Tool Selection Matrix

Tool Definition When to Use Key Questions to Answer Notes:

4 Quadrant Analysis A tool used to compare multiple improvement ideas Use this tool when you need a quick Do I have a long list of good
against two key variables in order to select the items method to determine the improvement ideas?
that a Kaizen team will immediately begin to work. improvement ideas to be
Usually the ideas are judged against significant implemented during the Kaizen run Do I need to determine what a
impact (to improvement metrics) and timing. week. limited group of resources need to
work on in order to make an
immediate impact?

5 Why's The process of asking "Why" five times in order to Anytime that a problem is first being Do you really understand what the A very simple, but powerful tool.
drive the problem statement down to the root cause studied. root cause of the problem is? Can be used out in the Genba with a
level. flipchart to drive to the correct
When the process was in a steady Is your course of action really going problem statement.
state and some change has occurred to resolve the situation?
for the worse or better.
Why is that a problem?

5-S Enabler for making sure you have the right material This is a foundational tool. How much time do I spend Will highlight problems with flow
at the right time searching for items? and equipment operation.
Should be used in an ongoing basis
Key ingredient for organizing a workplace to enable in all departments. Is everything in its place and a place Improves morale.
flow for everything?
Frees up floor space.
As a building block to any Kaizen or Does the place look neat, clean, and
improvement effort. organized?
What method is in place to sustain
the 5S? Can I readily tell when
there is a problem?

Affinity Diagram The affinity diagram is the product of a team's When you need to identify key ideas Do you need to maximize the Assemble post it notes, craft paper,
brainstorming and consensus activities. This process for process improvement. creativity of your breakthroughs? etc. ahead of time.
groups large amounts of data into logical elements
based on the natural relationships among items. When you need to identify patterns Do you need to reduce a long list of Allow people to move ideas into
among seemingly unrelated factors. improvement ideas or potential affinity groups without much debate
problems down to a manageable at first.
level?

Do you need to decide which single

improvement idea may have the
greatest overall impact?

C and E Matrix Matrix that identifies a few key process input When you need to see what effect Do you understand which of your This tool really focuses the efforts of
variables that must be addressed to improve the key various inputs and outputs have on process steps have the biggest the team.
process output variables. Similar to a fishbone ranked customer priorities. impact on your customer?
diagram but in matrix form.

Cellular A manufacturing cell or transactional work cell
Manufacturing comprises a group of equipment or processes,
usually laid out in the shape of a U, that is
dedicated to the complete production of a family of
parts or services.
This is a foundational tool.
Use this tool when trying to
maximize flow and flexibility while
reducing inventory.
Can you get to one piece flow? All work cells do not have to be in
an "U" shape. Select a shape that
Do you need a process that will vary will maximize your resources, but
output to match demand? always consider the "U" first.

Control Charts Control charts are line graphs that display a dynamic
picture of process behavior. A process variable or
attribute can be measured on some given frequency
and that value is plotted verses time on the line
graph.
Use this tool when you need to
make a realtime process
performance visible and you need
to react to issues quickly.
Do I have a stable, in control
process?
Does the associate know when to
make adjustments to the process
and when to contact additional
resources for assistance?
You must select the correct control
chart system for the type of data
being collected.
Control Charts are still somewhat
reactive in nature so look for the
mistake proofing opportunity.

Corrective Action A collection of quality improvement tools used to
Kaizen reduce readily identifiable variation and or defects
resulting in a sustained stable process.
When there is a great deal of
variation or defects within a process
either transactional or
manufacturing but the root cause is
known with relative certainty.
Have you completed a Cause and Eliminates easier to see quality
Effect Diagram? issues and prepares the way for
other tools such as standard work or
Does your control chart a DMAIC project.
demonstrate how you have changed
your noises to constants?
What does the Pareto show is the
root cause of the 80%?

How are you measuring

sustainability?

Daily Management Management process and tools which drive To manage daily process through
improvement in Value Stream KPIs at the Genba. conversion of batch to lean
manufacturing, and beyond
Examples include production control boards, conversion to make continuous
communication boards, KPI's and daily "Green Area" incremental improvement. If a
meetings. process area lacks sound daily
management then most
improvement activities will only be
marginally realized.
Do we understand how to manage \
the factory floor on a daily basis?
Are we having difficulty with OTD,
Past Due, quality, efficiency etc.?
Do the Associates at the cell know
what they need to produce today
and in what sequence?

Solution Need/ Want A Decision Analysis tool that is used to compare
Comparison several solutions to understand which one is the
most balanced. It is rooted in understanding what
are customer requirements (needs) and what the
customer finds favorable (wants).
When there are several good
solutions that could be
implemented but resources only
allow for one option.
Do you have multiple good
solutions?
Have you thoroughly evaluated
what is important to the customer?
The highest want is valued at a 10
and then the rest of the wants are
scaled proportionally to the highest
want.
Needs are considered "Musts."

