Visualizing an Error-Free QC Process

Challenge

I am a member of our company’s Quality Control (QC) team. My job is to make sure that all of the  materials we review are accurate for spelling and grammar, as well as content. It is important that the  materials reflect our brand standards and also contain the correct dates and price points.

There were errors on a large number of the pieces we were reviewing. These errors ranged from spelling  to dates to inconsistencies in content. The team was receiving outdated or inaccurate information that  prevented us from ensuring that the correct content was being reviewed.

The errors and omissions did not seem specific to type of material or department. The challenge was to  try to determine why we were seeing a large error rate and to find ways to enable reduction in those  rates.

One of the key challenges was that the QC team  works with different departments and teams within  each department so we not only have a large scope of work, we also have a large number of people  involved who work on different teams and we were not aware of all of the other team’s processes.

Selection

In order to help figure out what was going on, we used the visualization tool. One of the things I struggle  with is taking a large, broad concept and figuring out what it actually looks like. I find it difficult to see all  the cogs that make a machine work and that is why using the visualization tool really helped in our  situation.

Angela Myer spoke in her video about how visualization can help you realize what is important. It allows  you to see things differently and hone in on what is important. It can help trigger conversations and  ideas, as well as helping a team to arrive at shared conclusions. We thought that using the visualization  tool could help our team to try and determine what was going on.

Application

Our team met with a few others and we used the visualization tool to help us determine what was going  on. We drew a number of diagrams on a white chalkboard. One of our diagrams involved following a QC  submission through its path, beginning with its origin. We drew a square representing each team and  then a line off the square that contained what information should be attached by the team.

Then, we drew another square for the second team and lines off of that square saying what info was  added or removed before it advanced and so on. Essentially, at this step it looked like a train with lines  off of each car.  This was a really helpful step. It enabled me to see the entire process of a submission  from the very beginning until the final resolution. It also stimulated discussion among our team

members. Once we completed the first train. We circled steps that were being left out or could be  improved.

We used color Post-Its to track what steps were necessary, neutral, or could be eliminated (red, yellow,  and green Post-Its). These two visual tools let us all view our process in a similar way. We were able to  fill in the gaps and do a step-by-step trace to determine how we could help the system improve to  reduce errors.

The visualization tool was very effective.

Insight

The visualization too was really interesting and informative.  I was surprised by how deep it went and  how much it revealed. We were able to determine that a lot of the errors were occurring b/c the  protocol was not being followed. The train diagram revealed that sometimes teams were skipped;  occasionally protocol wasn’t followed; and that not everyone was aware of all of the tools at their  disposal.

The design thinking course in general taught me about different ways to look at problems and I really  like the “what is, what if, what wows, what works” approach. I work in an organization that thrives on  looking at things differently. This course spoke on a lot of unique and different ways to approach a  problem and utilize different ways of thinking. I loved the idea of “what if”. What if we can look  outside of the constraints, what if we could think about things without some of the barriers. I liked the  idea of freeing our thinking to look at different possibilities and then reel it in to what works.

Approach

The visualization tool was both useful and helpful for this project. If I were to redo the assignment, I’d  broaden the scope a bit and use storytelling and visualization to train other teams. We could share  the stories of what we have noticed in patterns with examples and we could utilize visualization to  illustrate some of the procedures and projects, which would make them easier to understand for all  teams.


Visualizing an Error - Free QC Process Challenge I am a member of our company ’s Quality Control ( QC ) team . My job is to make sure that all of the materials we review are accurate for spelling and grammar , as well as content . It is important that the materials reflect our brand standards and also contain the correct dates and price points . There were errors on a large number of the pieces we were reviewing . These errors ranged from spelling to dates to inconsistencies in content . The team was receiving outdated or inaccurate information that prevented us from ensuring that the correct content was being reviewed . The errors and omissions did not seem specific to type of material or department . The challenge was to try to determine why we were seeing a large error rate and to find ways to enable reduction in those rates . One of the key challenges was that the QC team works with different departments and teams within each department so we not only have a large scope of work , we also have a large number of people involved who work on different teams and we were not aware of all of the other team ’s processes . Selection In order to help figure out what was going on , we used the visualization tool . One of the things I struggle with is taking a large , broad concept and figuring out what it actually looks like . I find it difficult to see all the cogs that make a machine work and that is why using the visualization tool really helped in our situation . Angela Myer spoke in her video about how visualization can help you realize what is important . It allows you to see things differently and hone in on what is important . It can help trigger conversations and ideas , as well as helping a team to arrive at shared conclusions . We thought that using the visualization tool could help our team to try and determine what was going on . Application Our team met with a few others and we used the visualization tool to help us determine what was going on . We drew a number of diagrams on a white chalkboard . One of our diagrams involved following a QC submission through its path , beginning with its origin . We drew a square representing each team and then a line off the square that contained what information should be attached by the team . Then , we drew another square for the second team and lines off of that square saying what info was added or removed before it advanced and so on . Essentially , at this step it looked like a train with lines off of each car . This was a really helpful step . It enabled me to see the entire process of a submission from the very beginning until the final resolution . It also stimulated discussion among our team members . Once we completed the first train . We circled steps that were being left out or could be improved . We used color Post - Its to track what steps were necessary , neutral , or could be eliminated ( red , yellow , and green Post - Its ) . These two visual tools let us all view our process in a similar way . We were able to fill in the gaps and do a step - by - step trace to determine how we could help the system improve to reduce errors . The visualization tool was very effective . Insight The visualization too was really interesting and informative . I was surprised by how deep it went and how much it revealed . We were able to determine that a lot of the errors were occurring b / c the protocol was not being followed . The train diagram revealed that sometimes teams were skipped ; occasionally protocol was n’t followed ; and that not everyone was aware of all of the tools at their disposal . The design thinking course in general taught me about different ways to look at problems and I really like the “ what is , what if , what wows , what works ” approach . I work in an organization that thrives on looking at things differently . This course spoke on a lot of unique and different ways to approach a problem and utilize different ways of thinking . I loved the idea of “ what if ” . What if we can look outside of the constraints , what if we could think about things without some of the barriers . I liked the idea of freeing our thinking to look at different possibilities and then reel it in to what works . Approach The visualization tool was both useful and helpful for this project . If I were to redo the assignment , I ’d broaden the scope a bit and use storytelling and visualization to train other teams . We could share the stories of what we have noticed in patterns with examples and we could utilize visualization to illustrate some of the procedures and projects , which would make them easier to understand for all teams .