Chapter 4. Simplified FMEA
What we will learn in this chapter is that on any project there can be collateral damage to areas outside the project. A simplified FMEA (failure modes and effects analysis) will reduce this likelihood. A simplified FMEA will generate savings largely through cost avoidance and it is usually used in the Define or Improve steps of the DMAIC process.
As was true for simplified QFDs, as presented in the prior chapter, the simplified FMEA will be less complex than the FMEA taught in most Six Sigma classes. A brief discussion of the traditional FMEA and the reason for the simplification comes later in the chapter.
Note that the simplified FMEA format is very similar to that used for the simplified QFD. This is intentional, since the goal is to use both on every new product or change. Since many of the same people will be involved in both the QFD and the FMEA, the commonality of both forms simplifies the task.
NOTE
Simplified FMEA
Manufacturing Before implementing any new design, process, or change, do a simplified FMEA. An FMEA converts qualitative concerns into specific actions. You need input on what possible negative effects could occur.
Sales and Marketing A change in a sales or marketing strategy can affect other products or cause aggressive response by a competitor. A simplified FMEA is one way to make sure that all the possible ramifications are understood and addressed.
Accounting and Software Development The introduction of a new software package or a different accounting procedure sometimes causes unexpected problems for those affected. A simplified FMEA will reduce unforeseen problems and trauma.
Receivables How receivables are handled can affect future sales. A simplified FMEA will help to understand concerns of both customers and internal salespeople and identify approaches that minimize future sales risks while reducing overdue receivables.
Insurance The balance between profits and servicing customers on insurance claims is dynamic. A simplified FMEA helps keep people attuned to risks associated with any actions under consideration.
A simplified FMEA is a method to review things that can go wrong even if a proposed project, task, or modification is completed as expected. Often a project generates so much support and enthusiasm that it lacks a healthy amount of skeptics, especially in regard to any effects that the project may have on things not directly related to the project. Everyone is working on the details of getting the project going and little effort is spent on looking at ramifications beyond the specific task!
The simplified FMEA form is a way of giving a project a critical look before it is implemented; it often saves a lot of cost and embarrassment. In doing a simplified FMEA, it is assumed that all inherent components of the direct project will be done correctly. (They should have been covered in regular project reviews.) The emphasis in a simplified FMEA is to identify affected components or issues downstream or tangentially related processes in which issues may arise because of the project.
Just as in the simplified QFD, the critical step is getting everyone together who has anything to do with the project, especially those having to deal with the effects of the project. These people could be machine operators, customers, or even suppliers. The proper group of participants will vary per project.