Objective: To provide a course in which graduate students
from many disciplines can discuss the role of statistical science
in improvement of products, services, and operations. Students
will learn the basics of the management changes that are necessary
to move toward Continuous Improvement and how statistical science
is involved. Practical examples from the instructor's experience
will illustrate the concepts. However, it is expected that the
semester project will be the principle tool for learning.
Instructor: Professor Tom Boardman, Statistics Dept.,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1877; (970)
491-5721 (with voice mail); Fax (970) 491 -7895; email address
is
boardman@lamar.colostate.edu; homepage at
http://www.stat.colostate.edu/~boardman/
Prerequisites: ST511 or other first course. or permission of instructor
Credits: 3 available for Distance Learning.
Meeting day, time and room: T,R from 11AM-1PM in E202 Engineering Building
Office Hours: TBA
Text:
Workbook for Quality Improvement and Statistical Thinking, Edition 2.2 2000, by Thomas J. Boardman and Eileen C. Boardman, Boardman Associates, Fort Collins, Colorado (Available for ST515 students only at CSU Bookstore, printed by Kinkos.) Chapter III and IV will be deleted to lower cost.
Computer Package: While many packages offer the analyses we will need for this class, Minitab Version 12 is the one we will show in class.
Other texts:
These texts are supplemental and not required. Interested students may wish to study these at the reserve desk in Morgan Library:
Statistics for Experimenters by G.E.P. Box , William Hunter and J. Stuart Hunter, John Wiley & Sons, NY
Understanding SPC, 2nd, by Donald Wheeler
and David Chambers, SPC Press Knoxville, TN 37919; (615) 584-5005
Format of Course: Session on Tuesdays and Thursdays will include both lecture and a Discussion/Q&A/Lab format which will vary in content each session. The instructor's computer presentations will use MS Powerpoint with most slides from the Workbook. Minitab and other packages will be used in class to help with the learning.
Projects: These will be due during the finals week. Each
student team will be asked to make an oral presentation and submit
an written report during the week of finals. Distance Degree students may
join our class, if possible, or prepare another suitable format
(video, video-conference, etc.) for the oral presentation.
| Week # | Topics | Workbook | |
| 1 | Introduction to course + | Setting & New Philosophy | I.1-2 |
| Impact of W. Edwards Deming | I.3 | Intro. to Statistical Science | + | Understanding the Current Situation | V.1 | Flowcharting, Cause & Effect, etc | Introduction to MINITAB 11 | "f"s experiment + time check |
| 2 | Some Fundamental Quality | ||
| Improvement Concepts | II.1-4 | ||
| The Current Situation | V | ||
| More Tools - 2 | V.1-2 | ||
| Modeling Using Statistical Distributions | VII.4 | ||
| Statistical Methods using Minitab | |||
| Red Bead Experiment | |||
| Role of Stat. Thinking in CI | II.6 | ||
| 3a | Importance of Statistical Graphics | + | |
| 3b | Monitoring the Process | VIII | |
| Purpose for Monitoring and | VIII.2 | ||
| Collecting Meaningful Data | |||
| 4-6 | Monitoring the Process - cont. | VIII | |
| Steps in collecting meaningful data | |||
| Control Charting the Process | VIII.3 | ||
| Signals for Special Causes | VIII.4 | ||
| Choosing Rational Subgroups | VIII.5 | ||
| Various Control Charts | VIII.6-7 | ||
| Multivariate Control Charts | + | ||
| Assessment of Process Capability | VIII.8 | ||
| Discussion of Implications for Examples 1-12 | |||
| 7+8 | Continuous Improvement | XI | |
| Ten Improvement Strategies | XI.2 | ||
| Including Statistical Implications | |||
| Illustrations of strategies | |||
| 9+10 | Design of Experiments | XI.7 | |
| Need for Experimentation | |||
| Factorial Experiments | |||
| Two Level Designs | |||
| Other Designs | |||
| Designing and Analyzing Using Minitab | |||
| Analysis of Variance + Graphical Tools | |||
| Evaluating the Changes (B & A) | XI.4 | ||
| DoE on Helicopters+ | |||
| 11+12 | Assessing the Measurement Process | VII | |
| Measure Process & Issues | VII.1-2 | ||
| Operational Definitions and Standards | VII.3 | ||
| Evaluating the Process | VII.5 | ||
| Using Control Charting | VIII.9 | ||
| Assessment with Rubber Belts | |||
| Assessment on TWP Parts | |||
| 13 | Troubleshooting Special Causes | IX | |
| Need for Problem Solving | IX.1-2 | ||
| Strategies for Investigating Problems | IX.3 | ||
| Importance of Feedback Systems | IX.4 | ||
| Tampering | IX.5 | ||
| The Funnel Experiment and more | |||
| 14 | Listening to the Voice of the Customer | VI | |
| The Quality Gap | VI.1 | ||
| Centering and Squeezing | VI.2 | ||
| States of Customer Satisfaction | VI.3 | ||
| Determining Customer Input | VI.4 | ||
| Six Sigma Concepts | VI.7 | ||
| 15a | Observational Studies | + | |
| 15b | Role of Inspections in Quality | X | |
| 15c | Acceptance Sampling |
Notes: The actually order of the topics may change
as we see how we are doing. The intent is not to rush the learning
process. Where "+" is shown under References either
addition materials for our Workbook will be available or additional
reading assignments will be made.
Course "policies:"
Students are expected to have an "email" account and to use it regularly. Accounts will be provided on lamar for all students.
Reading assignments in the Workbook and elsewhere will be made. These may include readings on topics not fully discussed in class.
Homework assignments will be made throughout the semester and are due as noted during the class they are assigned (usually Thursdays). Special circumstances will be considered with understanding. Students are encouraged to work together or seek outside input on these assignments, if desired. These are an important way to "learn" the material covered in class. I expect these to be turned in at the dates indicated in class.
The course project will be due at the end of the semester.
Examinations, when needed, will be of the open book, take home variety. Except as stated, students are expected to work on their own on these "exams."
Grades will be based on accomplishments on the homework and project (and possibly examinations). If no exams are needed approximately half of the grade will be based on homework performance and half on the semester project.