The Basic Seven (B7)

Tools of Quality

"As much as 95% of quality related problems in the factory can be solved with
seven fundamental quantitative tools." - Kaoru Ishikawa

By
Zaipul Anwar
Business & Advanced Technology Centre,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
What are the Basic Seven
Tools of Quality?
 Fishbone Diagrams
 Histograms
 Pareto Analysis
 Flowcharts
 Scatter Plots
 Run Charts
 Control Charts
 Where did the Basic
Seven come from?
Kaoru Ishikawa
 Known for “Democratizing Statistics”

 The Basic Seven Tools made statistical analysis

less complicated for the average person

 Good Visual Aids make statistical and quality

control more comprehendible.
 The Basic Seven (B7)
Tools of Quality

Fishbone Diagrams

 No statistics involved

 Maps out a process/problem

 Makes improvement easier

 Looks like a “Fish Skeleton”

Fishbone Diagram Overview
(1 of 2)
 Definition
 Uses
 Ishikawa
 Use within organizations
 benefits
 Creation of the Diagram
 Steps 1-9
Fishbone Diagram Overview
(2 of 2)
 Example
 Service example
 Exercise
 Ham Industries
Fishbone (Cause and Effect or
Ishikawa) Diagrams (1 of 4)
 Named after Kaoru Ishikawa
 Japanese Quality pioneer
 Resembles skeleton of a fish
 Focus on causes rather than symptoms of
a problem
 Emphasizes group communication and
brainstorming
 Stimulates discussion
Fishbone (Cause and Effect or
Ishikawa) Diagrams (2 of 4)
 One of Seven basic tools of Japanese
Quality
 Leads to increased understanding of
complex problems
 Visual and presentational tool
Fishbone (Cause and Effect or
Ishikawa) Diagrams (3 of 4)

 Typically done on paper or

chalkboard
 Recently some computer programs
have been created to make Fishbone
Diagrams
 Ishikawa Environment
Use in Organizations (1 of 2)

 Can be used to improve any product,

process, or service
 Any area of the company that is
experiencing a problem
 Isolates all relevant causes
Use in Organizations (2 of 2)

 Helps bring a problem into light

 Group discussion and brainstorming
 Finds reasons for quality variations, and

the relationships between them

 Creating Fishbone
Diagrams
(1 of 4)
• As a group:
1. Establish problem (effect)
-state in clear terms
-agreed upon by entire
group

2. Problem becomes the

“head” of the fish
-draw line to head (“backbone”)
 Creating a Fishbone
Diagram
(2 of 4)
3. Decide major causes of the
problem
- by brainstorming
- if the effect or problem is part of a process
the major steps in the process can be used

4. Connect major causes to

backbone of the fish with slanting
arrows
 Creating a Fishbone
Diagram
(3 of 4)
5. Brainstorm secondary causes
for each of the major causes
6. Connect these secondary causes
to their respective major causes
7. Repeat steps 5 & 6 for sub-causes
dividing with increased specificity
- usually four or five levels
 Creating a Fishbone
Diagram
(4 of 4)
8. Analyze and evaluate causes and
sub-causes
-may require the use of statistical, analytical, and
graphical tools
9. Decide and take action
 Example (1 of 4)

 Step 1 & 2:

Poor Service
(“backbone”)

(“head”)
 Example (2 of 4)

 Step 3 & 4:

Responsiveness
Appearance

Poor Service

Attention Reliability
 Example (3 of 4)

 Step 5, 6, & 7:
Appearance Responsiveness
equipment time
personnel
facility

accuracy Poor Service

One on one
courtesy service
dependability

Attention Reliability
 Example (4 of 4)

 Step 8 & 9:
 Use tools to analyze and evaluate causes
 Pareto diagrams, charts, and graphs
 Statistical analysis for causes in processes
 Decide and take action
 Use fishbone diagram, analysis and evaluations to
find causes that can be fixed
 Take action to eliminate and fix problem causes
 Summary (1 of 3)

• Fishbone Diagrams
- visual diagram
- resembles fish skeleton
- identifies the causes of a problem (effect),
and their relationships
- created by Kaoru Ishikawa for Quality
Management
 Summary (2 of 3)

 Organizational Uses
 Increases communication about
problems
 Used to improve any product, process,

or service
 Important part of quality management
 Summary (3 of 3)

 Creation of Fishbone diagrams

 Problem or effect is head of fish
 Identify major, secondary and tertiary

causes, and attach to backbone

identifying relationships
 Analyze and Evaluate results

 Act to fix the problem(s)

