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--- articles:whac-a-mole [2019/04/12 14:09] – [Proactive Process Improvement] rrandall
+++ articles:whac-a-mole [2019/05/27 19:02] – rrandall
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ====== Corrective Action... and "Whac-A-Mole" ======
-While "Corrective Action" is an essential component for any quality management system, surprisingly few quality professionals have a good understanding of it.
+While "Corrective Action" is an essential component for any quality management system, surprisingly few quality professionals have a good understanding of it. This is most often because so many quality professionals lack a basic understanding of "Common Cause" vs "Special Cause" variation in a process.
-While I realize that the following is a simplistic, "goofy" example (itself open to criticism), bear with me. Let's assume that on warm summer days, you regularly ride a bicycle along your favorite open bike path. However, on one particular day, your front tire hits a small stick at an awkward angle causing you to fall from your bicycle and break your arm. After your arm is healed, you return to that spot where you fell, and sweep that specific area clear of any small sticks that may have fallen, or been blown by the wind, from nearby trees.
-Would you consider that to be an effective corrective action? Some quality professionals would say yes... pointing to the stick, or the lack of a clear smooth bike path, as the "root cause" of the problem.
 ===== Common Cause vs Special Cause Variation =====
-In reality, small sticks and stones appear regularly and randomly throughout open bike paths. Assuming that there has not been any unusually windy weather conditions, this is a "Common Cause" variation inherent within the activity of riding along open bike trails. In fact, common cause variation is defined as a "natural pattern" in the process, which is a usual, historical, quantifiable, random variation in the process with __NO assignable root cause__.
+Imagine that you frequent a particular restaurant. The service and food are typically great, but occasionally you find that the silverware (rolled in a napkin) is missing a piece... or has two of the same piece while missing the third piece (e.g., two forks and no knife). Whenever this happens, you simply inform the server, who immediately provides you another napkin neatly rolled around all of the required silverware. The "nonconforming" condition is quickly and easily corrected.
-And before you think "trees are the root cause" or "the wind is the root cause", recognize that these are "normal" conditions along open bike trails. While these conditions could be eliminated through enclosing the bike trail... at that point it would cease to be an "open" bike trail.
 <WRAP round box 350px right>
 |  **Common Cause**  | usual / normal\\ quantifiable, random variation|
 |  **Special Cause**  | unusual / abnormal,\\ not previously observed,\\ non-quantifiable variation  |
 </WRAP>
+The staff is well trained, and rarely make these mistakes. If one were to initiate a "corrective action" to address this situation, it would quickly prove futile because there is __NO "assignable" root cause__ to be eliminated. This type of error is a normal, random (common cause) variation in the restaurant's process due to the volume of silverware that is washed, sorted, and manually rolled into napkins by the staff.
+However, one night you arrive and order dinner only to find that the food takes much longer than normal to arrive at your table, has been over-cooked, and is cold. You complain to the server who apologizes explaining that their chef is unexpectedly absent tonight due to an illness. And that this was terrible timing because his Assistant chef is traveling on vacation. Consequently, a replacement chef, who is unfamiliar with both their kitchen and menu, had to be brought in to fill this temporary need.
+Unlike the silverware issue, this is an unusual / abnormal, situation that has not previously occurred. Therefore, this would be a “special cause” variation in their process __with an assignable root cause__). Special causes produce systematic effects/errors in a process.
 However, had there been an unusual condition leading to excessive debris on the bike train (e.g., such as high winds or a tornado through the area), then this would have been a "Special Cause" variation (i.e., an "unnatural pattern" in the process, which is unusual, not previously observed, non-quantifiable variation in the process __with an assignable root cause__). Special causes produce systematic effects/errors in a process.
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 ==== Proactive Process Improvement ====
-It should come as no surprise that those companies with the most "corrective actions" (often incorrectly issued for "common cause" variations) have __never__ performed a process [[https://asq.org/quality-resources/fmea|"Failure Mode and Effects Analysis" (FMEA)]]... or FMECA ("Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis"). So, in reality, one could assert that the true "root cause" of __many__ process nonconformities was actually a lack in properly planning the process to begin with.
+Because "common cause" variations are inherent to the existing process, these variations can only be eliminated by significantly "modifying" or "re-designing" the existing process. The most effective process improvement activities are realized through applying the Lean Six Sigma concepts & methodologies.
-A significant number of "common cause" variations can be addressed and eliminated when planning (designing) a process. Or otherwise "re-designing" an existing process. The most effective process improvement activities are realized through applying the Lean Six Sigma concepts & methodologies.
+As a process is being "modified" or "re-designed", one of the best tools to use is the [[https://asq.org/quality-resources/fmea|"Failure Mode and Effects Analysis" (FMEA)]]... or FMECA ("Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis").