Managing Quality

1. Managing Quality Chapter 9 PDCA Method 11/24 – 5:45 AM

2. R2S2-TFP-IC PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 To provide a method for coping with the wide‑spread problem of error‑prone processes, Deming developed the PDCA (i.e., Plan, Do, Check, and Act) cycle, which provides a repeatable and reproducible, standardized, structured, team‑based, fact‑finding, problem‑solving approach to process improvement and correction using a set of simple, cost effective, low-tech tools.

3. C4-CI-SH PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 Why would you use a form such as the PDCA Worksheet inmanaging improvement projects? Communicate Codify Coordinate Institutionalize Collaborate Status Reports Control Historical Analyses First, the PDCA Worksheet provides for communication, coordination, collaboration, and control of multiple correction and improvement projects. Second, this form provides for the codification and institutionalization of employee knowledge and experience about improvement and correction projects. Finally, management can input the data on the worksheet into a computer-based database which can provide status reports and historical analyses about multiple correction and improvement projects.

4. TPRQ-CDHA-RIAC-ST PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 What questions are asked by the PDCA Worksheet? Who should be on the team?What is the problem?What is the reason for working on the problem?What is the quantified objective?How do you characterize the process?What data are you going to collect?How are you going to collect the data?How are you going to analyze the data? How are you going to identify the root cause or the improvement?How are you going to identify the best alternative, countermeasure?How are you going to setup a pilot? How are you going to test the pilot?

5. R2 69-S2 PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 Why does the PDCA cycle use the following approaches? Standardized and StructuredThe standardized and structured component means this approach (i.e., the sequenced set of steps and set of tools) is repeatable for any specific improvement or correction and the method is reproducible across all levels and functional areas of an organization. Team-basedThe team‑based component means that management selects six to nine people from the process to work together as a team to take advantage of their knowledge and perspectives of the process in implementing the PDCA cycle according to the standardized structure. We use the team-based problem solving because we are all smarter than any one of us. This team can call on upstream and downstream process personnel and specialists to support their efforts. The team collaboration will reduce or eliminate the selective abstractions caused by bounded rationality and bounded awareness when one person solves a problem.

6. GEOQIM-A2H2OP-LUA-E R2S2T-GDTD-AP PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 Fact-finding The fact‑finding component means that before we start solving the problem we use a standard set of tools to gather, examine, organize, question, and integrate the facts into a model to avoid making decisions based on assumptions, anecdotes, heuristics, hearsay, opinions and pseudo facts. If we leapfrog the fact-finding process, we can fail to see the uniqueness of the situation, and we will anchor on an incorrect diagnosis. This tendency to leap-frog the fact-finding process is typical of resident “experts” who have single, unified models which give you solutions that are direct, simple, obvious, and wrong. Problem-solving The problem‑solving component means that we use a repeatable, reproducible, standardized, structured set of toolsto generate, debate, and test alternatives, to decide on an alternative, and to implement a pilot to learn from experience.

7. D-CIA/P-A PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 What is the purpose of the following steps in the PDCA cycle? PlanThe purpose of the Plan step is to diagnose the problem and prescribe a remedy. Diagnosis, fact‑finding, is accomplished in steps #1, #2, and #3 on the PDCA Worksheet (i.e., characterize the process, identify root cause or improvement, find alternatives). Prescription, problem solving, is accomplished in step #4 (i.e., select an alternative as a countermeasure). Do The Do step, #5, is concerned with implementing a pilot to test the proposed solution.

8. PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 Check The Check step, #6, is concerned with determining if the pilot is successful as defined by the operational definition of success for the pilot. Act The Act step, #7, is concerned with returning to Plan step #1 and repeating the PDCA cycle if the pilot is unsuccessful or, if the pilot is successful, proceeding with an expanded, full‑scale implementation and developing new standards, policies, and procedures.