Page 1 of 4
Tool Selection Matrix
Tool Definition When to Use Key Questions to Answer Notes:

Design For Six Sigma A process to ensure designs can be manufactured at When designing or redesigning any Have I completed a DFSS as part of This tool will yield a more robust
required Sigma levels to meet the customer product or service that developing a new product or design and an effective product
expectations and manufacturing capabilities. demonstrates variability concerns. process? launch with reduced engineering
changes post product launch.

Design of DOE is the purposeful changing of Inputs to a process As part of new product/process Have you first done an MSA / Gage A DOE is mathematical model that
Experiments to observe the corresponding changes in the Outputs development R&R? describes the relationship between
the inputs and outputs of a process.
To tackle an on-going quality Is standard work in place? It generally takes someone with
problem that has an unknown root extensive training to complete and
cause. Do you need to first do a corrective analyze properly such as a Six Sigma
action kaizen to reduce the number Green Belt.
of inputs?

DMAIC A variation reduction methodology used primarily for
the reduction of variation in complex processes.
DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve
and control.
To understand and reduce the
variation of a complex process. This
variation may be leading to a wide
variety of issues such as, defects,
over usage of raw materials or lead
time issues.
Have we done a corrective action
kaizen first?
Do we have GB/BB resources
available?
Have we tried other Lean tools first
that may eliminate "background
noise"?
Typically a DMAIC project and can
take up to several months to
complete. Often the Improve phase
can be accomplished utilizing a
Kaizen event.

Fishbone Diagram The Fishbone diagram typically displays major generic To assist a team to reach a common Have we investigated all aspects of Do not overload categories.
categories such as manning, methods, materials, understanding of a problem and its the problem? Establish another category if more
equipment, measurement and mother nature that root causes. detail is desired.
cause an effect, often perceived as a problem. Have you organized the x's into
To expand the team's thinking and affinity groups? This tool is more effective when
consider all potential causes. used in conjunction with other
decision making tools such as the 4
Quadrant Analysis.

FMEA A failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) is a technique When you need to develop and plan Do you understand which process This tool can get a little long.
that allows a cross-functional team to identify possible solutions or change. deficiencies will impact you the Remember to only focus on the high
potential failure modes that may occur as a result of most? RPN's typically something over 200.
design or process deficiencies. When you need to evaluate a
quality system for protection of your Are you certain that you understand
customers. what all of your liabilities are and
where they exist?

Measurement A methodology for determining if a Measurement Before performing a DOE and after a Is standard work in place? You have to develop a confidence in
System Analysis system is capable of measuring a product or process corrective action kaizen. the ability of your measurement
(Gage R&R) Do you need to first do a corrective system to decide between 'good'
When there is a process/product action event to reduce the number and 'bad' products or services.
with poor quality out of a machine / of inputs?
test equipment.
Is the issue really a problem?
When a product or service passes
your test and fails at the customer
(or supplier)

Mistake Proofing Mistake-proofing the process is to change the
method or equipment to ensure that a particular
error cannot happen.
When a process has a low First Pass Can we design the process or
Yield.
When a defect occurrence becomes
the largest source of waste or
variation.
When defects create the demand
for excessive inventory or impede
the ability to meet customer
demand.
product so that it cannot be
incorrectly performed or made?
Do we frequently blame the
employee for making an error?
Use devices or inspection
techniques that detect errors during
the work process rather than at the
end of the process.

Pareto Diagram A Pareto Diagram is a bar chart arranged in a Pareto Diagrams can be used almost Do you understand what the most You can "stack" Paretos as you build
descending order of importance from left to right. anytime and for almost any significant problem is? to root case.
The Pareto Principle states that 80% of issues are question.
created by only 20% of the potential root causes. By Are you working on the issue that Paretos work really well when using
determining the "Pareto" you can determine the root will yield the largest amount of the "5 Why" technique.
cause to attack first. improvement?

Policy Deployment A process that facilitates the creation of results-
oriented business processes with sustained
improvement that result in sustained competitive
advantage.
The organization is aligned to the same goals and
objectives.
This is a foundational business
management tool.
When you need to drive the
strategic initiatives to point of
impact.
When you need total organizational
alignment on business priorities.
How are you communicating goals Creates management accountability.
and objectives to all parts of the Creates direct linkages for all
organization? objectives from top to bottom of
the organization.
Does your current Policy
Deployment give you the continuity
to be successful?

Potential Problem The potential problem analysis (PPA) is a tool used for Use in situations where an incorrect Have we thought through all the This tool can take as little as 15
Analysis (PPA) minimizing the probability of solution change could have serious impact to possible ways this action plan may minutes or as long as a day
implementation failure by identifying potential the business. fail? depending on the complexity of the
problems and possible countermeasures. It is a process change and the level of
simpler version of a FMEA and can be applied to less Use if there is a good deal of anxiety Do I have a contingency plan if the preparation for the tool use.
complex changes quickly. over process improvements new process does not work as
implementation. planned?

