Components of Variation

This tool uses a hierarchical structure for data collection in order to determine the major sources of variation. How to create it: Identify factors that either will help identify or are suspected sources of variation (e.g. lot, shift, machine, operator, etc.); ensure your data is valid by performing an MSE for the attribute being studied; collect data for the process output of interest; capturing the factor information per step #1.; visually look at the data using box-plots, control charts and multi-vari charts to identify sources of variation; once a factor is identified, ask the detailed questions needed. (e.g. if operators cause variation, what are the operators doing differently?); identify the changes or controls needed to eliminate the differences.