Process Control for Project Teams

OUTLINE (Return to Main)

Day One

1. Welcome and opening remarks
2. Identifying worthwhile projects
1. Situation or problem cause analysis
2. Team experience using a structure tree — exercise
3. Structured work analysis using process mapping — exercise
4. Business information using statistical process control tools
3. Creating successful projects
1. Identifying key project players and what they do
2. The project roadmap
4. Creating the project charter
1. Defining the purpose and scope of the project
2. Defining the customers of the project; their needs and expectation
3. Identifying the final deliverables
4. Establishing proper boundaries for time, deadlines, expenditures, decision making, staffing, use of resources, project priorities, and risks
5. Write a project charter — exercise
5. Working as a team
1. Setting team guidelines and expectations
2. Using good problem solving methodology
6. Developing the project plan
1. Defining the customers’ quality requirements and criteria for acceptance of final deliverables
2. Identify processes that will significantly affect or be affected by the project
3. Create a tree diagram of subprojects and work assignments
4. Create a project schedule and milestone chart - exercise
7. Continuous process improvement
1. Continuous improvement & problem solving process
2. Process control/process variation
3. Understanding variation
4. Histograms
5. Sampling

Day Two

1. Control charts and chart interpretation
1. Types of charts
2. Variable control charts
1. Control charts for averages and ranges (X-R)
2. Chart interpretation
3. Control charts for individuals (X-R)
4. Chart interpretation
3. Attribute control charts
1. NP Charts, P Charts
2. Chart interpretation
3. Charts, U Charts
4. Chart interpretation

Day Three

1. Correction of variation due to assignable causes
1. Pareto charts
2. Scatter diagrams
3. Process capability - CP and CPK
2. Process improvement workshop
3. Doing the project
1. Monitor project progress
2. Managing changes to the project
3. Hold project status review meetings
4. Completing and implementing the project
1. Develop an implementation plan for the project complete with tracking method
2. Hold feedback session with customers
3. Determine customers satisfaction with the project deliverables
4. Review lessons learned and possible applications in other work functions
5. Document all important project details for record and future reference
6. Celebrate improvements
5. Workshop Critique

Note: Attendees should bring actual data from their work processes. Description for data is shown on the following pages. These can be processes that could benefit from redesign. It is not required that the data come from the same process. Financial data can be used for variables data.

Data Needed for SPC Workshop
FOR HISTOGRAM: Variable Characteristic
Measure using a continuous scale approximately 100 specimen of work for one characteristic, such as time, distance, pH, length, width, thickness, viscosity, voltage, weight of product, weight of giveaway.

Example: Time to pay claim - 3.0 days, 6.5 days, 2.2 days, etc.

FOR X-R CHART: Variable Characteristic
Measure using a continuous scale 3-5 specimen produced under similar process conditions. This group of 3-5 specimen makes 1 cluster. Each cluster must contain the same number of specimen. Measure 25 clusters over a reasonable time period such as hours, days or weeks. This can be the same data set that was used for the histogram.

Example: Manhours lost due to equipment malfunction, with one day repre-senting a specimen and five days representing one cluster. Weight, yield, time, 3 samples each hour, etc.

For X-R Chart: Variable Characteristic
Measure using a continuous scale 3-5 specimen produced under similar process conditions. Collect one data point per subgroup; such as, one observation per hour, or day, or week, or month. Collect a minimum of 20 data points.

FOR nP CHART OR P CHART: Attribute Characteristic
Count the number of specimen which do not meet expectations. Record the number of specimen which do not meet expectations and record the number of specimen checked. If the same number was checked each time, use nP chart. If a different number was checked each time, use P chart.

Example: Number of abandoned calls of all calls received in a day, or number of abandoned calls of all calls received within a fixed time period, rejects, customer complaints, etc.

FOR C CHART OR U CHART: Attribute Characteristic
Count the number of errors, defects, or undesirable conditions in one or a group of work pieces or activities. Record the number of errors, defects or undesirable conditions, and record the number of work pieces or activities checked. If the same number was checked each time, use a C chart. If a different number was checked each time, use a U chart.

Example: Number of errors or missing information in claims documents; errors per 10 or 50 claims, or errors found in all claims per day.

FOR WORKSHOP: Variables Characteristic
Measure using a continuous scale 3-5 specimen produced under similar process conditions. This group of 3-5 specimen makes 1 cluster. Each cluster must contain the same number of specimen. Measure 25 clusters over a reasonable time period such as hours, days or weeks. Must also have the specification, requirement or expectation for the characteristic that was measured. Same as listed under X-R chart.

Example: Time lapse until telephone is answered. Expectation: All calls answered within 20 seconds. Output, weight, time, amount of waste, amount of shrinkage, amount of giveaway, time to respond for maintenance, shipping time, distance.

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