Control Charts and Non-Normal Data

Have you heard that data must be normally distributed before you
can plot the data using a control chart? Quite often you hear this
when talking about an individuals control chart. This is a myth.
Data do not have to be normally distributed before a control chart
can be used including the individuals control chart. But, you
better not ignore the distribution in deciding how to interpret the
control chart. This months publication examines how to handle
non-normal data on a control chart from just plotting the data as
usual, to transforming the data, and to distribution fitting.
Not all data are normally distributed. There are many naturally occurring distributions. For example,
the exponential distribution is often used to describe the time it takes to answer a telephone inquiry,
how long a customer has to wait in line to be served or the time to failure for a component with a
constant failure rate. These types of data have many short time periods with occasional long time
periods. These data are not described by a normal distribution.
So, how can you handle these types of data? This publication examines four ways you can handle the
non-normal data using data from an exponential distribution as an example. In this issue:

Exponential Example Data

Individuals Control Chart
-R Control Chart and the Central Limit Theorem
X
Transform the Data
Non-Normal Control Chart
Summary
Upcoming Release of SPC for Excel Version 5
Quick Links

Exponential Example Data

To examine the impact of non-normal data on control charts, 100 random
numbers were generated for an exponential distribution with a scale = 1.5. The
scale is what determines the shape of the exponential distribution. Maybe
these data describe how long it takes for a customer to be greeted in a store.
Usually a customer is greeted very quickly. The data are shown in Table 1.
The histogram of the data is shown in Figure 1. It is definitely not normally distributed. A normal
distribution would be that bell-shaped curve you are familiar with. The high point on a normal
distribution is the average and the distribution is symmetrical around that average.
That is not the case with this distribution. It is skewed towards zero. The high point on the distribution
is not the average and it is not symmetrical about the average. For more information on how to
construct and interpret a histogram, please see our two part publication on histograms.

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

Table 1: Exponential Data

2.26

2.68

4.17

0.03

2.02

7.77

0.13

4.05

0.04

5.28

3.67

1.37

5.12

0.21

0.03

0.91

0.65

2.24

2.67

0.75

0.11

0.13

0.53

0.6

0.43

0.36

0.14

0.29

2.95

1.53

0.06

1.35

2.09

0.54

2.22

0.31

1.46

2.82

3.54

0.19

0.91

0.01

1.24

3.43

0.75

1.01

0.18

1.03

2.65

2.99

3.21

1.98

0.5

1.7

0.3

0.24

0.82

2.02

0.16

2.41

3.84

1.77

0.86

0.16

2.07

2.28

2.49

0.51

4.06

1.31

1.75

0.53

2.17

2.04

1.45

0.4

0.11

3.56

2.15

1.81

1.67

0.8

6.1

1.3

0.3

1.02

3.63

0.77

5.25

0.63

0.81

0.6

0.87

2.44

2.22

0.15

0.13

4.74

0.76

From Figure 1, you can visually see that the data are not normally distributed. You can also construct a
normal probability plot to test a distribution for normality. The normal probability plot for the data is
shown in Figure 2. The assumption is that the data follows a normal distribution. If this is true, the data
should fall on a straight line. It is easy to see from Figure 2 that the data do not fall on a straight line.
So, again, you conclude that the data are not normally distributed.
So, now what? How can we use control charts with these types of data? What are our options?
Basically, there are four options to consider:
1. Use the individuals control chart
-R control chart
2. Use the X
3. Transform the data to a normal distribution and use either an individuals
-R control chart
control chart or the X
4. Use a non-normal control chart
If you had to guess which approach is best right now, what would you say? You are right! Actually, all
four methods will work to one degree or another as you will see.

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

Figure 1: Histogram of Exponential Data

Figure 2: Normal Probability Plot of Exponential Data Set

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

Individuals Control Chart

The first control chart we will try is the individuals control chart. With this type of chart, you are plotting
each individual result on the X control chart and the moving range between consecutive values on the
moving range control chart.
The X control chart for the data is shown in Figure 3. Since the data cannot be less than 0, the lower
control limit is not shown.
Figure 3: X Control Chart for Exponential Data

The UCL is 5.607 with an average of 1.658. The two lines between the average and UCL represent the
one and two sigma lines. These are used to help with the zones tests for out of control points. Only one
line is shown below the average since the LCL is less than zero. For more information, please see our
publication on how to interpret control charts.
The red points represent out of control points. Note that there are two points
beyond the UCL. In addition, there are two runs of 7 in a row below the average. In
addition, there is one spot where there are 4 points in a row in zone B (this one is
also below the average) and one spot where there are two out of three consecutive
points in zone A (this one is above the average).
If you look back at the histogram, it is not surprising that you get runs of 7 or more below the average
after all, the distribution is skewed that direction. The conclusion here is that if you are plotting nonnormal data on an individual control chart, do not apply the zones tests. These tests are designed for a
normal (or at least a somewhat symmetrical) distribution. Using them with these data create false
signals of problems.
4

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

Removing the zones tests leaves two points that are above the UCL out of
control points. With our knowledge of variation, we would assume there is a
special cause that occurred to create these high values. Are these false signals?
Remember, you cannot assign a probability to a point being due to a special
cause or not regardless of the data distribution. So, are they false signals? In
the real world, you dont know. But wouldnt you want to investigate what
generated these high values?

Is it a
signal?

