Quality Management Tools
1. Histograms
• A histogram is a specialized type of bar chart.
• Individual data points are grouped together in classes, so that you can get an idea of how frequently data in each class occur in the data set.
• High bars indicate more points in a class, and low bars indicate less points.
• I.e. In the histogram shown at http://www.skymark.com/resources/tools/histograms.asp), the peak is in the 40-49 class (see chart where there are four points.
• The strength of a histogram is that it provides an easy-to-read picture of the location and variation in a data set. There are, however, two weaknesses of histograms that you should bear in mind:
• The first is that histograms can be manipulated to show different pictures. If too few or too many bars are used, the histogram can be misleading. This is an area, which requires some judgment, and perhaps some experimentation, based on the analyst's experience.
• Histograms can also obscure the time differences among data sets. For example, if you looked at data for #births/day in the United States in 1996, you would miss any seasonal variations, e.g. peaks around the times of full moons. Likewise, in quality control, a histogram of a process run tells only one part of a long story. There is a need to keep reviewing the histograms and control charts for consecutive process runs over an extended time to gain useful knowledge about a process.
• See more detail and noted click Histograms

2. Flowcharting
• Flowcharts are maps or graphical representations of a process.
• Steps in a process are shown with symbolic shapes, and the flow of the process is indicated with arrows connecting the symbols.
• Computer programmers popularized flowcharts in the 1960's, using them to map the logic of programs. In quality improvement work, flowcharts are particularly useful for displaying how a process currently functions or could ideally function.
• Flowcharts can help you see whether the steps of a process are logical, uncover problems or miscommunications, define the boundaries of a process, and develop a common base of knowledge about a process.
• Flowcharting a process often brings to light redundancies, delays, dead ends, and indirect paths that would otherwise remain unnoticed or ignored.
• But flowcharts don't work if they aren't accurate, if team members are afraid to describe what actually happens, or if the team is too far removed from the actual workings of the process.
• For more notes on flowcharting click Flowcharts

3. Relations Diagram
• Relations Diagrams are drawn to show all the different relationships between factors, areas, or processes. Why are they worthwhile? Because they make it easy to pick out the factors in a situation which are the ones which are driving many of the other symptoms or factors.
• For example, a relations diagram of urban poverty might start out something like this: see Relations Diagram
• Instead of one item following another in a logical sequence, each item is connected to many other pieces, showing that they have an impact on each one. Once all the relevant connections between items have been drawn, the connections are counted. Those with the most connections will usually be the most important factors to focus on.
• While the relations diagram is one of the 7 New QC Tools described in the Japanese classic "Management for Quality Improvement", it is less frequently used than some of its stablemates. However, in a fairly tangled situation, it is a powerful means of forcing a group to map out the interactions between factors, and usually helps bring the most important issues into focus.
• To create a Relations Diagram:
o Agree on the issue or question.
o Add a symbol to the diagram for every element involved in the issue.
o Compare each element to all others. Use an "influence" arrow to connect related elements.
o The arrows should be drawn from the element that influences to the one influenced.
o If two elements influence each other, the arrow should be drawn to reflect the stronger influence.
o Count the arrows.
o The elements with the most outgoing arrows will be root causes or drivers.
o The ones with the most incoming arrows will be key outcomes or results. http://www.skymark.com/resources/tools/relations_diagram.asp
4. Tree Diagram
• The tree diagram is one of the 7 Management and Planning Tools described by Shigeru Mizuno.
• It is used to figure out all the various tasks that must be undertaken to achieve a given objective.
• If you use it carefully and thoroughly, it will give you a better understanding of the true scope of a project, and will help your team focus on specific tasks that are needed to get something done. http://www.skymark.com/resources/tools/tree%20diagram.asp
To successfully build a tree diagram:
1. Be sure everyone agrees on main goal before beginning.
2. Be succinct.
3. Think of the main tasks involved in accomplishing the goal. Add them to the tree.
4. For each task node, think of the sub-tasks that will be required, and add them to the tree.
5. Ask yourselves if there is anything that has been forgotten.
6. As you work through the project, towards the goal, change the colors of nodes that are finished, so that you can see an indication of progress. http://www.skymark.com/resources/tools/tree%20diagram.asp
FINAL COMMENTS I HOPE THIS HELPS. BEST OF LUCK!

Others:

Quality Control Charts Other Quality Management Tools
• Pie charts
• Bar charts
• Run Charts
• Radar Charts
• Scatter Plots
• Pareto Charts
• Normal Test Plots
• Process Capability Calculations
• Control Charts
• Pathway
• Affinity Diagrams
• Brainstorms
• Building Consensus
• Cause and Effect Diagrams
• Force Field Diagrams