(EN) The Eight Disciplines Problem Solving (8D)—D0 and D1

In my previous posts, I looked at where the Eight Disciplines Problem Solving (8D) originated from, like the Ford Pinto fuel tank scandal, and also when to use 8D (and when not to). In this post I want to go deeper into the Eight Disciplines Problem Solving and dive through all eight… actually nine steps of this 8D. Since this is a lot of material to cover, I will go though it bit by bit, with this post covering the first two disciplines D0: Preparation and Emergency Response Actions and D1: Establish a Team.

Overview

The Eight Disciplines Problem Solving has, as the name says, eight steps. Ah, scratch that, there are nine now. And, they are called „disciplines.“ Let me first give you an overview before I go though them one by one.

• D0: Preparation and Emergency Response Actions
• D1: Establish a Team
• D2: Describe the Problem
• D3: Develop Interim Containment Plan
• D4: Root Cause Analysis and Escape Points
• D5: Develop Permanent Solution
• D6: Implement Permanent Solution
• D7: Prevent Recurrence
• D8: Close Problem and Recognize Contributors

The approach was developed by the Ford Motor Company, and is quite suitable for quality problems, or generally for recurring problems that require product or process improvements.

D0: Preparation and Emergency Response Actions

This first discipline was actually the last one added to the list only after the other eight were established. This is usually the first step after a problem surfaces. In this step you assess the problem and decide how to proceed. If it is a very simple problem, you may not need a full 8D, but just do it. The 8D also cannot help you with all problems, and is best used for quality related problems. See also my post Different Problems Require Different Solution Approaches. If an 8D will help you with the current problem, this discipline will initiate the 8D process, albeit the discipline D1: Establish a Team is usually seen as the actual start of the process. Overall, this first step tries to help you to use your resources wisely and avoid overkill for minor problems. Often, a person in charge or project leader is selected at this point too.

At this point, you should also start to document the situation and symptoms. Start measuring data related to the problem. This will help you later on when you want to understand the problem in disciplines D2: Describe the Problem  and D4: Determine and Verify Root Causes and Escape Points. You should also figure out the stakeholders that need to be involved or informed.

Finally, the discipline is looking into emergency responses. Is there anything that you can or should do to mitigate the damage from the quality problem and to protect the customer? This is especially crucial if the life of the customer is at risk, or if the damage could be significant. For example, in aviation, planes may simply be grounded until they figure out what happened. While expensive, it is better than a plane crashing due to the quality issues. Hence, you need to figure out whether you should call your customers and tell them to stop using the product or a function thereof. In some cases, it may also be necessary to do a health check. For example, if there is a biological contamination (bacteria, virus, fungus, …), you may want to check who caught the bug and needs to be treated.

A first apology to the customer may also be worthwhile. Overall, the magnitude of the problem determines the magnitude of the emergency response. A big problem needs a fast and effective response. On the other hand, if the problem is nothing more than a minor and infrequent inconvenience, then it may not be necessary to rock the boat.

D1: Establish a Team

A team is usually much better at solving problems than an individual. Hence the discipline D1 sets up a team. The first step is usually the selection of a team. If you did not yet select a team leader or project leader in the last discipline D0, then you should do so now. This person should then select his team. Make sure the team is not too small, but also not too big. Often, three to five people is a good team size. Make sure that the team is cross-functional and that you have a multitude of expertise relevant to the problem. This may include people from operations, quality, engineering, maintenance, purchasing, logistics, sales, etc. But don’t just add someone from every department; see who can help to solve the problem.

Having a list of members is the first part of setting up a team, but now you need to give it structure. There should be one team leader (probably already selected in the last discipline D0). There may be someone in charge of the documentation. You will need a schedule for when and where to meet, and who will have to attend. Communication is usually through the normal channels within a company, but for larger teams involving multiple companies (e.g., an aviation investigation after a crash), you may need to set up communications like a shared drive or pick a video conferencing software. Also for multi-company projects, you may have to look into the topic of confidentiality—who is allowed to know what information and access which data?

It is also helpful to know the level of authority of the team. What can they decide themselves, and for what do they need the higher-ups? Related to that you sometimes need to secure access to the data relevant to the problem. You may need a budget to pay for the whole party.

Sometimes you see setting up a timeline and a deadline in this discipline too. This does not hurt. However, expect unforeseen events that will mess up your timeline and your deadline. Hence, while a deadline does not hurt, a detailed timeline may just be a waste of time since it will be messed up anyway.

If all of that is done, then a kick-off meeting will introduce the team members, lay out the plan, and describe the problem… but that is already the discipline D2: Describe the Problem… which I will continue in my next post of this series on the Eight Disciplines Problem Solving. Now go out, set up your initial response to your quality problems, and organize your industry!