9. A2H2OP-LUA-E PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 Why should an improvement team not skip any steps in the PDCA cycle? If you skip any of the steps, you are likely to be making decisions based on assumptions, anecdotes, heuristics, hearsay, opinions and pseudo facts, and it is unlikely that you will eliminate the problem or improve the process because you will leap-frog the fact-finding process, you will fail to see the uniqueness of the situation, and you will anchor on an incorrect diagnosis. This tendency to leap-frog the fact-finding process is typical of resident “experts” who have single, unified models which produce solutions that are direct, simple, obvious, and wrong.

10. PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 Why does the PDCA cycle use an iterative approach symbolized as a circle? If you are sailing a boat with the intent to intercept another continuously moving boat, you periodically recalculate the course to the continuously moving target. Each time you make the best calculation you can. What you don't do is follow your first course calculation without correction until the original calculation indicates that you have reached the target, because the target is not there anymore. You realize that despite your best initial efforts to calculate the course to the target, the target may be moving in unforeseen ways, and the currents and winds in which you are sailing may carry you off the calculated course. You follow the principle of seeking frequent feedback about your position and the target's position in relation to your course so you can make fact-based adjustments.

11. PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 In business, however, people tend to think that they should be able to develop the correct plan or procedure for meeting business needs without trial and feedback using pilots or prototypes, without using “what-if” scenario analyses of their selected plan, and without generating and exploring alternative plans. The PDCA principle of iteration gives you a system for continuously making quick improvements and corrections in a step-by-step way, doing the best job you can within relatively short improvement cycles.In that way you can quickly try an improvement or correction (i.e., pilots or prototypes) and get immediate, fact-based, feedback regarding how well the improvement or correction performed. You want to do as little as possible and learn from experience. You want to fail fast, fail small, and correct quickly, without making costly errors, by performing a series of simple improvement or corrections. We always show the PDCA cycle as a circle to stress the continuous, iterative nature of improvement and correction. All types of process improvement and correction require iteration.

12. RC-GP-PI-HBVA-SE PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 What value does brainstorming add to the team throughout the PDCA cycle? We generally believe that humans can berational problem‑solvers. In other words, a knowledgeable person supposedly, with some effort, can become aware of all facts and alternatives for solutions and select the appropriate alternative based on its value relative to the facts and other alternatives. However, in many situations, the problem or opportunity under consideration is sufficiently complicated that one person cannot comprehend all of the relationships, their interdependencies, causes, effects, surrounding facts, and possible alternatives for solutions, and then rank each alternative based on its value relative to the other alternatives. These constraints do not even consider situations with conflicting goals and priorities or the personality, irrationality, hopes, beliefs, values, agendas, selective abstractions, and expectations of the problem‑solver, all of which further complicate nontrivial decisions.

13. PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 In summary, one person either cannot think of everything in nontrivial situations, because of their selective abstractions caused by bounded rationality and bounded awareness, or does not want to think of everything because of their personality, irrationality, hopes, beliefs, values, agendas, and expectations, or misses the most important goal or priority. This limitation is reduced in the PDCA cycle by using teams and the brainstorming technique for generating diverse possibilities at every decision making point. With the above qualifications to the rational decision making model in mind, the statement that only the questions that get asked, get answered, and only the problems that get recognized, get solved becomes an important heuristic in process problem solving. Avoid insular, group-thinking. At the outset, you do not want consensus and “team players.” You want uncomfortable questions and debate to dominate. Team‑based brainstorming helps to assure that the team asks the right questions and the team identifies the real problem and alternatives.Never decide alone – we are all smarter than any one of us.

