Some Techniques

in
Problem Solving

G.Gençyılmaz

Güneş Gençyılmaz 2011 1

 Most Used Techniques
 1. Fundamental Techniques
 Brain Storming
 Choosing Problem

 Cause and Effect Diagram

 Data Collection

 Pareto Analysis

 Graphics and Histogams

 Pretentation to Management

©©Güneş Gençyılmaz 2011 2

 1.1 Brain Storming
Objective :
 Generate too many idea
 Encourage creativity
 Learning and applying different ideas

Rules :
 Everybody partipicates
 No criticism
 No comment
 Not necessary to propose an idea
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Application Form:
 Everybody tells in turn
 Group leader writes ideas on flip chart or
black/white board.
 Nobody interrupts the other
 Group’s target is to generate 35-100 ideas in
an hour.
Example : A problem list generated by a QC
(Quality Circle) by means of brain storming

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1. Tools control(15)
2. Comunicating (5)
3. Insufficiency of store (10)
4. Number of the tools(4)
5. Toolroom (3)
6. Cleanning of environment(5)
7. Disposal of scrap (3)
8. Ventilating (3)
9. Meintenance of pump (3)
10. Meintenance of electical equipments (2)
11. Excess paperwork (3)
12. Excess toolsP(4)
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 1.2 Problem Selection
Purpose :
 Line up the problems
 Selecting the problem which draws the

attention of members.
Rules :
. Discussions are done in turn as an additional
to Brain Storming.

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 1.2 Cont…
Application Form:
 Each member prepares a sequence of
his/her own, giving a score to each problem.
 Scores are written on flip chart.
 Scores are summed and total score is found
for each problem. The problem with highest
score is the problem selected.
 If necessary second tour carried out.

Example: In the example the scores given

for Brain Storming.
©©Güneş Gençyılmaz 2011 s
 1.3 Cause-Effect Diagram
Purpose : Gaphically indicate the potential
reasons in certain groups
 To help group for visualization the problem
 Apply different ıdeas
Rules :
 The problem shown in the effect rectangle is a
measurable product or a process.
 Everything resulting in an effect is accepted as a
cause(reason).

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 1.3 Cont…
Application Form:
 Members, in turn, propose their ideas
generated by brain storming, as the
potential causes of the problem.
 Leader writes the causes on the diagram.

Example: Fig. 1

©©Güneş Gençyılmaz 2011 9

 Machine
Manpower
 Quality of tools
 Carelessness
 Special toolstools
 Habits of wrong usage
 No spare tools of broken
 Dirty tools
ones
 not made special tools

Effect

Tool
 Insufficient Sore
 Central storing place Control
 Tools not returned
 Insufficient tools
 Tool calibration programm
 Insufficient number of tool
 Tools security
 No availabrble tool in  Tool
case  Tools given replenishme
 Keeping tool at work area nt
of urgent need
 Place of tool boxes
Money
Material Method
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 1.4 Data Collection
Purpose :
 Provide reliable and valid measuremets to identfy
the causes of problem
 Unrevealed real problems

Rual:
 Every one takes part (Even not members)

 All data should be reliable and sensitive

 Data should be complete

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 1.4 Cont…
Application Form:
 It is applied when the group is ready to investigate
the problem.
 Group decides how much data is needed to solve
the problem. (Like number of the days, amount of
money.) In addition, QC decides, how it is
collected and collection form
 Data collected is saved

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 1.5 Pareto Analysis
Purpose:
 Conversion of data into numbers and percentages
 Expose few important causes
Application Form:
 Causes are identified. Listed in term of
importance, beginning with the most impostant
pne.
 Collected data are located on the other column,
interms of selected measurement unit. (The total
row is at the bottom)

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 1.5 Cont…
Application Form (cont…):
 The data relavant to the cause is conterved to
percentage and is written to corresponding
column.
 The last colum belongs to cumulative percentages.

 Causes are written on the horizontal axes.

 Percentages are shown as bars, beginning with the

highest one.
 Cumulative percentages are shown as lines.

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 1.5 Pareto Analysis
Example:
Tool Missing Cum.missing
Name Required Available Surples Missing % %
T1 16 8 0 8 53 53
T2 5 1 0 4 26 79
T3 2 1 0 1 7 86
T4 4 3 0 1 7 93
T5 15 21 6 0 0 93
T6 1 0 0 1 7 100

Total 43 34 6 15 100  
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 Cum.
Missing %
100

79

53

T1 T2 T3 T4 T6

Total missing % for this type of tool

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 1.6 Graphics and Histograms
Purpose:
 Organize complicated data to bring a
meaningful form
 Determine the visual toool convenient for
data.
 Hear different thinking
 QC should choose the best presentation
form.

