Prepare for Problem Solving Effort

Define and
Quantify symptom,
identify customer
and affected
parties

Is an Emergency
Response Action
required?

YES

NO
Select ERA and
Verify

ERA Verified?

YES

Develop Action
Plan, Implement
and Validate ERA

ERA
Validated?

Gather and
review available NO
data

Does the
proposed Do we have Address symptom
Problem meet the NO enough YES using other
application information? methods
criteria?

YES

Will this
duplicate an
Provide data to the
existing problem YES
existing team
solving
effort?

NO

Initiate Problem
Solving Process

Problem Solving Flow 1 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Establish the Team

Identify Champion

Identify Team
Leader

Determine Skills
and Knowledge
team will need

Select Team
Members

Establish Team
Goals and
Mambership Roles

Establish
Operation
Procedures and
working
relationships of
the team

Problem Solving Flow 2 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Describe the Problem
NO

Review Available
data

Collect and
analyze data

Review
application criteria
step for each
Can symptom
symptom refer to YES
be subdivided?
Prepare for
Problem Solving
Effort

NO Does
Does Problem
Problem describe
describe a "Never
a "Something NO
Been There"
State Symptom as Changed"
Situation?
an object and Situation?
defect

YES
NO

Do we know
cause? (5-Whys) Review Problem
description with
customer and
affected parties
YES

Document problem
statement

Initiate
development of
problem
description

Identify process
flow

Identify additional
data required

Problem Solving Flow 3 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Develop Interim Containment Action

Review data from

Problem
Emergency
Description
Response Action

Select an ICA

NO

Verify the ICA

Is there
verification that the
customer is protected
and no new problems
will result?

YES

Develop ICA
Implementation
Plan (Action Plan)

Implement ICA

Problem Solving Flow 4 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Define & Verify Root Cause &
Escape Point (part 1 of 3)

Review and
update Problem
Description

Identify
differences,
changes and
develop theories

NO
Test theories
against problem
description

Does the theory

explain all the
known data?

YES

NO
Can the
"Most Likely Cause"
be verified? (make the
problem come
and go)

YES

Acknowledge
Root Cause

Is there more To Root

than one YES Cause Flow
Root Cause?

NO

To Escape
Point Flow

Problem Solving Flow 5 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Define & Verify Root Cause
(part 2 of 3)

From Define
Root Cause

Do we
Do the Root
need to initiate
Causes account
Separate Problem YES Refer to Describe
for all of the YES
Solving efforts for (Preferred) the Problem Flow
Problem
each Root Cause
Description?
identified?

NO

Evaluate alternate
methods with
team Champion

Use current Use alternate

NO
process? methods

YES

Acknowledge
Root Causes

Problem Solving Flow 6 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Verify Escape Point
(part 3 of 3)

From Root
Cause

Review Process
Flow & identify
control Points for
Root Cause(s)

Does a control
system exist to detect
the problem?

NO

Identify Control
point closest to
the Root Cause

Is the
control point Acknowledge the
capable of NO control system as
detecting the Not Capable
problem?

YES

Acknowledge the
Acknowledge
control point as
need for Improved
verified Escape
Control System
Point

Problem Solving Flow 7 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Choose & Verify PCA for Root Cause
& Escape Point

Input from Escape

Input from Root Point Flow or
Cause Flow Need to Improve
Control System

Establish decision Establish decision

criteria criteria

Identify Possible
Identify Possible
Actions including
Actions
ICA

NO NO

Choose the "Best" Choose the "Best"

Permanent Permanent
Corrective Action Corrective Action
(PCA) (PCA)

Testing NO Testing
verifies the verifies the
PCA PCA

YES YES

Re-evaluate ICA & Identify possible

PCA for Escape actions that
Point improve ICA

Champion
concurs in
PCA selection?

Verified PCA for Verified PCA for

YES YES
Root Cause Escape Point

Problem Solving Flow 8 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Implement & Validate Permanent
Corrective Actions (PCAs)

Verified PCA for Verified PCA for

Root Cause Escape Point

Develop Action Develop Action

Plan for PCA Plan for PCA

Implement PCA Implement PCA

Plan Plan

Remove ICA and

evaluate PCA for Remove ICA
Escape Point

Perform Validation Perform Validation

Confirm with
customer, using
the symptom
measurable, that
the symptom has
been eliminated

Problem Solving Flow 9 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Prevent Recurrence

Review the Identify & choose

Implemented PCAs
history of the Preventive
& Validation data
problem Actions

Analyze how this

Verify Preventive
problem occurred
Actions
and escaped

Are the
Identify affected
Preventive
parties & NO
Actions
opportunities for
effective? NO
similar problems to
occur & escape

Identify the system's

policies, practices, & Develop Action
procedures that Plan
allowed this problem to
occur and escape to
the customer

Champion
Analyze how
agree
similar problems
with identified
could be
Preventive
addressed
Actions?

YES
Implement
Preventive
Actions

Develop Systemic
preventive
recommendations

Preventive Actions
for present problem
Present systemic
preventive Preventive Actions
recommendations for similar problem
to process owner
Systemic preventive
recommendations

Problem Solving Flow 10 Of 11 1/27/2003

 Recognize Team & Individual
Contributions

Preventive Actions for

present problem
Select key
Preventive Actions for documents &
similar problem provide for their
retention
Systemic preventive
recommendations

Review the
Team's process &
documentTeam
Lessons Learned

Recognize the
entire team's
collective efforts
in solving the
problem

Mutually recognize
all contributions to
the problem
solving process

Problem & Team Closure

Problem Solving Flow 11 Of 11 1/27/2003