AIE (UK) Ltd

8D Problem Solving Process

Document Number: Q0159.1.11.05.20

AIE (UK) Ltd

Unit 2, Ringway Industrial Estate T: 01543 420700
W: www.aieuk.com
Eastern Avenue, Lichfield,
E: mail@aieuk.com
Staffordshire, WS137SF

Registered in England Number: 8058103

VAT Number: 134306837
(Document Not Controlled When Printed)
UNRESTRCTED Commercial in Confidence

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8D Scope

• The 8D problem solving (Eight Disciplines) is an approach used to

identify, correct and eliminate the reoccurrence of quality problems.

• It is structured into eight disciplines, emphasising team synergy…The

team as a whole is believed to be smarter than the sum of individuals.

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8D Origins

• The U.S Government first used an 8D – like process during the second
world war referring to it as Military standard 1520 (Corrective action
and disposition system for nonconforming material).

• Ford Motor Company first documented the 8D method in 1987 in a

course manual entitled “Team Oriented problem solving”.

• This course was written at the request of senior management of the

power train organisation of the automaker, which was facing growing
frustration at the same problems that were recurring year after year.

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8D Usage

• Major non conformances

• Customer complaints (Inc. Warranty)
• Supplier complaints
• Reoccurring issues

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8D Purpose

• Required by the Customer

• Forms part of the Continuous Improvement process
• ISO 9001:2015 requirement (Clause 8.3)
• Is a systematic method to problem solving and reporting

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8D Purpose (cont’d)

• Provides an orderly team-oriented method for solving problems using

facts rather than personal bias. Creative and permanent solutions
usually require input from many activities.

• Applies to any problem or activity and assists in achieving effective

communication between departments, which share a common
objective.

• Requires documentation through the AIE Corrective Action Report

(C.A.R).

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8D steps
D0 - Prepare for the 8D Process
D1 - Establish Team
D2 - Describe the Problem
D3 - Develop Interim Containment Actions
D4 - Define and Verify Root Cause and Escape Point
D5 - Choose and Verify Permanent Corrective Actions for Root Cause
and Escape Point
D6 - Implement and Validate Permanent Corrective Actions
D7 - Prevent Recurrence
D8 - Recognise Team and Individual Contributions

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D1 Establish the team

• Assemble a cross functional team (with an effective leader) that have

the knowledge, time, authority and skills to solve the problem and
implement corrective actions

• Set the structure goals, roles, procedures and relationships to establish

an effective team

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D2 Describe the problem

• A Problem Statement is a simple concise statement that identifies the

object and the defect of a problem for which the cause is unknown

• Define the problem in measurable terms

• Specify the internal or external customer problem by describing it in

specific quantifiable terms

• Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, How many (5W, 2H analysis)

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D3 Implement and verify
interim containment actions

• Temporary fixes. Define and implement those Intermediate actions that

will protect any Customer from the problem until permanent corrective
action is implemented

• Material / Product locations; Raw Material, Semi-finished Goods (WIP),

Finished Goods, At Customer, At Supplier, In transit (from Supplier or
to Customer), Shipping and/or Receiving Dock, Materials on order
(future shipments from Supplier)

• Verify the effectiveness of the containment actions with data

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D4 Identify and verify
root causes

• Identify all potential causes that could explain why the problem
occurred. Cause and Effect diagrams may be used.

• Note that two parallel types of root cause exist:

• Root cause of event (the system that allowed for the event to
occur)

• Root cause of escape (the system that allowed for the event to
escape without detection)

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D4 What has Changed

• Problems appear because something has changed. The search for the
root cause is a search for changes.

• Ask “What changes have occurred?”

• What changes have occurred in the plant?
• What new suppliers are being used?
• Have any new operators been hired?
• Has new material been used? A new batch?
• Is the process capability the same as usual?
• Was the weather unusual when the problem occurred?
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D4 Select Root Cause

• Interpret data and develop potential hypothesis

• Many different ideas may exist as to what the true cause of a
problem is

• Compare all hypothesis to is/is not data (investigation facts)

• The true cause will have all facts either supporting the explanation
of being unrelated
• Any fact refuting a hypothesis means that either the fact is
incorrect (bad data) or the hypothesis needs revision

• Continue research as needed

• Verify/validate facts in question
• Revise hypothesis or identify cause interactions.
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D4 Root Cause Verification

• Through experimentation (or simulation), verify that the real root cause
has been found. It should be possible to create and eliminate the
problem by installing and removing the cause

• The true root cause should be able to explain all of the data and fact
collected up to this time

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D5 Choose and verify
corrective actions