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 Missing
Total Inventory (Pliers)
In hand
Number of tools

T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

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 2. Advanced Techniques
2.1 Nominal Group Technique
Purpose :
Generate a number of idea
Find out hidden ideas
See those who think differently
Rules
Everybody take parts
No critique
No comment

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 2.1 Nominal Group Technique
Application:
 Leader, explain the the purpose of the activity
 Members write their ideas on their own cards
without talking with each other (only one idea on
each card)
 Leader collects cards, shuffles them and writes the
ideas on a flip chart
 Each idea is discussed in turn for the purpose of
revealing
 Each member copies a certain number of ideas on
his/her notebook and then detemine a order of
importance ,according to himself/herself
 Each member, in turn, reads his/her order to the
leader; leader records them
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 2.1 Nominal Group Technique
Application:
 Leader adds the scores (highes point
indicates the most important idea)
 Highest score indicates the idea upon that
group agreed
 Second tour of ordering is done for final
compromise.

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 2.2 Why-Why Diyagram
Purpose:
 Provide the members with an altenative
technique for identifing the causes of
problem
 Apply the different thinking technique

Rules:
 Identify the causess using brain storming

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 2.2 Cont…
Application Form:
 Why-why diagram is applied for exposing
the causes of a selected problem.
 The «why» question is asked at each
branching step of the technique.
 The answer to «why» question is the cause
of the problem.

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 Poor materİal

The quality of
Poor Design
product low

Poor workmanship

Problem Poor process control

Low profit Poor process Poor test methods

Poor planning techniques

Why?
Excess personel

High costs Nonstandard design

Why? Excess stock

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 2.3 How-How Diagram
Purpose:
 It causes the members to generate a number
of solution, instead of jumping to an
apperent solution
 It helps the members identfy the
requirements to be made in order to apply
the solution

©©Güneş Gençyılmaz 2011 25

 2.3 Cont…
Application Form:
 It begins with a solution statement and asking
«how» question at each stage, it is uncovered the
ways of making
 Before mooving the next stage, a selection
procedure is applied for reducing the list of
alternatives.
 Listing the advantages, drawbacks, success chance
and cost of each alternative, the objectiveness of the
procedure is met.
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 Train labor

Reduce number of parts

Inrease product Exanine design

quality
Purchase more quality parts

SOLUTION Use statisticcal techniques

Increase
Change process Automate inspection and test devicess
Profit
Develop transfer equipment
Why?
Layoff personel

Decrease costs Standardization of Design

Why ? Reduce stocks

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 Creative Problem Solving
1. Determine the problem area
2. Definition of the problem selected
3. Cause detemining
4. Data collection
5. Pareto analysis
6. Finding solution
7. Analysis of the potential effect of the solution
8. Application plan

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 1. Determining Problem Area
 In general, 30 or more ideas can be
generated in session. These are problem
areas that we feel doubt.
 First problem should be rather simple due
to the trial of solution process and
techniques.
 Candidate problems should be examined in
terms of some criteria shown on the next
matrix.
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 2. Finding the facts on the selected
area
 Brain storming or nominal group tecnique.
Possible answers are generated to such
questions, who, what, when, where, why,
how many. Besides, data collection may be
necessary as well.

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 3. Defining the selected problem

 Selected problem should be expessed clearly

with one sentence.

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 4. Determinig cause
 Brain storming or nominal group technique
is used. Each potential cause is examined
using why-why technique.
 Cause-effect technique is used to exhibit the
relationship between potential causes.
Besides, data collecting and pareto analysis
techniques are used as well.

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 5. Data collecting

 Data is collected in using Pareto Analysis to

differenciate the importants from the
unimportants.

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 6. Pareto Analysis

 It is used to arrange the lots of data in order

of importance. Raw data first is converted
to percentage, and then to graph and
histogramme.

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 7. Findinding solution

 Brain storming and Nominal Group

Technique is used. After generating all
ideas, group comes to an agreement on the
best idea with the aid of criterion testing
and compromising techniques.

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 8. Analysis of the potential effect of
the solution
 It results in finding a strategy for application
of the solution.

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 9. Application Plan
 Plan should specify the followings
 Statement of the solution
 Activities required for the application

 Complication time of each activity

 Person responsible from each activity

 Monitoring plan (who, what, why)

 Pay back analysis(Advantages expected from

applying the solution)

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