The Seven
Basic Tools of Total Quality Management
According to the experts, the basic tools of TQM allow anyone -
even someone without statistical training - to gather data to illuminate most
problems and reveal possible solutions. Here are the seven basic tools of TQM:
Check Sheet: This is
a pre-made form for gathering one type of data over time, so it’s only useful
for frequently recurring data.
Pareto Chart: The
chart posits that 80 percent of problems are linked to 20 percent of causes. It
helps you identify which problems fall into which categories.
Cause and Effect Diagram or
Ishikawa Diagram: This diagram allows
you to visualize all possible causes of a problem or effect and then categorize
them.
Control Chart: This
chart is a graphical description of how processes and results change over time.
Histogram : This shows the frequency
of a problem’s cause, as well as how and where results cluster.
Scatter Diagram: This
diagram plots data on the x and y axes to determine how results change as the
variables change.
Flow Chart or Stratification
Diagram: This represents how different factors join in a process.