The seven basic quality tools are effective for data analysis, process control, and quality improvement (numerical data). However, these basic tools cannot be used for non-numerical or verbal data. To organize verbal data into useful information, you would require the advanced quality tools.

The Seven Advanced Tools of Quality (a.k.a Seven New Tools or Seven Management & Planning Tools) were developed with a design approach to organize verbal data diagramatically. These tools work in conjunction with the basic quality tools and can be used by management and staff to develop ideas, solve problems and formulate plans for improved project management.

The Seven Advanced Tools are:

1) Affinity diagram: Organizes a large number of ideas into their natural relationships.

2) Relations diagram: Shows cause-and-effect relationships and helps analyze the natural links between different aspects of a complex situation.

3) Tree diagram: Breaks down broad categories into finer and finer levels of detail, helping to move step-by-step thinking from generalities to specifics.

4) Matrix diagram: Shows the relationship between two, three, or four groups of information and can give information about the relationship, such as its strength, the roles played by various individuals, or measurements.

5) Matrix data analysis: A complex mathematical technique for analyzing matrices, often replaced by the similar prioritization matrix. A prioritization matrix is an L-shaped matrix that uses pairwise comparisons of a list of options to a set of criteria in order to choose the best option(s).

6) Arrow diagram: Shows the required order of tasks in a project or process, the best schedule for the entire project, and potential scheduling and resource problems and their solutions.

7) Process decision program chart: Systematically identifies what might go wrong in a plan under development.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To acquire knowledge on the seven advanced quality tools for project planning and management.
2. To learn how to apply the seven management and planning tools to problem solving, projects, communication and daily management work.

CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Affinity Diagram (KJ Method)
3. Relations Diagram (Interrelationship Diagram)
4. Tree Diagram
5. Matrix Diagram
6. Matrix Data Analysis Chart
7. Arrow Diagram
8. Process Decision Program Chart (PDPC)