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8D Problem Solving

• 8 discipline problem solving
• problem solving

Asked by Vishwadeep Khatri , November 10, 2017

DMAIC - is a data driven incremental process improvement methodology in the Six Sigma philosophy. It is acronym which stands for D - Define M - Measure A - Analyse I - Improve C - Control 8D Problem Solving - is a team oriented problem solving approach which is widely used in the automotive industries. As the name suggests it has 8 steps D1 - form the team D2 - describe the problem D3 - Interim Containment Action D4 - Root Cause Analysis D5 - Verify Permanent Corrective Action D6 - Implement Permanent Corrective Action D7 - Prevent Recurrence D8 - Closure and Team Celebration

An application oriented question on the topic along with responses can be seen below. The best answer was provided by Karthik Marimuthu on 13th November 2017. 

Vishwadeep Khatri

Q 43. While DMAIC is a more popular approach as compared to 8D Problem Solving, would you prefer to use 8D over DMAIC in some situations? Why/ Why not? 

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Karthik marimuthu.

What is DMAIC?

While the acronym gives an accurate summary of the process, it is only the beginning. The Six Sigma process improvement methodology encompasses much more than an acronym can describe. The heart of DMAIC is making continuous improvements to an existing process through objective problem solving.

Process is the focal point of DMAIC. The methodology seeks to improve the quality of a product or service by concentrating not on the output but on the process that created the output. The idea is that concentrating on processes leads to more effective and permanent solutions.

When to use DMAIC

DMAIC is used by a project team that is attempting to improve an existing process. DMAIC provides structure because each phase of the process contains tasks and tools that will lead the team to find an eventual solution. While DMAIC may be sequential, it is not strictly linear. The process encourages project teams to backtrack to previous steps if more information is needed.

The phases of DMAIC

The phases or stages of DMAIC include:

Define  – The project begins by creating a team charter to identify team members, select the process the team will be improving and clearly define the objective of the project. The project team will then identify the CTQ's  to help measure the impact the problem has on the customer. This phase is completed when the team creates a process map that includes the Process inputs & outputs.

Measure  – This phase includes creating and executing a data collection plan that provides reliable and significant data. The data indicates how the process is performing and helps identify the villain in the Six Sigma narrative – variance . After this point, the project team’s efforts focus on eliminating or reducing variance as much as possible.

Analyze  – Once process performance has been quantified, the analyze phase helps identify possible causes of the problems. A sub-process map can help identify the problems in the process and tools such as ANOVA and regression analysis can help narrow these problems to root causes . In this phase, the team is able to quantify the financial benefit of solving the problem.

Improve  – Once the problem’s root cause is brought to light, the improve phase focuses on finding a permanent solution to the problem. This is where the project team’s creativity comes into play in finding an answer to a longstanding process problem. The team then tests a proposed solution in a pilot program to test if the solution is effective and financially viable.

Control  – In this phase, the project team documents the new solution that they have created so that it can be passed on to process owners. The project team then implements the solution according to the timeline and key milestones they have developed. Once the solution has been implemented, the project team monitors it for several months and if it meets performance expectations turns it over to the process owner.

The 8D problem solving process is a detailed, team oriented approach to solving critical problems in the production process. The goals of this method are to find the root cause of a problem, develop containment actions to protect customers and take corrective action to prevent similar problems in the future.

The strength of the 8D process lies in its structure, discipline and methodology. 8D uses a composite methodology, utilizing best practices from various existing approaches. It is a problem solving method that drives systemic change, improving an entire process in order to avoid not only the problem at hand but also other issues that may stem from a systemic failure.

STEPS IN 8D & HOW TO APPLY:

D0: Prepare and Plan for the 8D

Proper planning will always translate to a better start. Thus, before 8D analysis begins, it is always a good idea to ask an expert first for their impressions. After receiving feedback, the following criterion should be applied prior to forming a team:

Collect information on the symptoms

Use a Symptoms Checklist to ask the correct questions

Identify the need for an Emergency Response Action (ERA), which protects the customer from further exposure to the undesired symptoms

D1: Form a Team

A Cross Functional Team (CFT) is made up of members from many disciplines. Quality-One takes this principle one step further by having two levels of CFT:

·          A Core Team uses data-driven approaches (Inductive or Convergent Techniques)

       The Core Team Structure should involve three people on the respective subjects: product, process and data

·          SME Team comprised of members who brainstorm, study and observe (Deductive or Divergent Techniques)

        Additional Subject Matter Experts are brought in at various times to assist with brainstorming, data collection and analysis

Teams require proper preparation. Setting the ground rules is paramount. Implementation of disciplines like checklists, forms and techniques will ensure steady progress.  8D must always have two key members: a Leader and a Champion / Sponsor:

·          The Leader is the person who knows the 8D process and can lead the team through it (although not always the most knowledgeable about the problem being studied)

·          The Champion or Sponsor is the one person who can affect change by agreeing with the findings and can provide final approval on such changes

D2: Describe the Problem

The 8D method’s initial focus is to properly describe the problem utilizing the known data and placing it into specific categories for future comparisons. The “Is” data supports the facts whereas the “Is Not” data does not. As the “Is Not” data is collected, many possible reasons for failure are able to be eliminated. This approach utilizes the following tools:

·          5 Why  or Repeated Why (Inductive tool)

·          Problem Statement

·          Affinity Diagram (Deductive tool)

·          Fishbone/Ishikawa Diagram (Deductive tool)

·          Is / Is Not (Inductive tool)

·          Problem Description

D3: Interim Containment Action

In the interim, before the permanent corrective action has been determined, an action to protect the customer can be taken. The Interim Containment Action (ICA) is temporary and is typically removed after the Permanent Correct Action (PCA) is taken.

·          Verification of effectiveness of the ICA is always recommended to prevent any additional customer dissatisfaction calls

D4:  Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Escape Point

The root cause must be identified to take permanent action to eliminate it. The root cause definition requires that it can be turned on or off, at will. Activities in D4 include:

·          Comparative Analysis listing differences and changes between “Is” and “Is Not”

·          Development of Root Cause Theories based on remaining items

·          Verification of the Root Cause through data collection

·          Review Process Flow Diagram for location of the root cause

·          Determine Escape Point, which is the closest point in the process where the root cause could have been found but was not

D5: Permanent Corrective Action (PCA)

The PCA is directed toward the root cause and removes / changes the conditions of the product or process that was responsible for the problem. Activities in D5 include:

·          Establish the Acceptance Criteria which include Mandatory Requirements and Wants

·          Perform a Risk Assessment /  Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)  on the PCA choices

·          Based on risk assessment, make a balanced choice for PCA

·          Select control-point improvement for the Escape Point

·          Verification of Effectiveness for both the PCA and the Escape Point are required

D6: Implement and Validate the Permanent Corrective Action

To successfully implement a permanent change, proper planning is essential. A project plan should encompass: communication, steps to complete, measurement of success and lessons learned. Activities in D6 include:

·          Develop Project Plan for Implementation

·          Communicate the plan to all stakeholders

·          Validation of improvements using measurement

D7: Prevent Recurrence

D7 affords the opportunity to preserve and share the knowledge, preventing problems on similar products, processes, locations or families. Updating documents and procedures / work instructions are expected at this step to improve future use. Activities in D7 include:

·          Review Similar Products and Processes for problem prevention

·          Develop / Update Procedures and Work Instructions for Systems Prevention

·          Capture Standard Work / Practice and reuse

·          Assure FMEA updates have been completed

·          Assure Control Plans have been updated

D8: Closure and Team Celebration

Teams require feedback to allow for satisfactory closure. Recognizing both team and individual efforts and allowing the team to see the previous and new state solidifies the value of the 8D process. Activities in D8 include:

·          Archive the 8D Documents for future reference

·          Document Lessons Learned on how to make problem solving better

·          Before and After Comparison of issue

WHY 8D IS PREFERRED OVER DMAIC IN SOME SITUATIONS:

The 8D problem solving process is typically required when:

·          Safety or Regulatory issues has been discovered

·          Customer complaints are received

·          Warranty Concerns have indicated greater-than-expected failure rates

·          Internal rejects, waste, scrap, poor performance or test failures are present at unacceptable levels

The 8D method is sometimes preferable over DMAIC due to its focus on Interim Containment Action. Whenever there is a need an action to be taken to protect the Customer from rejections in the future. Also, if the scope for use of statistical tools is limited, 8D is easier to understand and explain to people who are new to problem solving.   

