine optimal sequence of events, and their
interconnectivity. It is used for scheduling and to determine the critical path
(i.e. the flow of critical steps where delays can affect the timing of the entire
project and where addition of resources can speed up the project.) through
nodes (i.e. begin/end of and activity) and arrows (i.e. the activities
themselves).

Effective arrow diagrams allow overall task to be viewed and potential snags
to be identified before the project starts, lead to the discovery of potential
improvements, deal promptly with unexpected changes to plan, and
improve communication among the work team.

WHEN TO USE:

● When scheduling and monitoring tasks within a complex project or process

with interrelated tasks and resources
● When you know the steps of the project or process, their sequence, and how
long each step takes
● When project schedule is critical, with serious consequences for completing
the project late or significant advantage to completing the project early
9  

5.Process Decision Program Chart

The Process Decisions Program Chart (PDPC) is a management planning tool
that systematically identifies what might go wrong in a plan under
development. It is used for planning the activities needed to solve a given
problem when the information is incomplete or the situation is hard to
forecast. PDPCs are used before implementing a plan that might be large
and complex, when the plan must be completed in schedule, and when the
price of failure is high.

A PDPC consists of a series of steps linked in sequence classified in five

levels:

1. objective to be achieved,
2. options available,
3. what ifs,
4. possible countermeasures, and
5. selection of countermeasures.

WHEN TO USE:

● Before implementing a plan, especially when the plan is large and complex
● When the plan must be completed on schedule
● When the price of failure is high
10  

6. Matrix Diagram

Also known as ​matrix​ or ​matrix chart​, the matrix diagram allows a team or
individual to systematically identify, analyze, and rate the presence and
strength of relationships between two or more sets of information. It is used
to clarify problems by ​thinking multidimensionally.
11  

Example-
12  

7. Prioritization Matrix
Also known as the ​matrix data analysis​, the prioritization matrix is a
management technique that quantifies and arranges data presented in
a matrix. It is used by work teams to narrow down options through a
systematic approach of comparing choices by selecting, weighting, and
applying criteria. It is based solely on numerical data, aims to find
indicators that differentiate options, and attempts to clarify large
amounts of information.

R software does not represent the most friendly-user software for

developing a prioritization matrix, reason why an R example is not
included. However, it is worth including the description of the
prioritization matrix in this article for consistency purposes.
13  

Conclusion
The 7 new basic quality tools examined in this article represent highly useful tools
for the planning, development and management of lean six sigma projects and
quality improvement initiatives. Their effective use and implementation can bring
potential benefits to the organization and its clients.

Engineers must become familiar and comfortable with these tools to pull the
appropriate one out of their engineering toolbox to approach problems within a
given system and to help maintain the consistency of the products and services
being produced.

One of the main advantages of having their R codes is their ​reproducibility b ​ y just
having to modify their initial inputs. This article does not intend to convince the
readers to strictly use R for when developing these tools, but instead to introduce
how to develop them in a free and open-source software with just a few lines of
code.