THE SEVEN SIMPLE TOOLS Flowcharts Cause and Effect (Ishikawa /
fishbone) Diagrams Check sheets Pareto Charts Histograms Run Charts
and Control Charts Scatter plots and Correlation Analysis
FLOWCHARTS Remember system theory: (Input, Output, customer
supplier and their interactions).Divide complex processes into
simple sub-processes.A Qualitative tools
Patient Transport Process Example Request madeLog &
prioritize requestDispatch transportTake patient to X-rayDoctor
determines patient needs X-rayInformation taken & request is
loggedRequired equipment is foundTransporter arrives on wardWard
contacts dispatcherRequest prioritizedTransport is
dispatchedPatient transferred from bedPatient taken to X-ray
Types of FlowchartsLAYOUT FLOWCHART Example Staff movement
DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS leave approval process
ISHIKAWA DIAGRAMS Also known as Fishbone or Cause-and-Effect
Diagrams Non-quantitative tools (Qualitative)Sometimes called the
5M Diagram (Men, Machine, Materials, Measurements and methods)
ISHIKAWA DIAGRAM
CHECKSHEETS Central tool for Quality Assurance programs
Specially useful for operational procedures Could be derived from
the flowchart and fishbone diagrams
Example check sheets
Patient Transport Problem SheetArea: Ward 3b Period: June
1996TypeTallySubtotalEquipment brokenIIIII5Patient not readyIIIII
II7Not enough staffIII3Patient having another exam etc.IIIII IIIII
II 12
