Tag: 8D

REFLECTION: FOR STUDENTS: Are you using critical thinking or using a paint by the numbers method to solve problems?

FOR ACADEMICS: Are you providing your students with the tools needed to distinguish between “guidelines” and mandates?

FOR PROFESSIONALS/PRACTITIONERS: Is your organization allowing you find the true root cause of an issue or forcing you to fill out a form within a certain time frame? Try to convince top management to allow teams to properly explore root causes, and if management continues to violate standards by ignoring the concept of due diligence in favor of meeting the closure rate when more time should have been allotted- file a CAPA. It is your duty as a Quality Professional.

What is 8D?

I have been performing CAPAs for many years. I have employed many methods: The Tried and True PDCA, the DMAIC approach, and even utilized the A3 path when the visual display of ongoing CAPAs was critical to communication (or mandated by policy). The Eight Discipline (8D) Approach has been the path that was least used by me, as it was (to me) least flexible. For those who are proponents, it works fine, but it seems more about CAPA closure by the numbers and documentation than it is about teaching your team to be independent critical problem solvers. While 8D will work well in any industry if implemented correctly, 8D is more template-based than PDCA. Have no doubt, DMAIC is quickly becoming template-like via software applications. A basic template is a useful guide, but the less controlled the problem solving, the more likely the team is to arrive at an innovative solution.
For those who are unsure what the Eight Disciplines are, let me elaborate on the Eight Disciplines:

Originally Ford developed the 8D method in the late 80s, and it spread to most of the automotive industry.
The Ds in this method are not acronyms (as many seem to struggle with), but rather a set of “Disciplines” to follow for problem-solving. These Disciplines were widely transferred to “forms” that became “8D Forms”, used for root cause analysis and correction of problems with unknown causes.

8D Method

• D0- Plan for solving the problem and determine resources needed
  • Before 8D analysis begins, proper planning will always translate to a better start.
  • SME Input
  • Collect data on issues
  • Identify any need for an Emergency Response Action (ERA)
• D1-Use a Team
  • Choose the right type of team, right team members
  • Teams require proper preparation.
  • Set the ground rules
  • 8D must always have two key members: a Leader and a Champion / Sponsor
• D2- Define and Describe the problem
  • Specify by identifying in quantifiable terms the who, what, where, when, why, how, and how many (5W2H)
  • 5 Why or Repeated Why (Inductive tool)
    • Problem Statement
  • Affinity Diagram (Deductive tool)
  • Fishbone/Ishikawa Diagram (Deductive tool)
  • Is / Is Not (Inductive tool)
    • Problem Description

• D3- Develop interim containment plan
  • Implement Interim Containment Actions (ICA)
  • Verification of effectiveness of the ICA is always recommended to prevent any escapes to customers
• D4- Determine, identify, and verify root causes and escape points
  • Comparative Analysis listing differences and changes between “Is” and “Is Not”
  • Development of Root Cause Theories based on remaining items
  • 5 Whys
  • C&E Diagrams
  • Determine Escape Point, which is the closest point in the process where the root cause could have been found but was not
  • Review Process Flow Diagram for location of the root cause
• D5- Choose Permanent Corrective Action (PCA)
  • Establish the Acceptance Criteria which include Mandatory Requirements and Wants
  • Perform a Risk Assessment / Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) on the PCA choices
  • Based on risk assessment, make a balanced choice for PCA
  • Select control-point improvement for the Escape Point
  • Verify the PCA will resolve root cause of problem and any escape points issues
• D6- Implement and Validate PCAs for problem/nonconformity
  • Define and Implement the best PCAs
  • Validate PCAs using objective measurement
• D7- Prevent recurrence
  • Review Similar Products and Processes for problem prevention
  • Develop / Update Procedures and Work Instructions for Systems Prevention
  • Capture Standard Work / Practice and reuse
  • Assure FMEA updates have been completed
  • Assure Control Plans have been updated
  • Preserve and share the knowledge, preventing problems on similar products, processes, locations or families
• D8- Congratulate your team
  • Archive the 8D Documents for future reference
  • Document Lessons Learned on how to make problem-solving better
  • Before and After Comparison of issue
  • Celebrate Successful Completion

If you have interacted with a Six Sigma Team or a PDCA Root cause team, you know how the DMAIC and PDCA compares. For illustration, I have them side by side. 8D is much more broken down than the others. Using PDCA, the assumption is that a team acting in a PDCA cycle will have top management support and that those involved have the proper knowledge and training required to gather and analyze data to determine a solution. Also assumed is that the resources are available to improve the issue, Measurement of the results is always part of the cycle, and reacting to the final results of the Check on the improvement will yield either a successful CA/Improvement or begin a repeat of the cycle (basically the scientific method).
Most consider DMAIC the same as PDCA, just more focused on clarifying the PDCA cycle in order to reduce iterations by shifting the focus away from potential multiple cycles to achieving the most effective improvement the first time (though failure is still built into the process). The 8D method is once again pretty much the same process, as you can see.
When DMAIC and 8D are highly templated, a lot of the focus moves from solving the root cause toward closing the CAPA within the mandated time.
Making problem-solving quick and easy makes it easy to pencil whip. I would suggest you avoid the potential pencil whip methods. Have a group that must think for themselves and writes the report using only basic guidelines (not templates).

Conclusion

While I have clearly indicated I am not a fan of 8D and not happy with the way DMAIC is being pushed into templates, I do not mean to say that any single technique is better than another. Essentially, they are all the same method, re-focused. 8D is very conducive to utilizing documentation of project results and assigning work breakdown structure accountabilities (WBS) DMAIC is better for cross-functional communication and can be used for similar documentation. The Shewhart PDCA cycle is more of a high-level outline that allows the improvement project to be adjusted as required by SMEs. Choose the method that suits your needs, and as long as a cross-functional team performs proper due diligence with full top management support, the outcome will usually be similar regardless of the method chosen.

Create Amazon Business Account

Bibliography

ASQ. (nd). ASQ Quality Resources. Retrieved from WHAT ARE THE EIGHT DISCIPLINES (8D): WHAT ARE THE EIGHT DISCIPLINES (8D)?

Pruitt, W. F. (2019, May). A Disciplined Approach. Retrieved from ASQ Quality Progress: http://asq.org/quality-progress/2019/05/back-to-basics/a-disciplined-approach.html

Quality One. (nd). Quality One. Retrieved from Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D): https://quality-one.com/8d/