PROBLEM-SOLVING and

DECISION-MAKING TOOLS

Presented by:
Karen Deering,
Jon Ross, Mark Kesler
THE PDSA CYCLE

CONTINUOUS PROCESS
IMPROVEMENT CYCLE

THE SEVEN PHASES TO THE

PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD
6 PRINCIPLES OF TQM

Mark…
Leadership and Customer Service
Jon…
Employee Involvement and
Continuous Process Improvement
Karen…
Supplier Partnerships and
Performance Measures
LEADERSHIP

As organizations are searching for new and/or better ways

to be successful, more attention and accountability are
being placed on those responsible for charting the
course, navigating the changes, and keeping the
organization afloat. The forces and factors impacting
organizations in the new millennium are more
interdependent, dramatic, fast paced, and
unpredictable. The complexity of what decision makers
in organizations must know and be able to do if
organizations survive and thrive is being influenced by
its leaders…
Leadership…Why, What and How?

 Why…to motivate and inspire to a common

goal or purpose. Providing direction,
engagement, and encouragement
 What…ethical, realistic, consistent,
responsible, courageous, visionary
 How…”know where to go”. Have a vision
and create cohesion of the team
Empower your employees to allow
them to have the confidence, ability,
and commitment to take the
responsibility and ownership to
improve the process and initiate the
necessary steps to satisfy customer
expectations – within well-defined
boundaries in order to achieve
organizational values and goals
TEAM PROBLEM-SOLVING

 Is a process that uses a group of people in a

team setting with the objective of resolving a
problem or improving an existing process at
any level of the organization
Six Sigma

 Refers to the number of standard deviations

found between the process central tendency
and the closest specifications.

Six Sigma Methodology

Disciplined team problem solving approach
using metrics and measurements to track
loss…statistical tools to ensure best results
“8D”

 8 Disciplines in problem solving which

follows a fact based approach that fits well
with Decision – Making and PDSA models
 DO - Prepare for the 8D Process
 D1 - Establish the team
 D2 – Describe the problem
 D3 – Develop the Interim Containment Action
and Verification
 D4 – Define and Verify Root Cause and Escape
Point
 D5 – Choose and Verify Permanent Corrective
Actions for Root Cause and Escape Point
 D6 – Implement and Validate Permanent Corrective
Action
 D7 – Prevent Recurrence
 D8 – Recognize Team and Individual Contributions
OTHER LEADERSHIP TOOLS

 Psychological Type Theory (MBTI)

 ORJI
 Left – hand Column
 Herman’s Brain Model
 Dialogue
MODELS and THEORIES

 THE NORMATIVE DECISION MODEL

 THE SITUATION LEADERSHIP THEORY
 THE CONTINGENCY MODEL
 THE PATH GOAL THEORY
 POST-HEROIC LEADERSHIP
 TRANSACTIONAL AND
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE
CUSTOMER SERVICE

 WHY FOCUS ON CUSTOMERS?

 WHO ARE OUR CUSTOMERS?
 WHAT DO CUSTOMERS WANT?
 HOW DO WE BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR
CUSTOMERS?
 HOW DO WE TRANSLATE CUSTOMER
NEEDS INTO
SPECIFICATIONS/STANDARDS?
CUSTOMER SERVICE

 Why? Customers are the most important

asset. They determine the “bottom line”.
 Who? External and Internal Customers
 What? Quality, durability, and price.
Most critical or important…
function or reliability
How? Standards such as ISO 9000
HOW DO WE BETTER UNDERSTAND
OUR CUSTOMER

 Comment cards
 Surveys
 Focus Groups
 Telephone
 Customer Visits
 Report Cards
 Internet
 Employee Feedback
MEET SID THE CAB DRIVER
Academic Assessment
Employee
participation
and
continuous
improvement
What is Academic Assessment?
(Employee involvement)

 A continuous improvement tool

 Involving all employees and management
 Not a method to grade student work
 Students and employees grade course or
program
How do we assess academics
(Continuous improvement cycle)

 Review mission and purpose statement

 Review program goals
 Identify assessment methods / intended
outcomes
 Gather data – or make the measurement
 Analyze the information
 Take Action
Review of mission and purpose /
Program goals

 Courses and programs must be aligned with

mission and purpose of the entire
organization
 Changes should be made at this level if
alignment is not found
Measurement tools

 Timing of assessment
– Pre enrollment data
– Process – (during course) data
– Post enrollment data
 Assessment tools
– Direct measures
– Indirect measures
Direct Measurement Assessment
Tools

 Pre/post test
 Course embedded tests
 Portfolios
 Capstone exam/project
 Standardized exams
 Performance assessment
 Primary trait analysis
 Professional certification
Indirect Measurement Assessment
Tools

 Focus groups
 Graduate survey / interview
 Employer/faculty survey
Interpretation of measurements

 What did you measure?

 Are the results what you predicted?
 Can you use the data?
 What other factors may have influenced the
data?
 Help in statistical measurement maybe
needed
Use the data to make changes

 Slight variation may require small changes

 Larger variations require new curriculum or
further study
 Repeated large variations may require new
focus in mission or purpose.
Variations of assessment plans

 Plans and methods will vary between

institutions
 Plans and methods will vary internal to the
institution
 Plans will vary based on needs and
resources
How to be sure assessment
successful

 Why is assessment being done?

 Management must support and provide resources
for assessment
 Employees must understand the benefits and use
the method
 Multiple sections of a course and multiple instructors
will complicate method
 Communication is vital
 Success should be rewarded
Review

 Assessment (PSDA) cycles are not just for

manufacturing business
 Assessment methods can be used on small
scale projects or large scale operations
 Find a process and follow it.
 Several cycles will be needed to have valid
data
Tools for Solving Problems
and Making Decisions

Supplier Partnerships
and Performance Measures
Supplier Partnerships

 Long Term Commitment  Equal Quality Standards

 Mutual Trust  Cost, Quality, Overall
 Goals and Objectives Value Added
 Expectations and Values  Understand Philosophy
 Increased Efficiency  Dependent &
 Lower Costs Independent
 Innovation
 Continuous Improvement
Performance Measures

 Set Performance  Customer Focused

Expectations  East to Interpret
 Benchmark  Valued by the Employee
 Continuously Improve the  Vision, Mission, Quality
Process Policy Statements
 Customer Satisfaction,  Baseline - Benchmark
On-time Delivery,  Record Findings
Absenteeism, and
Turnover  Analyze Results
 Review and Update
Making
Decisions

Solving
Problems
The PDSA Cycle

 PLAN carefully what is to be done.

 DO carry out the plan.
 STUDY the results.
 ACT on the results. Act Plan

Study Do
 Continuous Process Improvement Cycle

Phase 7: Plan for Phase 1: Identify the

the Future Opportunity

Phase 2: Analyze the

Process

Phase 6: Standardize Act Plan

the Solution
Phase 3: Develop the
Optimal Solution(s)

Study Do

Phase 5: Study the

Results Phase 4: Implement
Using a systematic, orderly approach will yield
the highest probability of success.