Figure 4 shows the moving range for these data. Not surprisingly, there are a few out of control points
associated with the large values in the data.
Figure 4: Moving Range Control Chart for Exponential Data

The amazing thing is that the individuals control chart can handle the heavily skewed data so well - only
two out of control points out of 100 points on the X chart. This demonstrates how robust the moving
range is at defining the variation. The +/- three sigma limits work for a wide variety of distributions.
-R Chart and the Central Limit Theorem
X
Perhaps you have heard that the
X-R control chart works because of the central limit theorem. Another
myth. The central limit theorem simply says that the distribution of subgroup averages will be
approximately normal regardless of the underlying distribution as the subgroup size increases.
-R control chart. Remember that in forming
Suppose we decide to form subgroups of five and use the X
subgroups, you need to consider rational subgrouping. This is a key to using all control charts. But, for

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

 control
now, we will ignore rational subgrouping and form subgroups of size 5. Figure 5 shows the X
chart for the subgrouped data (we will skip showing the R control chart).
Control Chart for Exponential Data
Figure 5: X

Note that this chart is in statistical control. In addition, there are no false signals based on runs below
the average (note: with a larger data set, there probably would be some false signals). Subgrouping the
data did remove the out of control points seen on the X control chart. So, this is an option to use with
non-normal data. But, you have to have a rational method of subgrouping the data.
Transforming the Data
Another approach to handling non-normally distributed data is to
transform the data into a normal distribution. For example, you can use
the Box-Cox transformation to attempt to transform the data. The data
were transformed using the Box-Cox transformation. The rounded value of
lambda for the exponential data is 0.25. This means that you transform
the data by transforming each X value by X.25. The X control chart based
on the tranform data is shown in Figure 6.
This control chart does still have out of control points based on the zone
tests, but there are no points beyond the control limits. So, transforming
the data does help normalize the data. The biggest drawback to this
approach is that the values of the original data are lost due the
transformation. You cannot easily look at the chart and figure out what
the values are for the process.
6

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

Figure 6: X Control Chart Based on Box-Cox Transformation

Non-Normal Control Chart

The fourth option is to develop a control chart based on the distribution
itself. This entails finding out what type of distribution the data follows.
Beware of simply fitting the data to a large number of distributions and
picking the best one. You need to understand your process well
enough to decide if the distribution makes sense. Then you have to
estimate the parameters of the distribution.
We are using the exponential distribution in this example with a scale =
1.5. The control limits are found based on the same probability as a
normal distribution. So, the LCL and UCL are set at the 0.00135 and
0.99865 percentiles for the distribution. For the exponential distribution,
this gives LCL = .002 and UCL = 0.99865 (for a scale factor = 1.5). The
only test that easily applies for this type of chart is points beyond the limits.
The exponential control chart for these data is shown in Figure 7. All the data are within the control
limits. The process appears to be consistent and predictable. This type of control chart looks a little
different. The main difference is that the control limits are not equidistant from the average.
7

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

Figure 7: Exponential X Control Chart

There is nothing wrong with using this approach. It does take some calculations to get the control chart.
But with todays software, it is relatively painless.
Summary
This publication looked at four ways to handle non-normal data on control charts:
1. Individuals control chart: This is the simplest thing to do, but beware of using the zones tests
with non-normal data as it increases the chances for false signals. The +/- three sigma control
limits encompass most of the data. And those few points that may be beyond the control limits
they may well be due to special causes. But then again, they may not. Probably still worth
looking at what happened in those situations.
2.
X-R control chart: This involves forming subgroups as subgroup averages tend to be normally
distributed. You need to have a rational method of subgrouping the data, but it is one way of
reducing potential false signals from non-normal data.
3. Transform the data: This involves attempting to transform the data into a normal distribution.
This approach will also reduce potential false signals, but you lose the original form of the data.
No one understands what the control chart with the transformed data is telling them except
whether it is in or out of control.
4. Non-normal control chart: This involves finding the distribution, making sure it makes sense for
your process, estimating the parameters of the distribution and determining the control limits.
This approach works and maintains the original data. But it does take more work to develop
even with todays software.
8

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com

So, looking for a recommendation? Stay with the individuals control chart for non-normal data. Simple
and easy to use. Dont use the zones tests in this case. If the individuals control chart fails (a rare case),
move to the non-normal control chart based on the underlying distribution. There is nothing wrong
with this approach. Only subgroup the data if there is a way of rationally subgrouping the data. Stay
away from transforming the data simply because you lose the underlying data.
Upcoming Release of SPC for Excel Version 5
We are preparing to release version 5 of our SPC for Excel software. This new version is packed with
new techniques. These include:

26 different charting options to monitor your processes

Multiple histograms
Group histograms
Non-normal process capability
Box-Cox and Johnson data transformation
Distribution fitting
Power and sample size calculations
Maintain customized formatting on charts when updating

Purchase our version 4 at current pricing between now and October 1 and qualify for a free upgrade to
version 5.
Our anticipated release data is October 1, 2014. For more details on SPC for Excel Version 5, please click
here.
Quick Links
Visit our home page
SPC for Excel Software
Preview of Version 5
SPC Training
SPC Consulting
SPC Knowledge Base
Ordering Information
Thanks so much for reading our publication. We hope you find it informative and useful. Happy charting
and may the data always support your position.
Sincerely,
Dr. Bill McNeese
BPI Consulting, LLC

2014 BPI Consulting, LLC

www.spcforexcel.com