 Exercise
 Create a Fishbone (cause and effect,
Ishikawa) Diagram for the following:
Management at Ham Industries has noticed that
the productivity of its workers is well below the standard.
After interviewing its employees, it was noticed that a vast
majority felt dissatisfied and unhappy with their work.
Your boss has asked you and a group of your peers to find
the causes of worker dissatisfaction . Include all possible
causes to at least the secondary level.
 Bibliography
//home.t-online.de/home/kfmaas/
q_ishika.html
www.zi.unizh.ch/software/unix/statmath/sas
/sasdoc/qc/chap17/sect1.htm
www.dti.gov.uk/mbp/bpgt/m9ja00001/m9ja0
000110.html
Foster, S. Thomas. Managing Quality: An
Integrative Approach. 2001, Prentice-Hall
 The Basic Seven (B7)
Tools of Quality
Histograms

 Bar chart

 Used to graphically represent groups of

data
 Overview

1) What is a Histogram?
2) What are some possible uses for a
Histogram?
3) Where did the Histogram come
from?
4) How do Histograms work?
5) A real world example.
6) An exercise.
 What is a Histogram?
 A Histogram is a variation of a bar
chart in which data values are grouped
together and put into different classes.

 This grouping allows you see how

frequently data in each class occur in
the data set.
 What is a Histogram
(cont.)
 Higher bars represent more data
values in a class.
 Lower bars represent fewer data
values in a class.
 On the next slide is an example of
what a Histogram looks like.
Example of a Histogram
 Uses for a Histogram
A Histogram can be used:
 to display large amounts of data values
in a relatively simple chart form.
 to tell relative frequency of occurrence.
 to easily see the distribution of the data.
 to see if there is variation in the data.
 to make future predictions based on the
data.
 Where did the
Histogram Come From?

 The Histogram was first

implemented by Kaoru Isikawa, one
of Japans’ most renowned experts on
quality improvement.

 Isikawa spent his life trying to

improve quality in Japan.
 Where did the
Histogram Come From?
(cont.)
 His major contributions to quality
improvement are known as the basic
seven tools of quality.

 Included in his basic seven tools of

quality is the Histogram.
 How do Histograms
Work?
 First, you need need to pick a process to
analyze.
 Next, you need a large amount of data, at
least 100 data values so that patterns can
become visible.
 Then, you need to assemble a table of the
data values that you collected with
regards to frequency of data values.
 How do Histograms
Work? (cont)
 Next, you need to calculate some
statistics for the Histogram, including:
mean, minimum, maximum, standard
deviation, class width, number of classes,
skewness, and kurtosis.

 Then, you actually create the Histogram

using these statistics.
 How do Histograms
Work? (cont)
 After you have created a
Histogram, it will take one of five
shapes:

 Normal Distribution:
 How do Histograms
Work? (cont)

 Positively Skewed:

 Negatively Skewed:
 How do Histograms
Work? (cont)
 Bi-Modal Distribution:

 Multi-Modal Distribution:
 How do Histograms
Work? (cont)
 Once your Histogram is complete,
you can analyze its shape, as well as
the statistics that you came up with.

 This analysis will help you to make

better decisions toward quality
improvements.
Constructing a Histogram
From a set of data compute
 sum

 mean (x)

 Max

 Min

 Range (max-min)
Constructing a Histogram
 Use range to estimate beginning and
end
 Calculate the width of each column
by dividing the range by the number
of columns
Range = Width
# of Columns
 Acme Pizza Example
 Let’s say the owner wants a
distribution of Acme’s Thursday
Night Sales
Data Set from last Thursday(slices)
02122413121224341432232122122142212
12212121212121222121211222314223222
12322422441222322122421242172122312
1121222122121222424
 Acme Pizza Example
Mean = 2.032258
Max = 7
Min = 0
Range = 7

Question
For 7 columns what would the width be?

Range/Columns=7/7=1 slice
Acme Pizza Example
Histogram
70 65

60
# times ordered

50
40 33
30
20
12
8
10
0 0 1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Slices of Pizza
 Constructing a Histogram
How is this helpful to Acme?
 2 slices of pizza most common order
placed
 Distribution of sales useful for forecasting
next Thursday’s late night demand

If you were an Acme manager how could

you apply this information?
 The Basic Seven (B7)
Tools of Quality
Pareto Analysis

 Very similar to Histograms

 Use of the 80/20 rule

 Use of percentages to show importance

 Pareto Analysis, how to
use it
 1. Gather facts about the problem, using Check Sheets
or Brainstorming, depending on the availability of
information.

 2. Rank the contributions to the problem in order of

frequency.

 3. Draw the value (errors, facts, etc) as a bar chart.

 4. It can also be helpful to add a line showing the

cumulative percentage of errors as each category is
added. This helps to identify the categories
contributing to 80% of the problem.

 5. Review the chart – if an 80/20 combination is not

obvious, you may need to redefine your classifications
and go back to Stage 1 or 2.
Acme Pizza (Example 1)
Slices Frequency %
0 1 .3
1 33 13.09
2 65 25.79
3 8 3.17
4 12 4.76
5 0 0
6 0 0
7 1 .3
 Acme Pizza (Example 1)
 The completed Pareto Analysis results in the following
graph:

70
# times ordered

60
50

40
30

20
10
0
21 1
2 43 34 75 56 67

Slices of Pizza
 Acme Pizza (part 2)
Critical Thinking
 How does the Pareto Analysis differ
from the Histogram?

