Читать книгу Lean Six Sigma For Dummies - Martin Brenig-Jones - Страница 43

Creating the problem statement can be trickier than it sounds. A well done statement provides an effective starting point (“a problem well stated is a problem half solved” said John Dewey), but it should not include the cause of the problem, or the potential solution. Remember, the DMAIC framework will take us there, and at this stage, if you really do already know the cause of the problem and the solution to address it (with data to back you up), then you don’t need DMAIC. You just need to get on and do it!

Here's an example of a problem statement:

Sales of online products have dropped over the last three months, from $272k to $181k, and our forecast is down by 25%.

You’ll notice that some baseline information has been included to help underline the extent of the problem. This makes the problem statement more effective, as it’s far easier to communicate the problem and to start to influence stakeholders with a factual problem statement like this than it is to say something vague like, “I think sales are dropping.”

The 5Ws and 1H tool can help to add structure and detail to problem statements. This tool is brilliantly simple and extremely versatile. “5Ws and 1H” stands for What, Why, When, How, Where and Who — six questions that, when answered with facts, provide all the information needed to define the problem:

 WHAT is the problem?

 WHY is it beneficial to address this problem now?

 WHEN does it happen / when did it start?

 HOW does it show itself to be a problem? (For example, rework, customer complaints, feedback from a regulator.)

 WHERE does it happen?

 WHO is affected by it?

Don’t fall into the trap of explaining the cause of the problem here, or what you think might be the solution. The DMAIC approach will lead you to the right conclusions. As they say, let DMAIC do DeMAgIC!