Quality Tool: Relationship Diagram

Assalamualaikum and a very good day I wish to all readers.

First of all, damn~~ its been so long since I post my blog entry huh? what do you know, its been exactly 6 months ago as my last post was actually on 11/2/12. =D So, without further ado, here's the continuation.

Before I proceed, I would like to remind new readers and new followers that this is academic blog style that I (so called invented?) and you can't find its type in the option. Therefore, read up from the start as the posts are like the trains stops; You need to stop at each place even though its not your destination.

So, enough with my random babbling, here goes nothing~~!

Previously, I have used my experience and knowledge in my ICC group project that was conducted in PSB DECO and like wise, so does its continuation. Where were we before? oh yes, the affinity diagram for brainstorming.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Brainstorming tools such as affinity diagram is good for getting new and unrestricted ideas but some of them might be repeated and related. Hence, in order to narrow it down and get a concrete, solid ideas...... we need to identify which one of all those points are the ROOTS. Why? SIMPLE! Once we solve the root, we can get the above the ground things too! If its problem that we analyzed (to improve, there must be a problem first no?). the ROOTS that we found would be root cause! And, by solving this one root cause, we could prevent a lot more problems.

So, here's the steps to perform Relationship Diagram:

Example: How to show the relationship between each cards

1. Put / Spread out the cards used in Affinity Diagram (or you may copied it onto a large paper).
2. Through consensus of your team mate, link those cards. For example, A would definitely give rise to B or Y would occur from the combination of both W & Z. The A, B, Y, W and Z in this example are all the cards.
3. Do the linkage with an arrow where it will point from "this causes this". As per previous example, it will be like above there.
4. Once ALL of the cards have been like that, double check with team members for any left out relationship. Don't be afraid to have a messy, intersecting lines of arrows as the more of it, the better.
5. Next, numbered down each and every element of the cards. For example, you have 10 cards from affinity diagram, so you would definitely have 10 cards to be number from 1 - 10.
6. Write down a table with 3 columns. First one would be for the cards number, followed by arrows in and arrows out.
7. Fill up the arrows in and out. E.g: At card no 5, there are 8 other cards that will causes it so the arrows in would be 8. While on the other hand, the same no 5 card actually causes another (one only) card and thus, the arrows out would 1. Repeat it till the table is completed.
8. The last and final step, identify the highest no. for both arrows in and out. Before we finish, remember again what is the purpose of the relationship diagram, to find the ROOTS. So, ask yourself do u need cause or effect? Highest no of arrows out would be the ROOT CAUSE while the highest no of arrows in would be the ROOT EFFECT.
9. A picture of completed relationship diagram and its table would as follows:

Example: Completed Relationship Diagram

Example: Completed arrows IN and OUT to find ROOT EFFECT

Summary:

This is the tools used after AFFINITY DIAGRAM to find either root cause or root effect. Root cause to solve problem and root effect to see most benefit (positive) and most wicked problem (negative). Circle, highlight or change colour for ease of presentation.

HINT: Next entry would be the continuation of this and we will then starts to solve the problem in ICC! =D