 How can this be a useful tool to the

Acme boss?
 A series of Pareto charts
drill down to more detail
(Example 2) :
Fault by Main Cause
1st level
70
100 Analysis 2nd level
60 80 gives “Design” Analysis gives
50 as main cause breakdown of

Percent
60
Count

40 of failure “Design”
30 40

20
20
10

0 0
Design Faults
t
n en er
Defect s ig on ild
De mp Bu Oth
Co
100
Count 57 13 4 2
50
Percent 75.0 17.1 5.3 2.6
80
Cum % 75.0 92.1 97.4 100.0
40

Percent
60

Count
30
40
20

10 20

0 0
le n
ule rs rt du atio
od oto Sta Mo libr n
Defect nn
ec
tM
rqu
eM
Co
ld du
ce
r
IC
Ca IOP Imo
Co To ns AS
Tra
Count 21 10 8 8 5 3 2
Percent 36.8 17.5 14.0 14.0 8.8 5.3 3.5
Cum % 36.8 54.4 68.4 82.5 91.2 96.5 100.0
 The Basic Seven (B7)
Tools of Quality
Flowcharts

 A graphical picture of a PROCESS

Process Decision

The process flow

 Flowcharts
Don’t Forget to:

 Define symbols before beginning

 Stay consistent

 Check that process is accurate

 Acme Pizza Example
(Flowchart)
Window Take Customer Money?
(start) Order

yes
no Get Pizza

Lockup
Put More in
Oven 2 Pies
no Available?

yes
Time no
to close? yes
Take to Customer
 How can we use the flowchart to
analyze improvement ideas from
the Histogram?
Window Take Customer Money?
(start) Order

yes
Get Pizza
no
Lockup
Put More in
Oven 2 Pies
no Available?

yes
Time
to close? no
yes
Take to Customer
 Want some practice?
Make a flowchart for:

 Taking a shower
 Cooking dinner
 Driving a car
 Having a party
 Creating a Flowchart

Any other processes you can think of?

The Basic Seven (B7)
Tools of Quality
Scatter Plots
 2 Dimensional X/Y plots

 Used to show relationship

between independent(x) and

dependent(y) variables
 Acme Pizza
(Scatter Diagram)
Minutes Cooking Defective Pies
10 1
45 8
30 5
75 20
60 14
20 4
25 6

In this simple example, you can find the existing

relationship without much difficulty but…
 Scatter Diagrams
25
•Easier to see direct
relationship 20

Defective Pizzas
15

10

0
0 20 40 60 80

Time Cooking (minutes)

 Scatter Diagrams
As a quality tool
 What does this tell Acme
management about their processes?
 Improvements?
25

20

Defective Pizzas 15

10

0
0 20 40 60 80

Time Cooking (minutes)

The Basic Seven (B7)
Tools of Quality
Run charts
 Time-based (x-axis)

 Cyclical

 Look for patterns

 Run Charts
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Slices/hour

8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 Time
PM- AM PM- AM PM- AM
Thursday Thursday Thursday
The Basic Seven (B7)
Tools of Quality
Control Charts
 Deviation from Mean

 Upper and Lower Spec’s

 Range
 Control Charts
Upper Limit

Lower Limit
Unacceptable
deviation
 Control Charts
Acme Pizza Management wants to get
in on the control chart action
•Average Diameter = 16 inches
•Upper Limit = 17 inches
•Lower Limit = 15 inches
 Acme example
Control Charts
Upper Limit
17 inches

16 inches=X

Lower Limit
15 Inches

Small Pie
 Acme example #50
Control Charts

•Pies within specifications were

acceptable
•One abnormally small pie is
“uncommon”
•Should be examined for quality control
 Logical Order for B7
Tools
Big Data Data Problem
Picture Collection Analysis Identification Prioritization

Cause
Cause
Flow
Flow Check
Check Pareto
Pareto
Histograms
Histograms &&
Chart
Chart Sheet
Sheet Analysis
Analysis
Effect
Effect

Scatter
Scatter
Diagrams
Diagrams

Control
Control
Charts
Charts
 Summary
 Basic Seven Tools of Quality

 Measuring data

 Quality Analysis

 “Democratized statistics”
 Bibliography
 Foster, Thomas. Managing Quality. An IntegrativeApproach.
Upper Saddle River : Prentice Hall, 2001.

 Stevenson, William. “Supercharging Your Pareto Analysis.”

Quality Progress October 2000: 51-55.

 “Dr Kaoru Ishikawa.” Internet

“http://www.dti.gov.uk/mbp/bpgt/m9ja00001/m9ja0000110.html.”
16 February 2001.

 “Chemical and Process Engineering.” Internet.

“http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/spc/spc8.htm.” 17 February
2001.