Problem Solving Flow

Prepare for Problem Solving Effort Define and Quantify symptom, identify customer and affected parties

Is an Emergency Response Action required? YES NO

Select ERA and Verify

ERA Verified?

YES Develop Action Plan, Implement and Validate ERA ERA Validated?

Gather and review available data

Does the proposed Problem meet the application criteria?

NO

Do we have enough information?

NO

YES

Address symptom using other methods

YES

Will this duplicate an existing problem solving effort?

YES

Provide data to the existing team

NO

Initiate Problem Solving Process

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Establish the Team

Identify Champion

Identify Team Leader

Determine Skills and Knowledge team will need

Select Team Members

Establish Team Goals and Mambership Roles

Establish Operation Procedures and working relationships of the team

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Describe the Problem NO

Review Available data Collect and analyze data Review application criteria step for each symptom refer to Prepare for Problem Solving Effort

YES

Can symptom be subdivided?

NO

Does Problem describe a "Something Changed" Situation?

State Symptom as an object and defect

NO

Does Problem describe a "Never Been There" Situation?

YES

NO

Do we know cause? (5-Whys)

Review Problem description with customer and affected parties

YES Document problem statement

Initiate development of problem description

Identify process flow

Identify additional data required

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Develop Interim Containment Action

Problem Description

Review data from Emergency Response Action

Select an ICA

NO

Verify the ICA

Is there verification that the customer is protected and no new problems will result?

YES

Develop ICA Implementation Plan (Action Plan)

Implement ICA

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Define & Verify Root Cause & Escape Point (part 1 of 3) Review and update Problem Description

Identify differences, changes and develop theories NO Test theories against problem description

Does the theory explain all the known data?

YES

NO Can the "Most Likely Cause" be verified? (make the problem come and go)

YES

Acknowledge Root Cause

Is there more than one Root Cause?

YES

To Root Cause Flow

NO

To Escape Point Flow

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Define & Verify Root Cause (part 2 of 3) From Define Root Cause

Do the Root Causes account for all of the Problem Description?

YES

Do we need to initiate Separate Problem Solving efforts for each Root Cause identified?

YES (Preferred)

Refer to Describe the Problem Flow

NO

Evaluate alternate methods with team Champion

Use current process?

NO

Use alternate methods

YES

Acknowledge Root Causes

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Verify Escape Point (part 3 of 3) From Root Cause

Review Process Flow & identify control Points for Root Cause(s)

Does a control system exist to detect the problem?

NO

Identify Control point closest to the Root Cause

Is the control point capable of detecting the problem?

NO

Acknowledge the control system as Not Capable

YES

Acknowledge the control point as verified Escape Point

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Acknowledge need for Improved Control System

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Choose & Verify PCA for Root Cause & Escape Point

Input from Root Cause Flow

Input from Escape Point Flow or Need to Improve Control System

Establish decision criteria

Establish decision criteria

Identify Possible Actions

Identify Possible Actions including ICA

NO

NO Choose the "Best" Permanent Corrective Action (PCA)

Choose the "Best" Permanent Corrective Action (PCA)

NO

Testing verifies the PCA

Testing verifies the PCA

YES

YES

Re-evaluate ICA & PCA for Escape Point

Identify possible actions that improve ICA

Champion concurs in PCA selection?

Verified PCA for Root Cause

Problem Solving Flow

YES

YES

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Verified PCA for Escape Point

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Implement & Validate Permanent Corrective Actions (PCAs)

Verified PCA for Root Cause

Verified PCA for Escape Point

Develop Action Plan for PCA

Develop Action Plan for PCA

Implement PCA Plan

Implement PCA Plan

Remove ICA and evaluate PCA for Escape Point

Remove ICA

Perform Validation

Perform Validation

Confirm with customer, using the symptom measurable, that the symptom has been eliminated

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Prevent Recurrence

Implemented PCAs & Validation data

Review the history of the problem

Identify & choose Preventive Actions

Analyze how this problem occurred and escaped

Verify Preventive Actions

Are the Preventive Actions effective?

Identify affected parties & opportunities for similar problems to occur & escape

Identify the system's policies, practices, & procedures that allowed this problem to occur and escape to the customer

NO NO

Develop Action Plan

Champion agree with identified Preventive Actions?

Analyze how similar problems could be addressed

YES Implement Preventive Actions

Develop Systemic preventive recommendations

Present systemic preventive recommendations to process owner

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Preventive Actions for present problem Preventive Actions for similar problem Systemic preventive recommendations

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Recognize Team & Individual Contributions

Preventive Actions for present problem Preventive Actions for similar problem Systemic preventive recommendations

Select key documents & provide for their retention

Review the Team's process & documentTeam Lessons Learned

Recognize the entire team's collective efforts in solving the problem

Mutually recognize all contributions to the problem solving process

Problem & Team Closure

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