• Confirm that the selected corrective action will resolve the problem for
the customer and will not cause undesirable effects

• Define contingency actions, as necessary based on the potential

severity of the side effects

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D5 Choose and verify
corrective actions
• Corrective action decision criteria is established through the decision
making process

• Objectively evaluate each possible action against a predetermined

decision criteria

• Prove that the corrective action (or combination of

• actions) will eliminate the problem
• Conduct verification tests
• Remove containment temporarily (Only normal production
influences should be present)

• Establish indicators to ensure the defect is eliminated with high

confidence
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D6 Implement and validate
permanent actions

• Choose ongoing controls to ensure that the root cause is eliminated

• Once in production, monitor the long term effects and implement

additional controls and contingency actions as necessary

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D7 Prevent reoccurrence

• Identify and implement steps that need to be taken to prevent the same
or a similar problem from occurring in the future

• Modify specifications, update training, review workflow, and improve

management systems, operating systems, practices and procedures

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D7 Prevent reoccurrence
• Sustain the gains for current improvements

• Update procedures/documentation, training, fixtures,

• error-proofing, etc.

• Similar problems within the same work area

• Apply improvements to prevent similar problems from occurring
• Use FMEA to help identify opportunities (e.g. multiple causes for a
single failure mode/symptom)

• Same or Similar problem in another part of the organisation

• Apply improvements to prevent future problems
• Learn from prior mistakes/problems
• Share the learning

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D8 Congratulate the team

• Recognise the collective efforts of your team

• Publicise your achievements

• Share your knowledge and learning throughout the organisation

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The Quality Tools

• The Quality Circle (Deming Cycle)

• Affinity Diagrams

• Cause and Effect

• Pareto Analysis

• Trend Charts

• Brainstorming

• Use Cross Functional Teams

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Is / Is not Tool

• Establish:

• what the problem is, and what it is not but could be

• where the problem is, and where it is not but could be

• when the problem occurs, and when it does not but could

• how big the problem is, and how big it is not but could be

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Cause and Effect
(Fishbone Diagram)

• Developed to represent the relationship between all the possible

causes for a specific effect

• Manpower

• Machines

• Methods

• Materials

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Cause and Effect
(Fishbone Diagram)

• Push the causes back as much as is practically possible to ensure we

reach the root cause. Ask as many “Why’s” as possible

• When examining each root cause, look for things that have changed,
deviated from normal or patterns in order to identify the most likely
cause

• The solution will not be effective if the real root cause is not identified

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Cause and Effect
(Fishbone Diagram)

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The 5 Why’s

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Understanding problems

Off-Target Variation
X X
XXX X
XX X X
XXXX X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
On-Target

Reduce
Center
XXXXXX Spread
Process XXX X
X XX X

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Understanding problems

Off-Target
Large
Variation

LSL USL LSL USL

On-Target

Center Reduce
Process Spread
LSL USL

LSL = Lower spec limit

USL = Upper spec limit

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The Quality Circle

• Plan: Define the system or process/ Access the current system or

process/ Analyse the process, where has it gone wrong?

• Do: Try the improvements to see if they work. Test your theories /
measure

• Check: Study the results, are they what you expected? If so make
them permanent

• Act: Act to improve the process further, don’t stop. Make the process
better

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The Quality Circle - Plan
• Develop plan for implementing specific actions

• What documentation needs to be updated?

• Work instructions, Drawings, Control Plans, FMEAs, Computer
programs, etc
• What people need to be retrained?
• Operators, Inspectors, Engineers, other Support personnel
• What organisations need to be notified?
• Internal departments, Suppliers, Customers
• What new problems are presented by changes and how will
• they be addressed?
• FMEA, Risk Assessment, etc.
• Who owns each task and what is the targeted implementation
• date?
• How will progress be tracked?
• Develop contingency plans if problems are encountered
• When will containment actions be removed?
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The Quality Circle - Do
• Execute the Plan

• Use existing control processes:

• Document control

• Engineering Change

• Customer notification

• Supply Chain processes

• Training processes

• Identify the effective date of changes

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The Quality Circle - Check
• Review process to ensure things are working according to Plan

• Track progress and determine resources needed to meet

commitment dates

• Review performance results to ensure improvements are being

realised

• Review costs to ensure financial impacts are in line with

expectations

• Ensure that no unintended consequences are happening (quality,

efficiency, safety, etc)

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The Quality Circle - Act
• Make necessary adjustments as needed

• Reapply containment actions if problems still present and revise

corrective actions (back to problem solving and “Plan” phase)

• Deploy resources in different way to get execution back on track

• Move on to next opportunity if everything is complete and achieving

desired results

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