14. OIC-3VC-QRA-RC PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 What are the guidelines for team brainstorming? a.define an objectiveb. methodically ask the improvement questions or methodically ask the correction questionsc. limit the suggestions to 3 words or lessd. make the suggestions visiblee. do not allow criticism or comments about the suggestionsf. do it quicklyg. rotate completely around the team repeatedlyh. you can allow anonymous suggestions in a politically influenced teami. revise the list of suggestionsj. clarify the suggestions

15. H-EAC2S2-M4FET2-I PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 What are the improvement questions you ask to guide team brainstorming in generating improvement alternatives?How can we: eliminate manpower to improve the process. add material combine methods change machinery simplify or feedback substituteenvironment time technology

16. C-M4FET2-D PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 What are the correction questions you ask to guide team brainstorming in generating correction alternatives?What has changed in: manpower to cause the differences materials between actualresults and methods specifications machinery feedback environment time technology

17. UW5H3-QES PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 How should we specify operational definitions? An operational definition should provide communicable meaning to a concept by specifying the unit of measure, the who, what, when, where, why, how we measure,how much we measure, and how we respond to the measurement of a concept within a particular set of circumstances. Strictly speaking, operational definitions aren't "tools" in the same sense that flowcharts are. However, they are the vital underpinning that helps us to use all of the other tools successfully. Operational definitions provide quantified, explicit specifications which are not ambiguous.

18. MCTR PDCA MethodIntroduction Chapter 9 Please describe the elements of an operational definition. a. metric – unit of measureb. criteria – variable we measure c. test – how we measured. response – pass/fail action

19. MS2IOHP PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 Why should teams physically characterize a process before starting improvement efforts?The purpose of the physical characterization of the process is to assure that:the measurement systems are correct, the specifications and standards are correct, the inputs and outputsmeet the specifications and standards, and the team understands the historical behavior of the process, using pivot table analyses of the process data, before the correction or improvement efforts begin.

20. G-RS2-IOV-PH PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 What are the steps in physically characterizing a process?The team physically characterizes the process by: a. performing gauge studies, b. resetting the process to prescribed specifications and standards, c. performing input and outputvariance analyses, and d. performing pivot table analyses on historical process data.

21. PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 Why do we perform gauge studies? Teams perform gauge studies to assure that the process measurement devices and the operators using them are accurate. Otherwise, we could have a biased fact‑finding process because of unreliable and inaccurate feedback information. How do we perform gauge studies?Teams accomplish these studies by first calibrating the measurement devices, then comparing the measurements made on a single characteristic on a single item across all measurement devices to assure the measurements are repeatable across all devices. Finally, the team compares themeasurements made by all operators for a single item and measurement device combination to assure that identical measurements are reproducibleacross all operators. CR2

22. PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 Distinguish between the actions you take if measurements are not accurate, repeatable or are not reproducible.If the measurements are not accurate or are not repeatable across all devices, then technicians correct the problem with the devices. If themeasurements are not reproducible across all operators, then the operators need training. The team should complete any technical repair on the measurement devices and operator training before the fact‑finding process begins.

23. PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 Why do we reset the process to prescribed specifications and standards? You reset the process to prescribed specifications and standards to assure that the initial starting conditions (i.e., inputs, activities, connections, pathways, and tests) for the improvement or correction are correct. You do not want to be correcting or improving a process based on incorrect inputs, activities, connections, pathways, or tests. This step is analogous to making sure you plug the printer into an appropriate receptacle and check it for paper before you try to find out why it is not operating correctly.

24. W5H2E PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 What is the purpose of the input variance analysis? The input variance analysis lists and compares information about the inputs that process personnel expect and get from the upstream process. The purpose is to identify who is supplying what, when, where, how, how much, and why to this process. The metricsused to control the inputs need to be identified. The results contrast the expectations of process personnel and suppliers to identify differences and opportunities for improvement. Cross‑functional teams which include members from upstream processes can use specifications and standards and brainstorming to complete the input expectation sheet. The team needs to correct the variances before proceeding with process improvements or corrections.

25. PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 Input Analysis Form Characteristic Supplier Target Metric Delivered ProcessTarget Variance?

26. W5H2E PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 What is the purpose of the output variance analysis? The output variance analysis lists and compares information about the product or service that process customers expect and get from the process. The purpose is to identify whois receiving what, when, where, how, how much, and why from this process. The metrics used to control the outputs need to be identified. The results contrast the expectations of process personnel and process customers to identify differences and opportunities for improvement. Cross‑functional teams which include members from downstream processes can use specifications and standards and brainstorming to complete the output expectation sheet. The team needs to correct the variances before proceeding with process improvements or corrections.

27. PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 Output Analysis Form Characteristic Process Target Metric Delivered CustomerTarget Variance?

28. PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 What is the difference between a variance and variability? A variance is the gap between "what is" and "what should be." The team can use the input and output variance analyses to reveal variances. Any quality gap is a variance and an opportunity for correction or improvement. A variance is different from variability. Every process produces at least some random variability. If that variability is within specifications, then that natural variability is not necessarily a quality gap. A variance is something that does not meet the process's target specifications or the customer's target specifications.

29. SO2-W4H2 PDCA MethodProcess CharacterizationChapter 9 Why does the team perform pivot table analyses during the process characterization step?The purpose of pivot table analyses is to help the team to identify the scope of the improvement or correction. You are trying to define which part of the organization, organizational categorical variables, and which part of the process, operational categorical variables, the team should focusupon in an improvement or correction project. Pivot table analyses can help to describe who, what, when, where, how, and how much of the improvement or correction. Pivot table analyses are a rough cut of the process information to locate your problems.

30. LO-SPEO PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 Why do we use the Is/Is-Not matrix to help diagnose a problem? You use the Is/Is-Not Matrix analysis to help you locatethe exact point in the process, with regard to the operational categorical variables, which are causing the differences you need to correct when you do not have computer-based data about the operational categorical variables. The Is/Is‑Not matrix stratifiesdata about process variation to expose underlying patterns in the operational categorical variables. Discovering such patterns helps to localize a problem, making it easier to diagnose the cause of the problem.

31. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 Is-Is Not Matrix Is a variance? Is not a variance? Is there a difference What has changed? Conditions Who? What? When? Where? How (method)? Why?

32. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 How do you setup the Is/Is-Not matrix? a. First, the team needs to identify the specification of concern. b. Next, the team needs to provide answers to the following questions: 1. Who is performing the operation when the variance occurs? Who is performing the operation when the variance does not occur? 2. What product/service has the variance? What product/service does not have the variance? 3. When does the variance occur? When does the variance not occur? 4. Where does the variance occur? Where does the variance not occur? 5. What method (operation) is used when the variance occurs? What method (operation) is used when the variance does not occur?

33. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 These answers will be the symptoms of the problem situation (i.e., the Is column for variance) and the symptoms of the normal situation (i.e., the Is Not column for no variance) across five dimensions. These two sets of facts opposite each of these dimensions describe precisely the attributes of the situation when you have a variance, the Is column, and the attributes of the situation when you do not have a variance, the Is Not column. The Is column is completed with only those facts directly affected by the problem, and the Is Not column will be completed with the facts that are closely related to the problem but not affected by the problem.

34. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 The specification of the facts as either Is or Is Not will separate the problem from everything that Is Not the problem. This process draws a tight line around the problem, to describe it precisely, define the scope, and provide clues about the cause of the problem. This process also limits the amount of information needed for the solution. There is no need to get all of the facts, only the relevant facts. c. Third, the team needs to identify the differences between the problem situation and normal situation. Whatever caused the problem produced only those effects in the Is column. If there are one or more differences between the Is and Is Not column, then these differences will lead to the cause of the problem. d. Fourth, the team needs to identify what has changed in the process (i.e., manpower, materials, methods, machinery, feedback, environment, time, and technology) that can cause these differences. If the process was running correctly, then something has changed.

