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A Framework for Process Improvement: 5. Solution

The Quality Toolbook > Applications for Tools > Framework for Process Improvement > 5. Solution

Identify | Define | Problem | Cause | Solution | Implement | Review | Follow-up

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This is the overall process:

Fig. 1. The overall process

When the key causes are identified and verified, then potential solutions can similarly be identified, narrowed down and checked. The checking should also ensure that, although the solution may fix the key causes, it does not result in other problems outside the immediate problem area, for example in related processes (this is often called sub-optimization).

Activities in this stage may include:

• Identifying a number of possible solutions to fix the identified key causes.
• Selection of a subset of possible solutions.
• Identifying feasibility, cost and benefit of selected solutions.
• Examining related processes, to ensure the solution will not adversely affect them.
• Designing experiments to verify selected solutions.
• Testing of final solution, preferably using measures identified in stage 2 (Define).

In practice, there may be a clear solution to a given cause, which can simplify this stage, although there is sometimes the danger of the 'obvious' obscuring the ideal.

Tools that may be used in the Solution stage are described on the Tools for the Solution stage page in the Tool Finder.

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