As i work in the Automobile field, we are widely  using the 8D method for taking an immediate action for the Problems occurred  & providing an appropriate solution. Though DMAIC will be an ideal methodology to solve the problems in the longer term, 8D is preferred over it for simplicity, quick-fix and easy engagement sometimes. 

Which is Best?  8D or DMAIC?

·          Both processes can generate huge improvements for an organization.

·          Anything is better than nothing.

·          Pick one approach or the other or select from one of the many other structured problem-solving approaches that focus on data collection, data analysis, and prevention of recurrence.

·          Stick with the same approach throughout a corporation to build a common understanding of the process and terminology throughout the organization.

·          If necessary, alter the process to meet your organization’s needs, but don’t cut out any of the steps in either process – they are critical to getting to the root cause of a problem.

Arunesh Ramalingam

Anirudh Kund

The 8D process was created during the Second World War by U.S. government, referring to it as Military Standard 1520: “Corrective action and disposition system for nonconforming material”. It was later applied by the Ford Motor Company in the 1960's and 1970's.

8D has become a standard in the automotive industries that require a structured problem solving process, which is used to identify, correct and eliminate problems on fast reaction to customer complaints .   It is a discrete process - Start to Finish - A reactive approach that tends to only surface when correcting a problem that has already occurred.

In mid of 1980s, applications of the Six Sigma methods enabled many organizations to sustain their competitiveness by integrating their knowledge of the process with statistics, engineering and project management. Motorola was the first company who launched a Six Sigma project using DMAIC methodology in the mid-1980s. Initially Six Sigma was applied in manufacturing but today it is accepted in healthcare, finance and service. Six Sigma/DMAIC   is a project-driven management approach intended to improve products, services and processes by reducing defects. It is a business strategy that focuses on improving customer requirements, business systems, productivity and financial performance. Utilizing analytical tools to measure quality and eliminate variances in processes allows to producing near perfect products and services that will satisfy customers. It is continuous Improvement Process.

Both are strong methods for solving problems. Both provide a consistent, structured approach, and both provide a common language so project status can be easily communicated throughout an organization.

DMAIC structure does not speak about interim containment actions , where as 8D structure particularly mentions containment as a separate step. The interim containment actions are especially relevant if you act reactively, and if your customer is already affected by the problem you are trying to solve .

Comparison of Scope:

Another important difference is the applied tools and their link to the models. While 8D only offer a structure, DMAIC offer a complete toolbox for each phase. The tools offered in the DMAIC structure is a mix of concepts and statistical tools for e.g. analysis and optimization. DMAIC is not only serving as a structure, but is often part of a data driven culture and mindset and can be used as a tool for facilitating the change to become a fact orientated company.

Based on importance and urgency both the methods can be used.

So, to the question regarding the use of either 8D or DMAIC, the best answer would be; use the structure requested by the customer .Organization like Ford is very particular about the 8D Problem solving methodology, If the customer   asks to use 8D methodology, to satisfy him ,it is best to go with 8D .If customer has no specific request, the DMAIC maybe be the preferred structure as it also combines the tools and data driven mindset.

Kavitha Sundar

Q 43.  While DMAIC is a more popular approach as compared to 8D Problem Solving, would you prefer to use 8D over DMAIC in some situations? Why/ Why not? 

In 1987, Henry ford used this approach called 8D, which is about 8 disciplines followed process and product improvements.   He also believed strongly that this 8D approach is very useful to solve ‘n’ number of problems in industries especially like automotive. This approach was originated from TOPS program in Ford company. TOPS stands for “Team Oriented Problem Solving” program. It is a systematic / structured / scientific way of approach in problem solving by identifying the root causes, developing some clear cut solutions for root causes identified and the implementation of the corrective actions identified.

8D is used when the problem is recurring, major or critical & Chronic. It depends on the complexity of the problem. It is also used in companies’ basis the customer’s requirements.

8D is not effective if the root causes are known, solution is known, when the problem is not recurring, when the problem solving requires only one person’s effort, when the process has to select the best solution from the list of solutions or alternatives.

When to use 8D ?

This approach is typically required when

1.     When the safety / regulatory issues occurred

2.     Warranty / guarantee rejections

3.     Customer complaints

4.     Internal rejects / errors, wastes at unacceptable limits.

8D Preparatory phase / Pre 8 D:

As part of preparatory phase, it is important for one to understand what the problem is. Should have a deeper insight before proceeding any type of approach to solve the issue. The following should be gathered.

What type of problem whether chronic / Recurring / critical?

What is the impact?

If recurring, what the problem last time? And what was implemented as solution?

Was the action taken permanent?

Does the problem require a team work with DMAIC ./ 8D approach?

8D Approach:

8D Approach Vs. DMAIC Approach:

  Conclusion:

There are no major differences exists in reality. Only difference as per the steps are step 3 of the 8D approach “ Interim containment action”. No comparative exists in DMAIC step as well allow the escape errors to reach the customer till we find the root cause and fix it in DMAIC.

Interim containment is a typical band aid approach / solution for the bleeding problem to calm the customer. This addresses the symptoms for time being and not the root cause. But still it is worth doing if the problem is bigger enough.

A vendor gets 100 complaints of AC / day. For a customer who has bought a Air conditioner, should be satisfied with the cooling temperature of the room. If this is not done, immediately the vendor is called for and the checks been done to improve the cooling effect at   the customer’s place. Then the vendor goes into the root cause identification and solution identification approaches. Hence the quick band aid approach is better than doing nothing.

Again it depends on the project team or company to select the approach which has to used in problem solving.

It is a problem-solving Six Sigma methodology that does improve your process with lesser variation by having right optimised solution .

8D Problem Solving:

It is a problem solving technique which has 8 steps excluding the planning step. It is objective is to identify, correct, and eliminate recurring problems, and it is useful in product and process improvement.    

The 8 steps numbered as D0, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7 and D8.

          D0: Plan—Plan for solving the problem and determine the prerequisites.         D1: Use a team—Establish a team of people with product/process knowledge.         D2: Define and describe the problem—Specify the problem by identifying in quantifiable terms the who,     what, where, when, why, how, and how many (5W2H) for the problem.         D3: Develop interim containment plan; implement and verify interim actions—Define and implement containment    actions to isolate the problem from any customer.         D4: Determine, identify, and verify root causes and escape points—Identify all applicable causes that could explain why the problem occurred. Also identify why the problem was not noticed at the time it occurred.          D5: Choose and verify permanent corrections (PCs) for problem/nonconformity—Through preproduction programs,  quantitatively confirm that the selected correction will resolve the problem for the customer.         D6: Implement and validate corrective actions—Define and implement the best corrective actions.         D7: Take preventive measures—Modify the management systems, operation systems, practices, and procedures to      prevent recurrence of this and all similar problems.        D8: Congratulate your team—Recognize the collective efforts of the team. 

Similarities between DMAIC and 8 D Problem Solving

Differences between DMAIC and 8 D Problem Solving

When do we use 8D Problem Solving and not DMAIC ?

