Six Essential Factors for FMEA Success
Problems and Solutions
Do you consider yourself an FMEA beginner or are you more experienced? Challenge yourself with these problems, and see how you do. One of the best ways to learn is by pondering actual application problems and seeing if you can solve them.
If you haven’t yet read last week’s article FMEA Success Factors, it would be a good idea to read it now, as the questions are based on that article.
Beginner’s Problem
You have been assigned an FMEA to do on the widget project. Which of the following would you consider to be true statements about the success of the FMEA project? (Select all that apply)
1. The FMEA team should have a good understanding of FMEA definitions and concepts before starting the FMEA.
2. The first team meeting should be started as soon as possible, regardless of whether the preparation steps have been completed, in order to get the FMEA done on time.
3. Skilled facilitation would be nice, but it is not necessary if no one is available and if the team is trained in FMEA procedure.
4. The most important role for management is to sit in on the FMEAs, to be sure they are done correctly.
Beginner’s Solution
You have been assigned an FMEA to do on the widget project. Which of the following would you consider to be true statements about the success of the FMEA project? (Select all that apply)
1. The FMEA team should have a good understanding of FMEA definitions and concepts before starting the FMEA. (True)
2. The first team meeting should be started as soon as possible, regardless of whether the preparation steps have been completed, in order to get the FMEA done on time. (False. Proper preparation is an essential ingredient for successful FMEAs.)
3. Skilled facilitation would be nice, but it is not necessary if no one is available and if the team is trained in FMEA procedure. (False. Skilled facilitation is an essential element for successful FMEAs.)
4. The most important role for management is to sit in on the FMEAs, to be sure they are done correctly. (False. There are specific roles and responsibilities for management in supporting an effective FMEA process, and one of them is not sitting in on the FMEAs.)
Intermediate/Advanced Problem
You are scheduled to facilitate a Design FMEA, and have been presented with the following dilemma. The project team management requires that the FMEA be completed within 3 days, and past FMEAs of similar complexity at your company have taken more than 2 weeks. You think you can push the team to fill out the FMEA worksheet in 3 days, but the team is new to FMEA, has no training, and you do not think there is time to do an FMEA Block Diagram and gather the required information. What should you do?
Intermediate/Advanced Solution
This is a realistic dilemma. Product development deadlines can be tight and the pressure to complete tasks can be intense. The first thing to realize is if you cut corners and fill out the FMEA worksheet without proper team training or preparation, the resulting “FMEA” will not be worth the effort. It will not accomplish the objectives of FMEA, such as improving the product design or improving the tests. It may fulfill a stage gate checkoff, but it will not add value to the program. So, the first thing you have to do is make sure that management understands the real value of an FMEA, and supports the necessary efforts to get FMEA done correctly.
You then have two choices, and either of them will work. You can crash train the team on an overview of FMEA fundamentals and concepts, complete the required preparation steps on a priority basis, and blitz the FMEA to completion within the 3 day time window. This may take long hours, but if it is sufficiently high priority, blitzing is an option.
The second option is to appeal to management for the necessary time and resources to do the FMEA properly on a reasonable schedule of time. This will take persuading management of the value of FMEAs and why they need to be done, using the six success factors. FMEAs can be speeded up by prioritizing the work and doing the essential tasks expeditiously. But effective FMEAs cannot be performed by skipping essential elements of FMEA preparation.
Next Article
One of the best ways to learn about any subject, regardless of whether you are new or experienced, is to ask questions. As the Greek philosopher once said, “Wisdom begins in wonder.” Beginning with the next article, and continuing periodically in the series, a reader question will be highlighted, along with my personal reply.
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