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Tool Selection Matrix
Tool Definition
Production A tool used to establish the best design or the best
Preparation Process process taking quality, flow, and speed into
3P consideration.
Assists in thinking 'outside the box' and is used
during a Kaizen week as a substitute for a DFSS
project.
Pull - Kanban A process to transition businesses from the
traditional Push System to a Pull System. A Kanban is
a signal in the system that indicates when work is to When one-piece flow is not
be done and when it is to end. This allows for
minimal inventory and no overproduction.
Quick Changeover Changeovers are situations where one process must
(SMED) be stopped and reconfigured to run a different
product or service. We define the changeover time
as the amount of time between the last good piece
(A) of the current run and the first good piece (B) of
the next run.
SIPOC Map A form of process mapping that separates out the
process into key inputs and outputs and gives a high you need to define and control the process scope of your event?
level view of key process steps.
Spaghetti Diagram A spaghetti diagram is a map of the physical flow of
either the material, people or information in a
process.
Stakeholder Analysis A stakeholder analysis is a matrix that captures how
all key customers, process owners and senior
management is impacted by and feels toward the
potential process change.
Standard Work A process to maximize performance with minimum
waste through the best combination of people and
process. It captures the key elements needed to
meet cost, quality delivery and safety objectives.
Often deployed while implementing cellular flow.
Total Productive A series of methods, used to ensure that all
Maintenance equipment is always able to perform its required
tasks so that the process is never interrupted due to
that equipment being down for un-planned repairs. It
places much of the responsibility on the actual
person running the process.
Value Stream Value Stream Mapping is a method that visually
Mapping shows the product, material and information flows
within a product or service
Visual Management Visual Management is a powerful tool that uses
visual techniques to communicate information
broadly. Think in terms of can a new person enter
into the process area and understand how it is
performing in less than 2 mins, without any
explanation?
Lean Methods Group. You may freely modify, distribute and/or reproduce this only if Lean Methods Group's logo is not altered or removed.
When to Use Key Questions to Answer Notes:
Used to eliminate barriers to flow Is 3P being incorporated into our Proactively remove barriers to flow
for developing new products or product development system? while building in quality.
processes. Significantly reduces start-up costs.
Have you done a 3P to determine if
Also used to improve an existing a Capital Appropriation is
product or process. Must be used necessary?
in the development stages of a new
product or process.
This is a foundational tool. Why is one-piece flow not possible? Can be used anywhere that 1 pc
flow does not exist and materials
Are you experiencing Stock-outs or must be transported to the cell.
possible. poor OTD? Eliminates running out of inputs
while reducing carrying costs.
To ensure that materials are Is inventory creating lead time,
available when needed and in the quality or cash flow issues?
quantities needed.
If your set-up time is longer than How much set-up scrap do we Can be done anywhere that a
your Takt time (customer demand have? process must be changed over from
in seconds) one product to another or a
Is our set-up time within our Takt machine must be stopped to load
If your set-up is internal to the time? supplies. Great productivity
machine. booster! The goal is to have the
Are we doing things while the change occur in less than 10
If a long changeover time creates a machine is off that can be done minutes.
need to build excessive inventory. while it is running?
Use this mapping technique when Do you need to better describe the Limit the number of process step
mapped to 5-7. Include the step
scope of your project or event. just below and beyond the process
Do I understand the real needs of in order to better define the scope.
my customer?
This is a special standard work tool How many times does the work or Try to "straighten out" the spaghetti
and should be used anytime the worker cross paths during one Takt? during your process improvements.
flow of a process needs to be
documented. How much non value added motion
exists in the process?
Use this tool early in the change Do I know how all the key "players" Use caution in documenting
process to understand key concerns feel about the work that I am "personal" reasons or bias that are
and roadblocks that you may have attempting to do? true roadblocks, but need to be
to the improvement handled delicately.
implementation. Do I know what issues may come up
at the last minute and prevent or
delay success?
This is a foundational tool. Do products and materials flow With Standard Work in place, you
through the operation or cell? are able to see problems much
When there is too much / too little faster and once you see the
capacity. Are we using Standard Work, do we problem, you are able to solve it
have a set of Standard Work much faster.
When we need to improve documents posted?
productivity and or quality. Increases predictability and
Are Standard worksheets posted in therefore control over the outcomes
Every process should have every work place of processes.
documented standard work.
Always on critical pieces of Is your OEE low? Increased OEE and reduced
equipment within the site. Do you have key pieces of equipment downtime. Move from
equipment that you are dependent unplanned to planned downtime.
on?
Do you have equipment down time
issues?
Use VSM to provide the focus and Where is your future state map? Maps and action plans should be
direction to the objectives updated every 6 months.
determined by Policy Deployment. What is the status of your VSM
Action Plan?
Use to communicate how
improvements in Lead Time, On- How do you know which
time Delivery, Inventory Reductions, improvements will take you closer
etc. will impact the process. to your vision of the future?
Use visual management in almost Can I perform a 2 min 360 and Examples range from color codes
all situations where it is better, understand how well the process is files to overhead realtime displays.
faster and cheaper to communicate operating?
directly to associates.
Is the information that is important
to users obvious?
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