1.        When there is a quick fix to be done for the problem at hand that needs RCA and a correction then use 8D problem solvin

When do we use DMAIC   and not 8D Problem Solving ?

Quite a few things to be considered as when we go for DMAIC . Some essential points mentioned here

1.        When you do not know root cause   , solution for a problem and it requires deeper thinking or analysis

2.        When this problem has been existing for quite some time

3.        When you have time to address the problem with proper statistical measures comparing

4.        Once you have fixed/addressed the problem using techniques like 8D problem solving and want to ensure that you want to put a better process

Below is the table showing steps followed in each problem solving techniques

If we analyze the steps in both the process, there is only one major difference.

In 8D process step D3 “Interim Containment Action” is not done in a DMAIC process.

In this step an interim solution is provided for the symptoms of the problem, this solution is temporary. Which reduces the impact of the problem to the customer for the time being.

I would prefer to always use DMAIC process in problem solving. If the problem is huge and gives big impact on the customer, we can separately provide a fire fighting solution and stop the impact for short time. But management should be aware that the solution provided is not a permanent solution so they should continue problem solving with DMAIC process.

8D is an 8-Step PDCA with focus on fast/immediate action and DMAIC is a five-step PDCA intended for improvements that are necessary but do not require immediate action.   Both the structures are in many ways identical and serve the same purpose of problem solving as shown in the below picture.

However, the differences that separate the structures are     1. Interim containment actions -  8D has a separte step while in DMAIC no actions related to interim containement are mentioned,     2. Tools offered in each phase - 8D only offer a structure and DMAIC offers a mix of concepts and statistical tools apart from the stucture.     3. International Standards - 8D is not covered by any standards and DMAIC is supported by international standards such as ISO13053-1 and ISO13053-2.        

When deciding which structure to use, the table below can be used as a guideline, depending on the company’s requirements. Scope                                                                 8D    DMAIC Provides project structure                              Yes    Yes Provides containment action evaluation     Yes    No Provides concepts and tools                          No    Yes Data driven                                                        No    Yes ISO standards available                                  No    Yes

Whie DMAIC structure provides a wider scope combining the tools and data driven mindset, at times, 8D will be preferred, especially when the customer is already affected by the problem, is bleeding, and has a serious business problem.  At such time, we need to adopt band-aid approach to address the problem rather than address the root cause.  However, it is important to complete the rest of the 8D process and remove the “band-aid” once the root cause is found and addressed or initiate six sigma projects when the issue is difficult to solve.

Shrinivas Vampathi

8D Problem Solving Methodology or system is also another kind of a system that helps solving problems.

DMAIC is a very good system maybe with some more additions or refinement required,.

I believe the 8D is also already incorporated in DMAIC.

Hence I feel it is also good enough that we use DMAIC itself.

Now since this comparison question has come up, ....

8D is also a detailed problem solving system, it uses several techniques such as 5 Whys, Fault tree, fish bone, etc..

DMAIC also uses the above techniques. But DMAIC does it with a more systematic manner by using D M A I C flow. 

DMAIC definitely needs more refinement by incorporating more elements but still, it is wonderful methodology to find right solutions to problems.

Quite often, the use of a methodology is indirectly and perhaps unintentionally governed by its history and the original purpose for which the approach was created. Such is the case with Six Sigma and 8D also.

According to Eileen Beachell, one of those involved in documenting the 8D approach originally at Ford, “the 8Ds are a well-defined linear logic methodology to address chronic problems with the purpose of changing the management procedures that allowed the problem to occur in the first place”.

On the other hand, Bill Smith evolved Six Sigma at Motorola, from a study of the relationship between manufacturing defects and field reliability, which resulted in a thrust to improve process capability to the point that no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities would be created when combined with their respective design specifications. The method of course involved use of statistical tools.

The one key difference between these two methodologies in spite of other similarities is the “Implementation and Verification of Interim Containment” in 8D which is not part of the Six Sigma Methodology.

In certain problem-solving situations, there could be some really burning problem and a need for some very quick, yet considered action on this, which should involve multiple skill inputs and multiple stakeholder representation. The action should also include damage control in addition to a permanent solution. There may not be sufficient time to form a cross-functional team, train key people in Six Sigma, go through the DMAIC phases, complete tollgate reviews, run a well-controlled and monitored pilot and complete a full-fledged Six Sigma Project.

In such cases, the 8D approach may be easier to follow, arrest the adverse impacts of the problem, resolve the issue quickly and keep stakeholders satisfied. It need not be necessarily better than the Six Sigma approach, but in this situation, may be that little bit easier to do. A smaller team could be formed quickly within the closest circle of influence and contribution. S the team members are already familiar with one another and with the process also, they can get cracking as a team pretty quickly. To begin with, the problem could be described in detail and a quick correction could be implemented to begin with. This would satisfy the stakeholders for the time being as the adverse impacts of the problem have been contained. Then this team could do a thorough analysis of all potential root causes, identify the relevant ones, identify likely escape routes, design and implement corrective actions and preventive actions.

Additionally, the last scenario of the enhanced Kano Model is the “Reverse” trend. In this, customers who are out to prove their capability in demanding product features that cannot be provided get dissatisfied if their requirements are fulfilled. Something similar to this can happen in implementing Six Sigma in certain organizations. The completeness of the “Six Sigma” approach, the structure in every phase, the need to be aware of and use some basic statistics and sometimes its sheer success and its popularity can occasionally create some irritation in people. They may not really want to be involved in a Six Sigma Project and would be interested in other alternative structured improvement approaches. Such people may be satisfied with the 8D approach, which does have some positives that the Six Sigma approach also has.

Vastupal Vashisth

Both DMAIC and 8D are structured and step by step problem solving methods  although DMAIC given by MOTOROLA and 8 D given by Ford.  As name suggests 8D problem solving approach has 8 steps and DMAIC has five steps to solve the problem. 8D has following steps:

D0 is prepare and plan for 8D.

D1: Form a team

D2: Describe the problem

D3:Interim Containment Action

D4:RCA and escape point

D5: permanent corrective action

D6:implement and validate permanent countermeasure action

D7: prevent reoccurence

D8:closure and team celebration 

On the other hand DMAIC has define,  measure,  analyse, improve and control. 

In some situations I would like to go for 8D over DMAIC because 8D problem solving is a detailed,  team oriented approach to solving critical problems I  the production process.  It is design to find out root cause of the problem devise a short term fix and implement a long term solution to prevent reoccurring problems.  When it is clear that our products is defective give and is not going to satisfy customer,  an 8D is an excellent step to improve quality and reliability. 

There are various situations where 8D is applicable,  as it is reactive approach that tends to only surface when correcting a problem that has already occurred.  In this type of situation where problem has already occurs we will not go by DMAIC as it is time consuming by DMAIC and lengthy and we can resolve it by 8 D directly in very simple steps.  On the other hand DMAIC is continous effort based not only on current and known but identify all sources of variation that are significance to cost and Quality and for future prospects of the organisation to sustain in the market. 

Because 8D problem solving works only defects so we will go with this in case of defects because it has already occurred and reached to customer and we can do control by doing this but on the other hand in case of variation data set,  projects about future plans 8D is not good to go,  there we should go by DMAIC because it uses statistical tool in a very precise and controlled way to identifying all circumstances to sustain in the market. 

So situations where once a problem area is identified to work on,  we should prefer 8D as it had a tendency to be more focused and narrowed because it is usually very effective problem solving tool where we need focus on some particular issue.  

In some situations we should not use 8d because it does provide a swt of statistical tools and an order in which to apply them as DMAIC does so well.  DMAIC really wraps a tight methodology and discipline around it.  It provides a more disciplined management approach to prioritise and solve the project with all methodology and tools. 

