Quality Tools:

There are several quality tools that can be used to help solve day to day problems; Histogram, Scatter Diagram, Pareto Chart, SPC, Fishbone Diagram, Check Sheet and Flow Chart. There are 6 problems listed below. Identify the most appropriate quality tool to attack each of these and state why that tool is the most suitable for that problem.

1. A copy machine suffers from frequent paper jams and users are often confused how to fix the problem.
2. The publication team for an engineering firm wants to improve the accuracy of its user documentation but doesn't know why the documents aren't error-free.
3. A rental car agency is getting numerous complaints about the length of time it is taking for customers to obtain a vehicle. They need to get a better handle on the factors that relate to the wait time.
4. A kitchen in a restaurant always seems to be getting orders mixed up and plated incorrectly.
5. A local zoo wants to understand where its visitors come from in order to better target marketing efforts.
6. A travel agency is interested in gaining a better understanding of how call volume varies by time of year in order to adjust staffing schedules.

Six Sigma:

1. The Six Sigma philosophy seeks to develop technical leadership through "Belt" training, then use it in team-based projects designed to improve processes. To what extent are these two concepts - technical experts vs team experts - at odds?
2. Six sigma seeks to improve processes by reducing and/or eliminating variation. Describe how the reduction and/or elimination of variation can benefit an organization.