Decision making tools, which is beyond analytical tools

Seven New Management and Planning tools|  Many problem-solving situations in management call for collaboration among people from different departments, Here, hard data are scarce, and the available data are likely to be highly subjective.

For developing new product or new manufacturing method, we need data which is in the minds of people concerned, expressed in language and not in mathematical figures. Such verbal data must be rearranged into meaningful form so that a reasonable decision can be made.

Above for both cases, it is necessary to go beyond the analytical approach and to use a design approach (new Quality Control tools) to problem solving. This design approach is necessary in such areas as quality improvement, cost reduction, new-product development, and policy deployment.

Characteristics of Design approach are: 1. Attention to detail       2. Involvement of people from different background.

The seven new quality control tools are:

Relations Diagram: This diagram clarifies the interrelations in a complex situation involving many interrelated factors and serves to clarify the cause-and effect relationships among factors.

Affinity diagram: This is essentially a brain storming method. It is based on group work in which every participant writes down his/her ideas and the ideas are then grouped and realigned by subject matter.

Tree diagram: This is an extension of the value engineering concept of functional analysis. It is applied to show the interrelations among goals and measures.

Matrix diagram: This format is used to clarity the relations between two different factors. The matrix diagram is often used in deploying quality requirements into counterpart (engineering) characteristics and then into production requirement.

Matrix data-analysis diagram: This diagram is used when the matrix chart does not provide sufficiently detailed information. This is the only method which is based on data analysis and gives numerical results.

PDPC (Process Decision Program Chart): This is an application of the process decision program chart used in operations research. Because implementation programs to achieve specific goals do not always go according to plan, and because unexpected developments are likely to have serious consequences, PDPC has been developed not only to arrive at the optimum conclusion but also to avoid surprises.

Arrow diagram: This is often used in PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) and CPM (Critical Path Method). It uses a network representation to show the steps necessary to implement a plan.