For example a steel company is supplying steel coil to car manufacturers and car Manufacturing company found some defect at steel level so at that time steel company can resolve it by doing 8D method rather than doing DMAIC because problem already happened and can be controlled by identifying all details related to coil and it's processing history in the plant and taking permanent countermeasure after identifying root cause and close the matter but on the other hand DMAIC is continous effort and in this case no need to do Dmaic beause of time frame and less data available. 

There are situation where we should not go for 8D because biggest downside of 8D is it step 3 implement and verify interim  containment which gives you a false sense that the problem is solved and you can go for the next problem.  It is quick and dirty band-aid approach to addressing the symptoms of a problem not the root cause. It means to stop only bleeding g,  then it's upto team to complete the rest of 8D steps including remove bandaid after found out root cause. But the reality is we don't know how serious enough a business problem is so we can not go  by 8D here,  solve it by using Dmaic. 

So we can go for 8D problem solving process in case of safety or regulatory issues,  when customer complaints are recieved, and warranty concerns are greater than expected one and internal rejects,  waste,  scarp. 

Venugopal R

The 8D problem solving approach, apart from its 8 disciplines was modified with a starting discipline, D0, as ‘Plan’. A tabulated comparison between 8D disciplines and the DMAIC approach are as below:

While the above table has attempted to compare these approaches, we may summarize as below:

• 8D problem solving techniques are a structured approach to problem solving developed by Ford Motor Company in the 1980s.
• 8D methodology gives the impression that a problem, predominantly chronic, exists in the organization, with a risk of the problem being passed on to customer.
• The above point explains the focus by the D3, which calls for developing an interim containment plan and D4, which calls for identifying and verifying ‘escape points’.
• The Six Sigma DMAIC is a relatively new expression that has become popular in 1990s.
• In principle, DMAIC takes on from the PDCA thought process, but driven as a rigorous, result oriented methodology.
• We can point out several similarities between 8D and DMAIC…... while 8D is associated more with solving existing problems that may already be adversely impacting customer, DMAIC is more associated with not just problems, but also opportunities for improving the process profoundly.
• 8D includes a containment action, which is not prominent in DMAIC.. It doesn’t mean that containment is not relevant when a problem is being resolved through DMAIC, but it does not figure in the DMAIC phases, since DMAIC focuses more strategically on a permanent process improvement. The regular Quality management System is expected to address the actions such as Containment and Escape points.
• Apart from ‘problem solving’, DMAIC would also address improvement opportunities which may not be pain point for the customer. (hence no containment for such cases). However, these opportunities may focus on improving the internal efficiency of the organization’s operations.
• DMAIC is more powerful on the “Measure Phase”, where it expects “baseline” sigma measurements, study of process variability, and establishes a measurement method that is maintained throughout the project. While the metrics need to be addressed in the 8D approach as well, it is not expressed so powerfully.
• 8D has included a discipline “Congratulate the team”, which is not explicit in DMAIC. However, DMAIC is an approach that is part of the tactical component of Six Sigma, a larger company wide program, which has Strategic, Tactical and Cultural components. Well defined reward programs are part of the overall program.

To conclude, use 8D as a regular team based, problem solving approach at floor level. While doing so, we would come across certain problems that would require a higer level thinking and intense change at a process or design level. These may be taken up as a Six Sigma project using DMAIC approach. DMAIC shall also be used for other improvement opportunity, which are identified as part of the Strategic Business Objectives.

RaghavendraRao

8 disciplines of problem solving is a systematic approach of problem solving. Which encompasses establishing team, describing the problem, containment action identification, root cause identification, corrective action identification, and validation of corrective action, prevention of recurrence, verifying the solution and congratulating the team. 8D will be handy in situations that needs immediate attention, like critical customer complaints. 8D also can come in handy in situation where a six sigma project solution need to be validated or piloted, as validating interim containment action is key aspect of 8D.

Rajesh Chakrabarty

The Eight Disciplines (8D) model is an approach towards solving problems in existing processes, through identification, Correction, Elimination of recurrent problems. Thus like DMAIC, the 8D model is useful in product and process improvement.

The 8D model helps to establish a permanent corrective action based on statistical analysis of the root causes. The 8 Disciplines are:

D1- Use a Team- Define team with people who have knowledge of the process / Product to be improved.

D2- Define the problem- elaborate on the problem in quantifiable terms like what, where, when, why, who, How and How many (5W2H)

D3- develop interim Containment plan; Implement and verify the interim Actions- The objective is to ensure that the customers do not experience the impact of the problem, till the permanent solution is not defined.

D4- Determine , Identify and verify Root Causes and escape points - deduce the root cause for the problem and identify how the problem was not detected earlier – Usage of 5 Whys and Cause and Effect diagrams are used in common.

D5- Choose and verify permanent corrections (PCs) for the problem- Quantitative confirmation that the problems will not recur needs to be done through preproduction programmes or checkpoints in a process.

D6- Implement and Validate the Corrective actions that have evolved from earlier disciplines- select and implement the best action.

D7- Take Preventive measures – make changes to the process/ operational flowif required to prevent the occurrence of the problem in concern or any related problems

D8- Congratulate your team- Recognize and reward the efforts of the team- Incentivise them or make them famous in the organization

More or less, the D8 problem solving approach is similar to the DMAIC methodology as both have the Define, Analyse and Improve Stage. However there are differences when we look at both the approaches subjectively, as per the requirement and ability of the organisation-

The 2 most obvious difference is that;

1)       Six Sigma DMAIC uses a circular strategy (PDSA) whereas 8Ds follows a linear approach for a detected problem- with a defined beginning and ending.

2)       Most Six sigma programs do not have defined logic in the beginning- Organizations use the six sigma methodology to reduce or eliminate defects that is outside of customer specification in any process. Six sigma training programs cover tests of hypothesis and there is always a focus on enumerative statistics. 8D method does not require this as it is more focussed on addressing specific failures that allowed any problem to occur in the first place.

Thus, 8D is a “Structured” problem fixing technique, whereas 6Sigma is an analytical and data driven approach to improve process capability and focusses on minimising variation in a process to reduce or eliminate the defects per million opportunities.

Consequently, many of the six sigma practitioners will agree to use 8D over DMAIC in the following situation:

-           Keeping in mind that 8D is a specific problem solving methodology whereas six sigma uses various problem solving approaches to improve process capability, 8D can be a part of the DMAIC approach as it can be used as a tool to improve output of a process.

-           It will make sense to use the 8D when improving the process is of high priority and there is lack of substantial time as is required by DMAIC process.

-           The above is pragmatically correct all the more when the existing process is not matured at level 04.

-           Training Requirements for Six sigma project is high, at times the training for stakeholders and implementers, in traditional six sigma implementations can take many weeks – this is not feasible in most of the organisations.

-           Primarily, six sigma is an option for larger corporate organisations as most of the training and information available is geared towards that sector. Also, given the overwhelming focus on statistics and big data, which is very difficult for smaller organizations or start-ups to assimilate, It becomes a painstaking exercise. Hence, the 8D seems to be the appropriate approach for immediate problems in the process that are of utmost importance to these small enterprises- Eventually which can look at the bigger picture and evolve into a 6 Sigma organizational program.

Otherwise, The 6 Sigma option is preferred over the 8D approach wherever the environment is conducive to the approach , as mentioned in the note above, with total involvement of the top management of the organization. The advantage of 6Sigma over 8D is that 6 Sigma has been rolled out in many large companies like Motorola and has driven positive change where the customers have benefited along with the employees and other stakeholders- Thus it is a PROVEN SUCCESS

And most importantly ,for any organisation, DMAIC and DMADV processes are specifically designed for SUSTAINABLE solutions- Which visionary would choose anything else???

Though DMAIC is much powerful problem solving technique but still 8D problem solving technique may also be useful in certain situations, especially when we need some quick-fix solution before arriving at the final or say permanent solution. As compared to DMAIC, one of the fundamental difference of 8D technique is that it has an Interim Containment step, which is kind of band-aid approach useful to give some immediate relief, but still root cause analysis would be required to find a permanent solution. In certain situations, when the business problem is serious enough, it is justified to go for band-aid approach to stop the bleeding, then work on finding the root cause and remove the band-aid after implementing the permanent solution. But one should be cautious with 8D approach because sometimes this Interim Containment step can give a false sense of finding the solution and moving on to the next problem.

Sumanta Das

Neeraj kalaskar.

“Hi guys, this was quite a tricky question compelling us to think thoroughly before writing any response. Almost all of us got the understanding of both 8D and DMAIC very clearly and same can be seen in majority of the answers. The key in the question was would you prefer 8D over DMAIC in some situations and why?.

The most relevant and best three answers were from Arunesh, Kavitha Sunder and Karthik Marimuthu. 

Karthik tried and explained both concepts nicely and also addressed the key part as to when to use 8D over DMAIC. Hence he bags the honour of giving the best answer for this question.”

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Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D)

– Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving –

⇓   Introduction to 8D

⇓   What is 8D

⇓   Why Apply 8D

⇓   When to Apply 8D

⇓   How to Apply 8D

Introduction to Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D)

The Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D) is a problem solving methodology designed to find the root cause of a problem, devise a short-term fix and implement a long-term solution to prevent recurring problems. When it’s clear that your product is defective or isn’t satisfying your customers, an 8D is an excellent first step to improving Quality and Reliability.

Ford Motor Company developed this problem solving methodology, then known as Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS), in the 1980s. The early usage of 8D proved so effective that it was adopted by Ford as the primary method of documenting problem solving efforts, and the company continues to use 8D today.

8D has become very popular among manufacturers because it is effective and reasonably easy to teach. Below you’ll find the benefits of an 8D, when it is appropriate to perform and how it is performed.

What is Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D)

The 8D problem solving process is a detailed, team oriented approach to solving critical problems in the production process. The goals of this method are to find the root cause of a problem, develop containment actions to protect customers and take corrective action to prevent similar problems in the future.

The strength of the 8D process lies in its structure, discipline and methodology. 8D uses a composite methodology, utilizing best practices from various existing approaches. It is a problem solving method that drives systemic change, improving an entire process in order to avoid not only the problem at hand but also other issues that may stem from a systemic failure.

8D has grown to be one of the most popular problem solving methodologies used for Manufacturing, Assembly and Services around the globe. Read on to learn about the reasons why the Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving may be a good fit for your company.

Why Apply Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D)

The 8D methodology is so popular in part because it offers your engineering team a consistent, easy-to-learn and thorough approach to solving whatever problems might arise at various stages in your production process. When properly applied, you can expect the following benefits:

• Improved team oriented problem solving skills rather than reliance on the individual
• Increased familiarity with a structure for problem solving
• Creation and expansion of a database of past failures and lessons learned to prevent problems in the future
• Better understanding of how to use basic statistical tools required for problem solving
• Improved effectiveness and efficiency at problem solving
• A practical understanding of Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• Problem solving effort may be adopted into the processes and methods of the organization
• Improved skills for implementing corrective action
• Better ability to identify necessary systemic changes and subsequent inputs for change
• More candid and open communication in problem solving discussion, increasing effectiveness
• An improvement in management’s understanding of problems and problem resolution

8D was created to represent the best practices in problem solving. When performed correctly, this methodology not only improves the Quality and Reliability of your products but also prepares your engineering team for future problems.

When to Apply Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D)

The 8D problem solving process is typically required when:

• Safety or Regulatory issues has been discovered
• Customer complaints are received
• Warranty Concerns have indicated greater-than-expected failure rates
• Internal rejects, waste, scrap, poor performance or test failures are present at unacceptable levels

How to Apply Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D)

The 8D process alternates inductive and deductive problem solving tools to relentlessly move forward toward a solution. The Quality-One approach uses a core team of three individuals for inductive activities with data driven tools and then a larger Subject Matter Expert (SME) group for the deductive activities through brainstorming, data-gathering and experimentation.

D0: Prepare and Plan for the 8D

Proper planning will always translate to a better start. Thus, before 8D analysis begins, it is always a good idea to ask an expert first for their impressions. After receiving feedback, the following criterion should be applied prior to forming a team:

Collect information on the symptoms

Use a Symptoms Checklist to ask the correct questions

Identify the need for an Emergency Response Action (ERA), which protects the customer from further exposure to the undesired symptoms

D1: Form a Team

A Cross Functional Team (CFT) is made up of members from many disciplines. Quality-One takes this principle one step further by having two levels of CFT:

• The Core Team Structure should involve three people on the respective subjects: product, process and data
• Additional Subject Matter Experts are brought in at various times to assist with brainstorming, data collection and analysis

Teams require proper preparation. Setting the ground rules is paramount. Implementation of disciplines like checklists, forms and techniques will ensure steady progress.  8D must always have two key members: a Leader and a Champion / Sponsor:

• The Leader is the person who knows the 8D process and can lead the team through it (although not always the most knowledgeable about the problem being studied)
• The Champion or Sponsor is the one person who can affect change by agreeing with the findings and can provide final approval on such changes

D2: Describe the Problem

The 8D method’s initial focus is to properly describe the problem utilizing the known data and placing it into specific categories for future comparisons. The “Is” data supports the facts whereas the “Is Not” data does not. As the “Is Not” data is collected, many possible reasons for failure are able to be eliminated. This approach utilizes the following tools:

• Problem Statement
• Affinity Diagram (Deductive tool)
• Fishbone/Ishikawa Diagram (Deductive tool)
• Problem Description

D3: Interim Containment Action

In the interim, before the permanent corrective action has been determined, an action to protect the customer can be taken. The Interim Containment Action (ICA) is temporary and is typically removed after the Permanent Correct Action (PCA) is taken.

• Verification of effectiveness of the ICA is always recommended to prevent any additional customer dissatisfaction calls

D4: Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Escape Point

The root cause must be identified to take permanent action to eliminate it. The root cause definition requires that it can be turned on or off, at will. Activities in D4 include:

• Comparative Analysis listing differences and changes between “Is” and “Is Not”
• Development of Root Cause Theories based on remaining items
• Verification of the Root Cause through data collection
• Review Process Flow Diagram for location of the root cause
• Determine Escape Point, which is the closest point in the process where the root cause could have been found but was not

D5: Permanent Corrective Action (PCA)

The PCA is directed toward the root cause and removes / changes the conditions of the product or process that was responsible for the problem. Activities in D5 include:

• Establish the Acceptance Criteria which include Mandatory Requirements and Wants
• Perform a Risk Assessment /  Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) on the PCA choices
• Based on risk assessment, make a balanced choice for PCA
• Select control-point improvement for the Escape Point
• Verification of Effectiveness for both the PCA and the Escape Point are required

D6: Implement and Validate the Permanent Corrective Action

To successfully implement a permanent change, proper planning is essential. A project plan should encompass: communication, steps to complete, measurement of success and lessons learned. Activities in D6 include:

• Develop Project Plan for Implementation
• Communicate the plan to all stakeholders
• Validation of improvements using measurement

D7: Prevent Recurrence

D7 affords the opportunity to preserve and share the knowledge, preventing problems on similar products, processes, locations or families. Updating documents and procedures / work instructions are expected at this step to improve future use. Activities in D7 include:

• Review Similar Products and Processes for problem prevention
• Develop / Update Procedures and Work Instructions for Systems Prevention
• Capture Standard Work / Practice and reuse
• Assure FMEA updates have been completed
• Assure Control Plans have been updated

D8: Closure and Team Celebration

Teams require feedback to allow for satisfactory closure. Recognizing both team and individual efforts and allowing the team to see the previous and new state solidifies the value of the 8D process. Activities in D8 include:

• Archive the 8D Documents for future reference
• Document Lessons Learned on how to make problem solving better
• Before and After Comparison of issue
• Celebrate Successful Completion

8D and Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

The 8D process has Root Cause Analysis (RCA) imbedded within it. All problem solving techniques include RCA within their structure. The steps and techniques within 8D which correspond to Root Cause Analysis are as follows:

• Problem Symptom is quantified and converted to “Object and Defect”
• Problem Symptom is converted to Problem Statement using Repeated Whys
• Possible and Potential Causes are collected using deductive tools (i.e. Fishbone or Affinity Diagram)
• Problem Statement is converted into Problem Description using Is / Is Not
• Problem Description reduces the number of items on the deductive tool (from step 3)
• Comparative Analysis between the Is and Is Not items (note changes and time)
• Root Cause theories are developed from remaining possible causes on deductive tool and coupled with changes from Is / Is Not
• Compare theories with current data and develop experiments for Root Cause Verification
• Test and confirm the Root Causes

Example: Multiple Why Technique

The Multiple / Repeated Why (Similar to 5 Why) is an inductive tool, which means facts are required to proceed to a more detailed level. The steps required to determine problem statement are:

• Problem Symptom is defined as an Object and Defect i.e. “Passenger Injury”
• Why? In every case “SUV’s Roll Over”
• Why? In every case, it was preceded by a “Blown Tire”
• Why? Many explanations may be applied, therefore the team cannot continue with another repeated why past “Blown Tire”
• Therefore, the Problem Statement is “Blown Tire”
• Why? Low (Air) Pressure, Tire Defect (Degradation of an Interface) and High (Ambient) Temperature
• Counter measures assigned to low pressure and tire defect

This example uses only 4 of the 5 Whys to determine the root causes without going further into the systemic reasons that supported the failure. The Repeated Why is one way to depict this failure chain. Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) could also be used.

Learn More About Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D)

Quality-One offers Quality and Reliability Support for Product and Process Development through Consulting, Training and Project Support. Quality-One provides Knowledge, Guidance and Direction in Quality and Reliability activities, tailored to your unique wants, needs and desires. Let us help you Discover the Value of 8D Consulting , 8D Training or 8D Project Support .

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• Guide: 8D Problem Solving

Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

• Last Updated: June 13, 2023
• Learn Lean Sigma

8D Problem Solving is a systematic and structured approach used to solve business related problems. It names has been given by the fact there are 8 steps or 8 disciplines that are followed to identify, correct and eliminate recurring problems.

8D Problem Solving is regarded as robust methodology that has proven its worth across multiple industries and manufacturing in particular. The methodology was Initially developed within the automotive industry, it has since been widely adopted in manufacturing, logistics and health care to name a few. The 8D approach goes beyond helping team just identify the root cause of problem but also provides a structured approach for implementing and verifying corrective actions.

Table of Contents

What is 8d problem solving.

The 8D Problem-Solving methodology was developed in the late 1980s  by Ford Motor Company. The term “8D” stands for “Eight Disciplines,” which represent the eight critical steps in problem-solving.

Initially it was only intended to resolve issues within the automotive manufacturing process. However, over the year since then the methodology has gained universal acceptance and is now applied across various sectors. The 8D approach was heavily influenced by quality management systems like Total Quality Management (TQM) and methodologies like Six Sigma and forms a key part of quality roles and Six sigma qualifications.

8D is also encourages collaborative team based approach to addressing issues in the workplace This methodology was purposefully designed to be a cross-functional effort, ensuring to bring together expertise from different departments or disciplines to comprehensively address an issue by looking at it from all point of view. Here are the key components:

Preparation : Before diving into problem-solving, the team gathers all necessary resources and tools.

Team Establishment : A cross-functional team is assembled, each member having a specific role and responsibility.

Problem Description : The issue at hand is clearly defined to ensure everyone has a shared understanding.

Interim Actions : Short-term solutions are implemented to contain the problem and prevent further damage.

Root Cause Analysis : Various tools and methods are used to identify the real cause of the problem.

Permanent Corrective Actions : Long-term solutions are selected and verified to eliminate the root cause.

Implementation : The long-term solutions are implemented across the board, including necessary changes to policies and procedures.

Prevent Recurrence : Measures are taken to ensure that the problem does not occur again.

Team Recognition : The team is congratulated and acknowledged for their efforts.

How does 8D Compare to over Problem-Solving Methods?

Between quality management systems and lean six sigma there are several problem-solving methodologies such as PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control), and A3 . However the combination of the 8D steps results in a comprehensive frame work that is:

Team-Oriented : Unlike some methodologies that can be carried out by individuals, 8D strongly emphasizes team collaboration as a core principle as seen in steps D1 and D8.

Structured Framework : 8D provides a very detailed, step-by-step guide for solving complex problems, by breaking it down in to logical steps making it easier to manage and track progress.

Broad Applicability : While some methodologies like DMAIC are closely tied to Six Sigma, 8D can be applied in various contexts without being tied to a particular quality management system.

Focus on Prevention : 8D not only aims to solve the problem but also focuses on implementing changes to prevent its recurrence, making it a complete approach to problem solving.

The 8 Disciplines Explained

D0: prepare for the process.

Before you start 8D you should prepare for the 8D process. This phase sets the foundation for the entire methodology, ensuring that the team is able to tackle the problem effectively. Therefore, effective preparation helps in avoiding unnecessary delays and ensures that you’re not solving the wrong problem.

Within the initial preparation step you should also the time to think about what knowledge, expertise and experience you need within the team. Cross-functional teams are important, as they bring alternative perspectives and skills to the table rather than everyone looking at the problem from one point of view. Make sure you consider expertise, availability, and interest when selecting team members.

D1: Establish the Team

In D1 you should establish the team by clearly defining the roles and responsibilities for each team member. This includes assigning a team leader, subject matter experts, and roles for data collection , analysis, and communication this helps to provide the team members clarity on how they will be involved and contribute to the success of the problems solving activity.

Team Composition

Once roles are defined, where possible ensure that the team is balanced in terms of skills and expertise. A well-rounded team will be more effective in tackling various aspects of the problem.

Communication

Establish clear methods communication, both within the team and with external stakeholders. Such as deciding on regular meeting schedules that everyone can attend, reporting formats, and tools for collaboration.

D2: Describe the Problem

In D2 it is time to create a well formed problem statement. This step is key as it provides a foundation for understanding the problem which will lead to generally more successful problem-solving. It ensures that everyone clearly understands what needs to be addressed, setting the scope for the entire process. Ensure that the problem is clearly understood by everyone in the team at this stage to prevent confusion later on in the process.

5W1H Method of creating a Problem Definition

Use data gathering techniques such as observations, interviews, and document reviews can help to precisely identify the problem. A useful tool to use at this stage could be the 5W1H Problem definition method.

You can find out more about this method with our 5W1H guide .

Problem Definition – is / is not template

When creating your problem definition ensure to be specific, measurable, and unambiguous when stating the problem. You should avoid generalities and ensure that the problem statement is understandable to someone unfamiliar with the issue. If you are new to this process it may be helpful to give the statement to someone unfamiliar to the process and see if they understand it or if they have questions. You can then clarify any questions by adjusting the problem description to improve the claity.

D3: Implement and Verify Interim Actions

In D3 while the team is investigating the root cause, interim actions are must be implement to contain the problem and minimize its impact. This is particularly important in critical situations affecting safety, compliance, or customer satisfaction. 

