Critical To Quality

Tree diagram templates for Critical to Quality, Critical to Satisfaction, and Measurement Assessment

'Critical To' Tree Diagrams

There are 2 types of 'Critical To' Tree Diagrams,

and your Critical To Quality template (TreeCritical.xlsx) can be used for both

1) Critical to Satisfaction Tree Diagram

A Critical to Satisfaction Tree Diagram starts with a single output that is important to customer satisfaction for the product or service being analyzed,

choosing a single output from the SIPOC diagram that your team already created for this same process

and then breaks down the hierarchical layers of characteristics that affect that output, with the lowest layer identifying specific Elements that can be objectively measured.

2) Critical to Process Tree Diagram

also known as a Process Flowdown

A Critical to Process Tree Diagram starts with a complex process

(such as 'Order Fulfillment', or 'Purchase Requisitions', or 'Employee Hiring'...)

and then breaks down the hierarchical layers of systems and sub-systems that together comprise the complex process being analyzed, with the lowest layer identifying specific Elements that can be objectively measured.

 

Measurement Assessment Tree Diagram

Once you have used your 'Critical To' Tree Diagram template to identify the quality, delivery, cost, and/or process characteristics that are critical the satisfaction of your customers' needs...

then your team might also want to use your Measurement Assessment Tree Diagram template to identify and stratify data that is (and is not) worth measuring and controlling.

This web page contains step-by-step training for both

1) Your 'Critical To' Tree Diagram template

2) Your Measurement Assessment Tree Diagram template

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critical

How to use your

Critical To Quality template

Find and open your template

Save your working document

following the usual document storage and naming conventions established by your leaders

Open a Blank Sheet

Rename your new sheet.

If English is not your preferred language

Switch to your language, just like every Systems2win Excel template.

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Now your team is ready to start using your

Critical-To-Quality Excel template

Use what you know about Excel Tree Diagrams

Follow the on-line instructions for how to use any Excel Hierarchy Diagram template.

Identify sub-levels

Perhaps use Brainstorming and Affinity Grouping to identify and agree upon a hierarchical structure of sub-levels.

If this is a Critical to Satisfaction tree these sub-levels are characteristics of the product or service output that are critical to quality, delivery, or cost.

If this is a Critical to Process tree these sub-levels are the systems and sub-systems that comprise the layers of the complex process being analyzed.

Do a 'necessary and sufficient' check

1) Ask...

Is meeting each of these characteristics necessary for the customer to be satisfied that the desired output is fulfilled?

If a characteristic is not necessary—remove it.

2) Ask...

Is meeting all of these characteristics sufficient for the customer to be satisfied that the desired output is fulfilled?

If not sufficient—identify what is missing, and add it.

Identify Data Elements

also know as 'Characteristics'

Perhaps use Brainstorming and/or Affinity Grouping to identify and agree upon Data Elements.

A 'Data Element' is any way of objectively (or even subjectively) measuring the effectiveness or efficiency of any:

1. 'Critical To' characteristic (for a Critical to Satisfaction tree)
2. Sub-system (for a Critical to Process tree)

Choose which Data Elements to measure & control

Establish measurable goals

Establish measurable goals for each Data Element.

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measures

How to use your

Measurement Assessment Tree template

Find and open your template

Save your working document

following the usual document storage and naming conventions established by your leaders

Open a Blank Sheet

Rename your new sheet.

If English is not your preferred language

Switch to your language, just like every Systems2win Excel template.

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Now your team is ready to start using your

Measurement Assessment template

Use what you know about Excel Tree Diagrams

Follow the on-line instructions for how to use any Excel Hierarchy Diagram template.

Identify a single important Output (Y)

Identify a single output (Y) that is important to customers and write it in the single node at the top of the chart diagram

(just below the top-level text boxes)

Tip: You might create multiple worksheets to analyze multiple outputs.

Ask your questions

Define the questions that you would like to understand about that output and enter those questions in the top-level text boxes.

Potential tools & methods to identify and agree upon questions:

• Hansei questions to stimulate Lean Thinking
• Brainstorming and/or Affinity Grouping

Identify Stratification Factors (X Variables)

Identify Stratification Factors (X Variables) and enter them in the layer beneath the (Y) Output

Definition of a Stratification Factor = The ways that you want to analyze your data to possibly reveal meaningful patterns.

Perhaps again use Brainstorming and/or Affinity Grouping.

Conceive specific Metrics

Come up with ideas for specific Metrics and add them in boxes beneath each Stratification Factor

Metrics must be observable and measurable.

Just summarize each metric with a very brief title here.

Use your Operational Definitions worksheet to define very clear definitions and procedures for each metric.

(Perhaps add a link to the Operational Definitions worksheet.)

Determine whether data exists

Review each measure (each metric and the Y output) and determine whether the data exists, or whether special data collection will be required.

Use your team's user-defined formatting system to differentiate which data does and does not exist.

(and personalize the Legend text box to explain your formatting)

Determine whether each metric will help predict the outcome (Y)

Use your team's user-defined formatting system to differentiate which metrics will and will not help predict the outcome (Y).

 

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This Critical To Quality template

comes with many other useful Lean Six Sigma Tools and DMAIC Tools

 

to empower every team member

Own yours now