Paresh Naik December 3, 2004 STC India’s 6 th Annual Conference Using DFSS Tools for Better Technical Writing Processes and Deliverables

Paresh Naik

December 3, 2004

STC India’s 6th Annual Conference

Using DFSS Tools for Better Technical Writing Processes and Deliverables

www.vmoksha.com

2Paresh Naik Using DFSS Tools…

Agenda

What we will do today?Explain DFSS tools: TPM, PM,SIPOC, FMEA, C&E, QFD, Pugh Chart, Balanced scorecard

Identify their usage in Technical Writing projects

What we will NOT do today?Get into jargon

Try to form a universal definition of quality of information products

Discuss what metrics are relevant


Background

Why bother?

Various quality frameworks

Six sigma: Origin and relevance to technical writing


Thought Process Map

Visual representation of interconnected thoughts/ideas

Presents structure of information

Related tools: Fishbone diagrams/Affinity Diagrams, RCA


Thought Process Map - Examples

?

11

11

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

Microsoft Word Document

Example Mind map

Affinity Diagram

Additional information layers with colours, shapes

Can evolve into Kuno Analysis, Profit Matrix


Thought Process Map - Usage

Thinking through complex problems

Note taking, summarizing information: Brainstorming sessions, Interviewing SMEs, Information gathering

For consolidating information in distributed teams

Record all the considerations behind introduction of new processes, projects, initiatives or any major decision

Document design – Audience Analysis, Task Analysis


Process Map

Visualizing process steps

Basis for continuous improvement

Developing common understanding between all stakeholders on all aspects of process steps like entry and exit points, roles and responsibilities, and so on


As you see it

Process Map - Usage

The hidden factory

Improving your documentation processExamine your current documentation process


Process Map - Usage

Question each step forSIPOC

Process step owner, entry and exit criteria, controls, deliverables, metrics

IdentifyFactors causing variation and defects

Sources of scrap, rework, and waste

Optimize by constant reviewsDefect prevention – injection and removal efficiencies of different steps, Pareto and Orthogonal Defect Classification

Identify mistake proofing points – Checklists etc.

Process organizes work – PEOPLE do itStep 1 Step 2 Step nInputs Output


Process Map - Usage

In information products to provide context, overview

ReceivingSite =ProcessingSite?Product

Returned Product

Returned

BookProduct as Un-notified

Return

BookProduct as Un-notified

Return

Book Product into

Receipt Plant

Book Product into

Receipt Plant

Book Product intoReturn Plant

Book Product intoReturn Plant

Redirect to

Return Plant

Redirect to

Return Plant

Yes

No

No

Yes

Create Notification

Create Notification

CSR Activity

??

Notified Return?

Details acceptable?

Start

End

Print Goods Receipt NotePrint Goods Receipt Note

?? ??

Exception Process

Exception Process

Contact Customer Contact

Customer

Yes

No

Process step outside the software

Manual decision

Process step covered in this guide

Process step not covered in this course

Key

Process H&SDocuments

Process H&SDocuments

SCR Activities

System decision


SIPOC

S I P O C

Requirements Requirements

Measures Measures

Suppliers Inputs Outputs Customers

Input Boundary Output Boundary

Process

Measures


SIPOC - How?

Supplier Inputs OutputProvider of the required Resource

Resource required by the process

Deliverables from the process

Requirements Requirements

CustomerProcess

Top level description of the activity Anyone who receives the deliverables

Steps:Identify customers and stakeholders.

Identify customer/stakeholders requirements.

Identify gaps in requirements and the process outputs.

Identify process inputs and suppliers.

Identify gaps between process input requirements and the suppliers’ inputs.

Identify data collection needs.

Identify resource requirements, corrective actions to meet the gaps.


SIPOC - Usage

Document the links between suppliers and customers

Identify “gaps” and improvement areas

Example:

Microsoft Excel Worksheet


FMEA

Failure mode effect analysis

A tool used in:Product design to prioritize focus areas for robust design

Project tracking to control key risks

Software Development to develop test cases

3.Build Contingency

and Corrective Action Plans

2.