In this step you should identify, plan, and execute short-term fixes that can quickly contain the problem. This could include quarantining the product to ensure it is not sent out to the customer or even pausing production lines that continue to product defects. Ensure these actions are documented for future reference.

Use metrics and KPIs to gauge the effectiveness of the interim actions. Make adjustments as necessary.

D4: Root Cause Analysis

D4 is where you start to understand what is causing the issue by identifying the underlying reason for the problem. The objective is to find the root cause, not just the symptoms.

At this stage there are a range of quality and lean six sigma tools that can be used to conduct root cause analysis , which can include the Fishbone Diagram for structured brainstorming and the 5 Whys technique for causal chain analysis.

We have a range of guides on all of these techniques for you to use.

Once identified, it is important validate the root cause through experimentation or additional data analysis to ensure it’s the actual cause and not a symptom, this can often be an overlook critical step in the root cause process.

D5: Choose and Verify Permanent Corrective Actions

In D5 you need to choose what actions to be taken to prevent the problem reoccurring and any solutions implemented should be verified that the actions correct the problem this can involve trial runs, further data collection and inspections of product or services being produced.

You should also consider factors like cost, impact, and feasibility when choosing a permanent corrective action and should also conduct a risk assessment to evaluate potential negative outcomes of the actions taken

An implementation or action plan is often useful to document at this stage to detail the steps for implementation, assign responsibilities, and set timelines.

D6: Implement Permanent Corrective Actions

Once verified, implement the corrective actions across all relevant departments or processes. This can involved documenting the new process and training out to all stakeholders involved to ensure the new process is followed and that the stakeholders understand the reason for the change.

At this point you should continue to regularly monitor the situation to ensure the corrective actions are sustained and effective, this could be for a period of 30, 60 or 90 days after the problem was resolved to ensure the new process has become a sustained and issues do not reoccur. 

D7: Prevent Recurrence

In D7 to prevent recurrent you should review and update organizational policies or standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent a recurrence of the problem and document the new standard process

It is important to conduct regular reviews to continuously monitor the process and ensure procedures are being followed but also to identify further opportunities for process improvement.

D8: Congratulate the Team

The final step D8, after the hard work and successful problem resolution, it is important to acknowledging and congratulating the team is vital for morale and future engagement. With the recognition of a successful 8D Problem-solving activity complete you are more likely to encourage future participation as the method gets a reputation as being useful and successful at solving problems. 

Whether it’s a team lunch, certificates of achievement, or simply a public acknowledgment, celebrate the success in a way that resonates with your team.

Finally it is always important to conduct a lessons-learned session and document the insights gained during the process for future reference. This can be used as a future point of reference for problem solving activities.

Mastering the art of problem-solving is crucial in today’s complex and fast-paced environment. The 8D Problem-Solving methodology offers a structured, team-based approach to tackling challenges that can arise in any sector, be it manufacturing, public services, or logistics. This guide has walked you through each of the eight disciplines, offering best practices and highlighting common pitfalls to avoid. We’ve also enriched your understanding through real-world case studies that demonstrate the methodology’s versatility and effectiveness. Remember, the strength of 8D lies not just in identifying and resolving problems, but also in preventing their recurrence through systemic improvements. By adhering to the principles and steps outlined in this guide, you’re well on your way to becoming an adept problem solver, capable of driving continuous improvement in your organization.

• Zarghami, A. and Benbow, D.W., 2017.  Introduction to 8D problem solving . Quality Press.
• Camarillo, A., Ríos, J. and Althoff, K.D., 2017. CBR and PLM applied to diagnosis and technical support during problem solving in the Continuous Improvement Process of manufacturing plants .  Procedia Manufacturing ,  13 , pp.987-994.

Q: What is 8D problem solving?

A: 8D problem solving is a systematic approach used to address and resolve complex problems. It is widely utilized in various industries to identify the root causes of issues, develop effective solutions, and prevent their recurrence.

Q: Why is it called "8D" problem solving?

A: The name “8D” refers to the eight disciplines or steps involved in the problem-solving process. Each discipline represents a specific stage in the methodology, allowing for a structured and comprehensive approach to problem resolution.

Q: What are the eight disciplines (8D) in problem solving?

A: The eight disciplines in problem solving, often abbreviated as 8D, are as follows:

• D1: Form a team
• D2: Define the problem
• D3: Implement containment actions
• D4: Determine the root cause
• D5: Develop and implement corrective actions
• D6: Validate the effectiveness of corrective actions
• D7: Prevent recurrence
• D8: Congratulate the team

Q: What is the purpose of forming a team in the 8D problem-solving process?

A: Forming a team at the beginning of the 8D problem-solving process helps ensure that the right individuals with the necessary expertise are involved in addressing the problem. The team collaboratively works towards understanding the issue, analyzing data, and developing effective solutions.

Q: How is the root cause determined in the 8D problem-solving process?

A: Determining the root cause (D4) involves conducting a thorough analysis of the problem. Various tools and techniques, such as cause-and-effect diagrams, 5 Whys, and data analysis, are employed to identify the underlying factors contributing to the problem.

Q: Can the 8D problem-solving methodology be applied to any type of problem?

A: Yes, the 8D problem-solving methodology is a versatile approach that can be applied to various types of problems across different industries. It provides a structured framework for problem resolution and can be tailored to suit the specific needs and requirements of different situations.

Daniel Croft is a seasoned continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. With over 10 years of real-world application experience across diverse sectors, Daniel has a passion for optimizing processes and fostering a culture of efficiency. He's not just a practitioner but also an avid learner, constantly seeking to expand his knowledge. Outside of his professional life, Daniel has a keen Investing, statistics and knowledge-sharing, which led him to create the website learnleansigma.com, a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights.

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• What is 8D? A template for efficient pr ...

What is 8D? A template for efficient problem-solving

How you respond when problems arise is one of the most defining qualities of a manager. Luckily, there are tools you can use to master problem-solving. The 8D method of problem-solving combines teamwork and basic statistics to help you reach a logical solution and prevent new issues from arising.

You’ve spent months overseeing the development of your company's newest project. From initiation, planning, and execution, you’re confident this may be your best work yet.

Until the feedback starts rolling in.

There’s no sugar-coating it—things don’t always go as planned. But production or process issues are hardly a signal to throw in the towel. Instead, focus on honing your problem-solving skills to find a solution that keeps it from happening again. 

The 8D method of problem solving emphasizes the importance of teamwork to not only solve your process woes but prevent new ones from occurring. In this guide, we’ll break down what 8D is, how to use this methodology, and the benefits it can give to you and your team. Plus, get an 8D template to make solving your issue easier. 

What is 8D?

The eight disciplines (8D) method is a problem-solving approach that identifies, corrects, and eliminates recurring problems. By determining the root causes of a problem, managers can use this method to establish a permanent corrective action and prevent recurring issues. 

How do you use the 8D method?

The 8D method is a proven strategy for avoiding long-term damage from recurring problems. If you’re noticing issues in your workflow or processes, then it’s a good time to give this problem-solving method a try. 

To complete an 8D analysis, follow “the eight disciplines” to construct a statistical analysis of the problem and determine the best solution.

The eight disciplines of problem-solving

8D stands for the eight disciplines you will use to establish an 8D report. As you may notice, this outline starts with zero, which makes nine total disciplines. The “zero stage” was developed later as an initial planning stage. 

To illustrate these steps, imagine your organization experienced a decline in team innovation and productivity this past year. Your stakeholders have noticed and want to see changes implemented within the next six months. Below, we’ll use the 8D process to uncover a morale-boosting solution.

