Basic Statistical Tools for Improving Quality

A complete guide to the essential statistical process control techniques for understanding data and problem solving Organizations across various areas of industry strive to improve the quality of their products, employees, and services, utilizing the technique of statistical process control (SPC) to measure variables in order to determine where improvements need to be made. Basic Statistical Tools for Improving Quality provides an introduction to improving the quality of a process or a system, primarily through SPC, while also showing how to implement continuous improvement into process control. The book analyzes quality management problems through cohesive explanations, real-world applications from different industries, and interpretations of results using software. Promoting a 'learn by example' approach, the authors introduce the basic tools of data analysis, control charts, and process improvement in a comprehensive style that does not rely heavily on mathematics. The book utilizes the author's own user-friendly eZ SPC software to carry out key practices such as making tests and confidence intervals and using graphical statistics to communicate ideas. Basic control charts for means, variances, and proportions are featured along with advanced control charts and guidance on: Generating a control chart to evaluate and monitor a process Detecting the first moment when a process breaks down or goes out of control Creating process improvement by investigating potential factors that affect the process and/or process output Implementing correlation analysis, regression, analysis of variance, and factorial design using eZ SPC Real-world examples illustrate the discussed methods, and every chapter contains a set of exercises. All presented data sets are available on the book's related website along with the eZ SPC software, which readers can freely download to create their own results and analyses. Basic Statistical Tools for Improving Quality is an excellent reference for applied statisticians and practitioners working in the fields of engineering, business, and management science. It also serves as a supplemental book for courses on quality control at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels.