Manufacturing Operations · Quality management · Component
The root cause record
Why defects occurred and what was changed as a result — the step that turns a defect record into an improvement.
The deliverable
What it is
The step where a defect appeared is rarely where it was created, and the two are confused often enough that most corrective action addresses symptoms.
The check that an action worked is the part most often skipped, which is why the same defects recur with corrective actions attached to them.
One level in
What it is made of
Each element is a constituent part of the component. Follow one to see the attributes it carries.
The investigation
How the cause was established, and what was found.
3 attributes: Root cause · Cause category · Source
LearnThe corrective action
What was changed to stop the cause recurring.
3 attributes: Action · Action type · Owner
LearnThe verification
Whether the defect stopped recurring.
3 attributes: Verified · Recurrences since · Status
Learn
An action that depends on people being more careful is not a corrective action. It is the problem restated.
The other components in quality management
The specification
What output must meet, in measurable terms, with tolerances derived from what the next step actually needs.
LearnThe capability measure
Whether the process can hold the specification consistently — a question about the process rather than about today’s output.
Learn