QC Tools B

The Seven New Quality Tools

The Seven New Quality Tools

• Affinity Diagrams
• Tree Diagrams
• Process Decision Program Charts
• Relations Diagrams
• Matrix Diagrams
• Matrix Data Analysis
• Arrow Diagrams

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 QC Tools B

History of the Seven New QC Tools

• Committee of JUSE(Union of Japanese Scientists and

Engineers) was set up in 1972 (headed by Yoshinobu Nayatani).
• Aimed to develop more QC techniques with design approach.
• Announced a new set of methods (N7) in 1977.
• Developed to organize verbal data diagrammatically.
• Basic 7 tools effective for data analysis, process control, and
quality improvement (numerical data).
• Used together increases TQM effectiveness.

Relation Between New and Basic Seven QC Tools

FACTS

Data

Numerical Data Verbal Data

Define problem after Define problem before
collecting numerical data collecting verbal data

The Basic Seven Tools The Seven New Tools

•Analytical approach •Generate Ideas

Organize •Formulate plans

Information
Source: Nayatani, Y., The Seven New QC Tools (Tokyo, Japan, 3A Corporation, 1984)

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 QC Tools B

Affinity Diagrams
• A.k.a KJ Method (devised by Jiro Kawakita in the 1960s).
• Organizes a large number of ideas related to a broad
problem or subject.
• Steps:
− Record each idea on cards or notes.
− Group the ideas according to natural “affinity” or relationship
to each other.
− Sort cards into groups until all cards have been used.

Completing an Affinity Diagram

Topic
Affinity Statement Affinity Statement Affinity Statement
Data Card Data Card Data Card Data Card Data Card Data Card

Data Card Data Card Data Card Data Card Data Card Data Card

Data Card Data Card

Affinity Statement
Data Card Data Card

Data Card

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 QC Tools B

Tree Diagram
• Can be used to
− find problem causes (similar to
Cause-Effect Diagram) or be
used to find an appropriate
solution.
− record how assemblies and
sub-assemblies combine to
make a complete product.
− break down a project into
manageable tasks.

Tree Diagram

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 QC Tools B

Process Decision Program Chart (PDPC)

• PDPC extends Tree Diagram a
couple of levels to identify
risks and countermeasures for
the bottom level tasks.
• Different shaped boxes are
used to highlight the risks and
countermeasures.

PDPC Example

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 QC Tools B

Relations Diagram
• a.k.a interrelationship diagram

• Displays all the interrelated

cause-and-effect
relationships and factors
involved in a complex
problem.
• For each idea, ask, “Does this
idea cause or influence any
other idea?”
• Those with the most
connections will usually be
the most important factors to
focus on (key causes, key
effects).

Matrix Diagrams

• Matrix Diagrams are used to show various

relationships between two, three or four
groups of information. There are several
differently shaped matrices, i.e. L, T, Y, X, C, R
and roof-shaped.

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 QC Tools B

QFD chart (HOQ)

for Pencil

T-Shaped Matrix Diagram

Products—Customers—Manufacturing Locations

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 QC Tools B

Y-Shaped Matrix Diagram

Responsibilities for Performance to Customer Requirements

C-Shaped Matrix Diagram

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 QC Tools B

X-Shaped Matrix Diagram

Manufacturing Sites—Products—Customers—Freight Lines

Matrix Data Analysis

• Matrix Data Analysis helps to arrange a large

array of numbers so that they may be
visualized and comprehended easily.

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 QC Tools B

QFD chart (HOQ)

for Pencil

Matrix Data Analysis Example

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 QC Tools B

Correlation Coefficient Matrix

Arrow Diagrams
• The arrow diagram shows the order of tasks in a project or process.
It is commonly used in project management, i.e. CPA and PERT.

11 14
3
D
0 0 B 8 26 26 31 31 35 35 36 36
7
A E G H J
1 4 2 14 14 5 12 6
5
7
4
9 10
C 1
F I
4 4 10 7 2
4 8
14 14 31 33

Critical Path: A-C-E-G-H-J

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 QC Tools B

General Problem-solving Techniques

• Trial and error
• Brainstorming
• Lateral thinking
− Think outside the box
• Research
− Study what others have written about the problem. Maybe there's already a
solution?
• Analogy
− has a similar problem (possibly in a different field) been solved before?
• Hypotheses testing
• Incubation
• Build (or write) one or more abstract models of the problem.
• Try to prove that the problem cannot be solved.
− Where the proof breaks down can be your starting point for resolving it.

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