By default, the 5W2H method is used to describe the problem. We can further develop it by using the Is / Is Not method.
Thanks to this approach, we gain a broader view of the problem and a risk analysis of potentially non-compliant parts at the customer’s site.
When to use the 5W2H extension?
Most often it’s used to structure the team working on the problem definition that we want to analyze. Additionally, it should be used when we suspect that knowledge of a situation is only partial. We do not have to strictly follow the questions that are placed on the form. If necessary, questions may be rephrased if You feel that they do not apply.
Is / Is Not in problem description structure
The structure of the document is very transparent. It just involves adding an extra column to the 5W2H tool. We should answer the following questions:
Who
Who is affected by the problem? (Is); Who is not affected by the problem and could? (Is Not)
What
What is the problem? (Is); What could be the problem and is not? (Is Not)
Where
Where problem occurs? (Is) Where could the problem occur but didn’t occur? (Is Not)
When
When the problem was observed first time? (Is); When was the first time problem could be observed but was not detected? (Is Not)
How Many
How many parts are affected by the problem? (Is); How many parts aren’t affected by the problem? (Is Not)
How Often
What is the trend cycle for this problem? (Is); What may the trend be but is not? (Is Not)
Fig. 1 Sample problem description structure containing Is / Is Not and 5W2H.
What can we gain by Is / Is Not applying?
The Is / Is Not method is a great extension of 5W2H used in problem analysis. Thanks to it, we can estimate if the problem concerns only one production line. Or should we analyze all the production lines in the production plant (for example, plastics processing, welding, thermoforming ect).
In addition, it allows us to transparently estimate whether a given report concerns one customer (or one of his plants).
You can download an automatic, editable Excel form for free on the Free Quality Tools
Document name: Is / Is Not method – Excel form