35. DSAE-FPM-A2H2OP PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 In using pivot tables and the Is/Is-Not matrix, why should teams identify differences between the problem situation and the normal situation? We have a tendency toleap-frog the fact collection process, ignore the uniqueness of the situation, and to anchor on an incorrect diagnosis. The purpose of the pivot table and the Is/Is Not matrix is to have the teams think in terms of differencesbefore thinking in terms of similarities with regard to their past experience. This approach avoids attribute error (i.e., misclassification) which is caused by equifinality(i.e., multiple causes can have some of the same effects and multiple effects can have some of the same causes). Jumping to conclusions anchored on intuition and hunches (i.e., flawed pattern matching using assumptions, anecdotes, heuristics, hearsay, opinions, and pseudo facts) is natural and is effective when equifinality does not exist. However, flawed pattern matching occurs when process “experts” usesingle unified models which give answers that are direct, simple, obvious, but wrong because equifinality exists.

36. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 “Experts” and the rest of us use our single unified models most of the time successfully. However, when you have unrecognized uniqueness and equifinality, you will likely commit attribute error, because your single unified model is based on a flawed hidden assumption that the situation is the same as the past (i.e., treating different things the same). Remember: It’s not what we don’t know that hurts us. It’s what we know that ain’t so (i.e., hidden assumptions). Teams have a tendency to quickly see how a problem situation is similar to other situations in their experience (i.e., anchoring on the most recent or available similar experience) and then to judge this situation as they correctly did with the similar situation(s). They hear hoof beats and they think horses. They don’t see the zebra.Their hidden assumptions cause them to leap-frog the fact collection process, ignore the uniqueness of the situation, and to incorrectly diagnose the problem.

37. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 Attribute error caused by equifinality frequently affects diagnoses by experts. For example, approximately 15% of all diagnoses by medical doctors are wrong because of attribute error. Also, medical doctors have approximately 20-30%inter-observer variance and a 20-30%intra-observer variance. This means that 20-30% of the diagnoses by two different doctors for the same patient will be different (inter-observer variance). And 20-30% of the diagnoses by the same doctor for the same patient will be different (intra-observer error). And these professionals complete 4 to 12 years in graduate studies and internships to master their specialties.

38. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 As stated above, when we use single unified models anchored on flawed hidden assumptions, we are ignoring the uniqueness of a situation. When teams hear hoof beats they think horses, and they do not see the zebras. The zebras indicate the situation is unique and different. Look carefully for the zebra (i.e., the uniqueness). Finally, completing the columns in the Is/Is Not matrix will prevent the teams from treating different things the same or treating the same things differently and will require them to translate their opinions into facts.

39. RISDS PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 In using pivot tables and the Is/Is-Not matrix, what should the team do if the team finds differences between the problem situation and the normal situation? The team needs to go to the physical location of the problem and observe the process to identify possible changes that could create the differences in the facts between the IS and IS NOT columns. Do not rely on reports, interviews, surveys, aggregated or transaction data, or statistics. Go see it for yourself.

40. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 In using the Is/Is-Not matrix, how do you confirm that the cause you find when you go see the problem is the actual cause? The cause must explain all of the differences in the Is/Is-Not matrix. If the process was running correctly before the problem was detected, then one or more factors (i.e., manpower, materials,methods, machinery, feedback, environment, timing, technology) have changed in the process to cause the problem. If a change fails to explain all the differences, then it will not be the actual cause. The actual cause will produce exactly all the facts in the IS column and will explain the differences in those facts and the facts in the IS NOT column. If you do not check a possible cause this way, you may be taking action on something that is not the cause at all.

41. VMDAR2 PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 In using the Is/Is-Not matrix, what should the team do if the team cannot find any differences between the problem situation and the normal situation? If you cannot find any difference between the problem situation and the normal situation, then you need to check your variance specification, your measurement systems, your data collection systems, and your analyses and reporting systems. If the process was running within specifications and is now not running within specifications, one or more of the factors (i.e., manpower, materials, methods, machinery, feedback, environment, timing, and technology) had to change. If the Is/Is-Not matrix does not show differences in who, what, when, where, how, and how much, then you have errors in the variance, measurement, data collection, analyses, and reporting processes you used to implement the Is/Is-Not matrix.Once you have corrected the information systems, you have to repeat the process. Specify your Is/Is-Not matrix again.

42. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 What is the relationship between changes in the process and differences in the Is/Is-Not matrix? If there is a change in process behavior, there has to be at least one difference between the Is and the Is Not columns (i.e., who, what, when, where, how, and how much), and there has to be at least one change in the factors (i.e., manpower, materials, methods, machinery, feedback, environment, timing, and technology) that works through this area of difference to cause the problem.

43. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 What is the purpose of the “as is” process flow diagrams? Process flow diagrams describe the way in which work "flows" through a process. The purpose of the “as is” process flow diagrams is to provide a single picture of the process that the whole team can view and confirm before beginning process improvement (i.e., everyone should be on the same page). A picture is worth a thousand words. Trying to get a team to understand and agree on a written description of the process would bottleneck the improvement process.

44. B-W4H2-M4FET2-IACPTO-WNJV PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 How do you prepare “as is” process flow diagrams? Anyone who knows about the process should be involved on the team preparing the “as is” process flow diagram. Use brainstorming and complete the process flow diagram by asking who, what, when, where, how (i.e., the method), and how much about manpower, materials, methods, machinery, feedback, environment, timing, and technology for each input, activity, connection, pathway, test, and output. You want to annotate your diagram with boxes noting any non-value-added time, just-in-case buffers, and waste. Finally, you want to note any variances from specification and standards.

45. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 The following types of questions are representative of those you need to ask to prepare the “as is” process flow diagram. 1. Where does the input for this operation come from? 2. How does the input get to this operation? 3. Is the input ever delayed during its movement to this operation? 4. Where and for how long is the input stored before it is used? 5. Is this operation ever delayed for some reason? 6. Are the procedures in this operation altered frequently because of exceptions?

46. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 7. What decisions are necessary in this operation? 8. What tests are performed on the output for this operation? 9. What happens if the output is out of tolerance or incorrect? 10. Who makes the decision? 11. What happens if the decision is "yes" or "no"? 12. Where is the output from this operation stored and for how long? 13. Where does the output from this operation go? 14. How does the output get to the next operation? 15. Is the output ever delayed during its movement from this operation?

47. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 Give an example of a system of symbols you can use to diagram the flows in a process? Any system of symbols to represent the process is acceptableif you use it consistently because it is the understanding you gain from preparing the process flow diagram that is important, not the format. One system is to use: 1. diamonds for decisions; 2. lines with arrows for material flows (inputs and pathways); 3. dotted lines with arrows for information flows (connections); 4. circles for activities; 5. triangles for inspections (tests); 6. boxes with labels describing waste, non-value-added time, just-in-case buffers, and variances. If there is more than one output arrow out of an activity circle, a decision diamond may be required. Finally, make sure every decision diamond has one line entering it and at least two lines leaving it.

48. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 How do you prepare a “should be” process flow diagram for improving a process?You evaluate the process to support process improvement with the following procedure: 1. you begin with the process "as is" flow diagram in the physical characterization step; 2. you refine the flows to reduce or eliminate waste, non-value- added, just-in-case buffers, and variances from specifications and standards: 3. you redraw the process flow diagram integrating the results from step 2 to show the process as it "should be."

49. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 What is the typical ratio between throughput time and value-added time? When you first examine the activities in a process using a process flow sheet, you may be surprised to see that the material or service, as it flows through the process, spends more time waiting (approximately 90% of the through-put time) than in actual operations. A great deal of waste in processes is in delays because of bottlenecks. Value-added time consumes only 10% of the throughput time. The typical ratio between throughput time and value-added time is 10:1.

50. PDCA MethodIdentify Root Causes or Process FlawsChapter 9 What is the objective of process improvement flow analyses? The objective of process improvement analyses is to achieve aninterruption‑free, continuous, linear, level, one-piece flow of 100% value‑added operations producing 100% yield with 100% utilization which exactly matches the mix, volume, and timing of customer demand. You will never achieve this objective. But if you consistently can get closer to this objective than your competitors, you will own your market.