Through analytical problem solving, a company reduces its exposure to costs of quality

By analyzing four dimensions of a costly quality problem, a manufacturer reduces its cycle time to resolution and discovers key operational benefits in the process.

Challenge

An over-abundance of information with no time to spare in the middle of the busy season- a common issue in this time of technology and speed. The costs of product rectification were on the rise for a second year and the company’s leading brand was at risk in a key market.

Discovery

By funneling extensive sources of knowledge and experience into a best-practice problem solving model, the assembled team members were able to quickly narrow down the possible causes while systematically eliminating previously plausible “pet theories” that had led to stalemate. Soon they had discovered process problems that contributed to a million dollar issue. This example shows the power of process when faced with time constraints in a data-rich environment.