Quality Management Tools & Techniques
Q1 -a) Explain what is meant by SIPOC Diagram. Give one example to illustrate your answer. (12.5%)
A SIPOC diagram is a means utilized by a team responsible for quality improvement for any organization that aims at identifying any pertinent components of a process development before executing a project development. A SIPOC diagram describes a series of steps that lead to customer satisfaction using sequential steps. This is demonstrated in the diagram below;
Q1-b) In relation to the SIPOC Diagram, Explain the significance of the term “Process Owner”. (12.5%)
The process owner is the individual responsible for overseeing the accomplishment of all steps involved in the SIPOC diagram. This individual is responsible for the improvement of any processes relating with the entities within the SIPOC Diagram. In a case whereby the steps in a process entail converting raw inputs into complex and useful outputs, the purpose of the process owner is paramount in guiding the workforce involved, as a manager and a team leader, hence achievement of goals.
Q2-a) Explain Kano’s VOC model. Illustrate your answer with an example. (10%)
Kano’s model is a descriptive composition of derivatives that describe the recipient’s satisfaction based on the outcome of the incorporation of the attributes input to give the final outcome. Key factors given major importance in the Kano model include; establishing functional the requirements, development of the idea, and finally analyzing competitive products. This translates to a high product function, which leads to positive performance. This implementation leads to customer satisfaction, represented in the graph as excitement.
Q2-b) In relation to Kano’s Model, what is the difference between customer’s needs and customer’s requirements.(10%)
As provided by the Kano’s Model, customer’s needs are the basic requirements, for which the customer is using a certain product or service. It is the obligatory role of a company to make sure, by all means that it meets the customer’s needs, failure to which the company’s necessity would not be felt. Customer’s requirements, on the contrary, are special necessities that keep the customer within the company since they lead to satisfaction. Meeting customer requirements lead to a company’s excellence and high ratings, owing to the company’s great performance.
Q2- C) How can you relate the endeavour for excellence with Kano’s model (Dimension 3). (5%)
The Kano’s model is best practically used with the achievement of excellence; characterized by brilliant performance. Considering the fact that every organization wishes to meet customer satisfaction, every company ventures in various efforts to bring forth this satisfaction. The advantage associable with this kind of venture is such that the customer, who enjoys every benefit, becomes loyal to the company, making frequent purchases. This translates through a diversified field as many customers will show this loyalty, for the benefit of the company. Endeavour for excellence in Kano’s model entails identifying the targets, understanding the challenges within the process that would limit achievement, understanding the problems with the supplying body, evaluating options available that maintain excellent performance; rather than avoiding failure, and implementing change for excellence.
Q3) – Case Study (50%)
Disk Drive Parato Analysis
You are the Quality Engineer responsible for a diskette drive that is used in the assembly of a personal computer. You receive a report listing the error code of each unit rejected by the manufacturing process for the first five days of production. This is shown below. Based on the report you decide that the defect level must be reduced. To understand what is causing the problems with the diskette drives, analyze this report using Parato Diagrams and recommend what must be done to improve the diskette drive quality
Thursday, June 8 Monday, June12
Code Code Code Code Code Code Code Code Code Code
412 410 413 410 410 440 465 465 841 410
410 413 465 465 465 218 413 413 413 218
440 412 410 410 412
410 410 410 412 410 Tuesday, June 13
410 218 440 841 218 Code Code Code Code Code
412 413 841 410 440 841 465 440 410 440
413 841 413 413 410 888 413 412 412 413
465 410 465 410 413 112 440 218 465 181
Friday, June 9
Code Code Code Code Code Wednesday, June 14
410 410 841 413 841 Code Code Code Code Code
413 412 410 410 412 440 841 413 412 465
410 413 218 410 410 410 465 412 413 440
465 218 410 412 218 465 413
413 465 465 410 465
The report giving the error code indicates that the diskette drive was used in non-uniform sequences. This is well indicated with the continued sequence such as 440, 440, 440, 440 on Tuesday 13th June, and 410, 410, 440 on Thursday 8th June, and various other sequences of coding with a similar order. These are indicative of non-usage of the drive. Overuse of the diskette drive, indicated by huge figures is also evident from the information provided. From this, it is derived that the drive quality is not sufficient to make the disk support massive multifunction in a continued duration. Additionally, the problems with the diskette have developed over time, considering the fact that the drive motor is moving at varied speeds.
Based on the coded information provided, the drive motor is making more than 360 rotations per minute and less than 300 in over-functioning and under-functioning respectively. One of the sources of the problem, having been identified to be the drive motor, it is indicative that the device needs to be replaced. A new motor will ensure that the metal hub is read with the efficiency necessary, responding fast enough to make the action necessary, and support multifunction, as well as facilitate use over prolonged durations of time.
The circuits board, which bears the electronics to handle the data from the diskette, should bear the problem for the slow speeds in reading and feeding information onto diskettes. Owing to the slow speeds, leading to loss of momentum, stepper-motor control units are not sufficient to move the functional heads towards the surface of the diskette. The arrangement of the electrons within the circuit board needs evaluation. This is to facilitate continued function, without altering the speeds and abilities of the read and write heads. Following this evaluation, alternation should be done to eliminate defective sequencing, leading to an efficient circuits board. The combination of a functioning drive motor and circuits board guarantees an efficient diskette drive, eliminating the hitch.
The Pareto diagram of defects