Assess Risks

1.Identify Failure Modes, Effects,

Causes, and Controls


FMEA – How?

Identify potential failure modes, effects, and causes

Identify the existing controls

Select the rating scales for

Severity of effects (SEV)

Frequency of cause (OCC)

Detection capability (DET)

Calculate RPN by multiplying SEV, OCC, DET values

Prioritize risks using the RPN

Plan for action items with responsibilities assigned

Reassign the appropriate SEV, OCC, DET values and compare RPNs

Process Step/Input

Potential Failure Mode

Potential Failure Effects

SEV

Potential Causes

OCC

Current Controls

DET

RPN


FMEA - Usage

Identify and mitigate risks in any major process change, new initiative

Track risks in your documentation projects:Recognize and evaluate potential failures and their effects

Continuous risk monitoring

Plan and track the risk mitigation actions

Not one time – update at milestones, on major developments

Identify failure risks of any new design


Relationship Matrices

Quality Function Deployment/House of Quality

Cause and Effect Matrix

Pugh Chart/Matrix


QFD

A tool for product/process design focused on meeting customer needs

Customer Needs

Importance Ranking

Competitive Products

(XYZ)

How Measured

Relative Ranking

How Measured

Target Values & Tolarance

Re

qu

ire

me

nts

Co-relation Matrix

Direction of Improvement

Relationship Matrix


QFD - Interpreting

Need withNo Feature

UnnecessaryFeature

Some relations

Overlooked ?

Strong

Moderate

Weak

Customer need

Product feature

Relation:


Cause and Effect Matrix

A matrix relating the key process steps and inputs to the key customer requirements to identify vital process steps

1 2 3 4 5 6 n

Total

Process Step Process Input

Rating of Importance to Customer

Customer Requirements


Pugh Matrix

A tool from product design to evaluate alternative design concepts

Comparision Criteria

Imp. Rating

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Option n

Total


Relationship Matrices - Usage

Use as is or extend and adopt the concept of relationship matrix

QFD for process improvement: Ensure customer requirements flow down to all the phases of development,

Evaluate documentation process to identify wasteful steps

Design information products, define set of user documents, find opportunities for information reuse

Pugh Matrix: Quantify decision making process

C&E Matrix: Prioritize based on all influencing factors


Relationship Matrices - Examples

1 2 … n 1 2 … n

1 1

2 2

… …

n n

1 2 … n 1 2 … n

1 1

2 2

… …n n

1 2 … n 1 2 … n1 12 2

… …n n

Use

r In

form

atio

n

Nee

ds

Yo

ur

req

uir

emen

ts

fro

m t

he

too

l

Tools Delivery Media

Use

r re

qu

irem

ents

Projects

Tea

m

go

als

Decision Making

Information Design

Prioritizing

Skill set for job profileP

roje

ct

Req

ts.

Product Features

Use

r ta

sks

Modules of your IP


Scorecard

Balanced scorecards for trackingQuality, Productivity, Predictability, Customer Satisfaction

Schedule, Scope, Budget, Quality

No one-for-all approach

Measurement as means and not the end

External Internal

Subjective

Objective

Metrics


Summary

Thought Process Maps - Correlations

Process Maps - Basis for improvement

SIPOC - Critically examine process steps

FMEA - Risk monitoring and mitigation

Relationship Matrices - Decision making, prioritizingQFD

Pugh Matrix

C&E Matrix

Balanced Scorecard - See the bigger picture


Key takeaways

DFSS tools help you to Quantify

Reduce subjectivity

Consider all correlations

And hence, achieve better Technical Writing processes and deliverables


References

www.isixsigma.com

DocQment, Quarterly Newsletter of the STC Quality Special Interest Group

Lori Beard, Jennifer Fleming, and Erin Beal Welch, Applying Six Sigma Principles to Everyday Projects, STC’s 50th Annual Conference, Dallas, TX, May 2003

http://www.isixsigma.com/

Thank You!Thank You!