Magnificent 7
Problem Solving
Scientific Method
Osborne & Parnes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1. Understand the “Mess”
2. Find the Facts
3. Identify Specific
Problems
4. Generate Ideas
5. Develop Solutions
6. Implementation
Define the Problem
Gather Information
Develop Alternatives
Evaluate Alternatives
Implement Solutions
Follow Up
The Magnificent “7”
Problem Solving
Step
Useful Tools
Understand Mess
Find Facts
Identify Problems
Flow Charts
Check Sheets
Pareto Diagrams
Histograms
Cause-and-Effect
Scatter Diagrams
Control Charts
Generate Ideas
Develop Solutions
Implementation
Problem
Identification/Analysis
Problem Identification
Problem Analysis
Flow Chart
Histogram
Check Sheet
Nominal Group
Technique
Brainstorming
Pareto Chart Scatter Diagram
Cause & Effect
Stratification
Run Chart
Process Capability
Control Chart
Force Field
Analysis
Flow Charting
Mix Dry
Ingredients
Cut Dough
Bake 10
Minutes
Mix Wet
Ingredients
Mix Wet
& Dry
Extrude
Dough
Fold 2
Minutes
OK
Qual.
Pack and
Ship
Poor
Feed to Hogs
Fold 10
Minutes
Add Chips
Check Sheet; Cookies
Type
Check
Total
Burnt
11
Crumbly
5
Too Few Chips
14
Poor Taste
6
Other
3
Histograms
Defects by Category
15
Frequency
10
5
0
Burnt
Crumbly
Few Chips
Type Defect
Poor Taste
Other
Cause & Effect
Automate
Mix Chips
in Dry
Fold Longer
Place Chips on
by hand
Drop Liquid
Chips
Too Few
Chips
Cause & Effect
People
Methods
Handling
Effect
Design
Tools
Idea; Cookies
As a first step, let’s try
Increasing
Folding Time
Scatter Diagram
Chips vs Fold Time
25
# Chips
20
15
10
5
5
10
15
Fold Time
20
25
New Idea; Cookies
Try Mixing Chips in
With Dry Ingredients
Flow Charting
Mix Dry
Ingredients
Cut Dough
Bake 10
Minutes
Mix Wet
Ingredients
Add Chips
Extrude
Dough
Fold 2
Minutes
OK
Qual.
Pack and
Ship
Poor
Feed to Hogs
Mix Wet
& Dry
Fold 10
Minutes
Evaluate; Control Chart
Avg Chips
18
15
12
Time