D0: Prepare and plan

Before starting the problem-solving process, evaluate the problem you want to solve. Understanding the background of the problem will help you identify the root cause in later steps. 

Collect information about how the problem has affected a process or product and what the most severe consequences may be. Planning can include:

Gathering data

Determining the prerequisites for solving the problem

Collecting feedback from others involved

If we look back at our example, you may want to figure out whether this decline in morale is organization-wide or only applies to a few departments. Consider interviewing a few employees from different departments and levels of management to gain some perspective. Next, determine what knowledge and skills you will need to solve this lapse in productivity. 

D1: Form your team

Create a cross-functional team made up of people who have knowledge of the various products and workflows involved. These team members should have the skills needed to solve the problem and put corrective actions in place. 

Steps in this discipline may include:

Appointing a team leader

Developing and implementing team guidelines

Determining team goals and priorities

Assigning individual roles

Arranging team-building activities

From our example, a solid team would consist of people with first-hand experience with the issues—like representatives from all departments and key people close to workshop-level work. You may also want to pull someone in from your HR department to help design and implement a solution. Most importantly, make sure the people you choose want to be involved and contribute to the solution.

D2: Identify the problem

You may have a good understanding of your problem by now, but this phase aims to break it down into clear and quantifiable terms by identifying the five W’s a and two H’s (5W2H):

Who first reported the problem?

What is the problem about?

When did it occur and how often?

Where did it occur (relating to the sector, supplier, machine, or production line involved)?

Why is solving the problem important?

How was the problem first detected?

How many parts/units/customers are affected?

Use your team’s insights to answer these questions. From our example, your team may conclude that: 

Employees feel overwhelmed with their current workload. 

There is no real structure or opportunity to share new ideas.

Managers have had no training for meetings or innovation settings.

Disgruntled employees know they can achieve more—and want to achieve more—even if they seem disengaged.

Once you answer these questions, record an official problem statement to describe the issue. If possible, include photos, videos, and diagrams to ensure all parties have a clear understanding of the problem. It may also help to create a flowchart of the process that includes various steps related to the problem description.

D3: Develop an interim containment plan

Much like we can expect speedy first aid after an accident, your team should take immediate actions to ensure you contain the problem—especially if the problem is related to customer safety. 

An interim containment plan will provide a temporary solution to isolate the problem from customers and clients while your team works to develop a permanent corrective action. This band-aid will help keep your customers informed and safe—and your reputation intact.

Because your findings revealed workers were overworked and managers lacked training, your team suggests scheduling a few mandatory training sessions for leaders of each department covering time and stress management and combating burnout . You may also want to have a presentation outlining the topics of this training to get key managers and stakeholders interested and primed for positive upcoming changes. 

D4: Verify root causes and escape points

Refer back to your findings and consult with your team about how the problem may have occurred. The root cause analysis involves mapping each potential root cause against the problem statement and its related test data. Make sure to test all potential causes—fuzzy brainstorming and sloppy analyses may cause you to overlook vital information. 

In our example, focus on the “why” portion of the 5W2H. You and your team identify six root causes:

Managers have never had any training

There is a lack of trust and psychological safety

Employees don’t understand the objectives and goals

Communication is poor

Time management is poor

Employees lack confidence

In addition to identifying the root causes, try to pinpoint where you first detected the problem in the process, and why it went unnoticed. This is called the escape point, and there may be more than one. 

D5: Choose permanent corrective actions

Work with your team to determine the most likely solution to remove the root cause of the problem and address the issues with the escape points. Quantitatively confirm that the selected permanent corrective action(s) (PCA) will resolve the problem for the customer. 

Steps to choosing a PCA may include:

Determining if you require further expertise

Ensuring the 5W2Hs are defined correctly

Carrying out a decision analysis and risk assessment

Considering alternative measures

Collecting evidence to prove the PCA will be effective

Your team decides to roll out the training used in the interim plan to all employees, with monthly company-wide workshops on improving well-being. You also plan to implement meetings, innovation sessions, and team-coaching training for managers. Lastly, you suggest adopting software to improve communication and collaboration. 

D6: Implement your corrective actions

Once all parties have agreed on a solution, the next step is to create an action plan to remove the root causes and escape points. Once the solution is in effect, you can remove your interim containment actions.

After seeing success with the training in the interim phase, your stakeholders approve all of your team’s proposed PCAs. Your representative from HR also plans to implement periodic employee wellness checks to track employee morale .

To ensure your corrective action was a success, monitor the results, customer, or employee feedback over a long period of time and take note of any negative effects. Setting up “controls” like employee wellness checks will help you validate whether your solution is working or more needs to be done. 

D7: Take preventive measures

One of the main benefits of using the 8D method is the improved ability to identify necessary systematic changes to prevent future issues from occurring. Look for ways to improve your management systems, operating methods, and procedures to not only eliminate your current problem, but stop similar problems from developing later on.

Based on our example, the training your team suggested is now adopted in the new manager onboarding curriculum. Every manager now has a “meeting system” that all meetings must be guided by, and workloads and projects are managed as a team within your new collaboration software . Innovation is improving, and morale is at an all-time high!

D8: Celebrate with your team

The 8D method of problem-solving is impossible to accomplish without dedicated team members and first-class collaboration. Once notes, lessons, research, and test data are documented and saved, congratulate your teammates on a job well done! Make an effort to recognize each individual for their contribution to uncovering a successful solution.

8D report template and example

Check out our 8D report template below to help you record your findings as you navigate through the eight disciplines of problem solving. This is a formal report that can be used as a means of communication within companies, which makes for transparent problem-solving that you can apply to the entire production or process chain.

Benefits of using the 8D method

The 8D method is one of the most popular problem-solving strategies for good reason. Its strength lies in teamwork and fact-based analyses to create a culture of continuous improvement —making it one of the most effective tools for quality managers. The benefits of using the 8D method include: 

Improved team-oriented problem-solving skills rather than relying on an individual to provide a solution

Increased familiarity with a problem-solving structure

A better understanding of how to use basic statistical tools for problem-solving

Open and honest communication in problem-solving discussions

Prevent future problems from occurring by identifying system weaknesses and solutions

Improved effectiveness and efficiency at problem-solving

Better collaboration = better problem solving

No matter how good a manager you are, production and process issues are inevitable. It’s how you solve them that separates the good from the great. The 8D method of problem solving allows you to not only solve the problem at hand but improve team collaboration, improve processes, and prevent future issues from arising. 

Try Asana’s project management tool to break communication barriers and keep your team on track.

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What is the 8D Problem Solving? And How to use the 8D Report?

The 8D problem-solving process (also known as the 8 Disciplines) is very different from previous processes we explored previously, such as the Double Diamond process or the IBM Design Thinking. The 8D process works in a rigid standardised nature to address the crisis caused by problems. The 8D process aims to walk with the team to highlight the problem, its root causes and propose a long-term solution. The process is documented in an 8D report which includes details of each of the eight stages. At the end of this article, we will explore an example report, and you can find a free 8D report template to download.

In times of crisis, companies face the challenge of analysing and solving problems efficiently in a short time to save developed projects. Problem-solving techniques such as the  TRIZ method  and  Hurson’s Production Thinking Model  allow companies to overcome crises and solve problems using less effort and time.

• Stage Gate Process: The Complete Practice Guide
• The Double Diamond Design Thinking Process and How to Use it
• A Guide to the SCAMPER Technique for Creative Thinking
• Design Thinking Tools: Reverse Brainstorming

Brief History of the 8D Problem Solving

The 8D method was first implemented by the US government during WW II as a military standard and was referred to as the Army Directive 1520, “Remedies and disposal of nonconforming materials.” In 1987, the demand for a team-oriented problem-solving method increased among the management organisation in the automotive industry to find a way to eliminate recurring issues.

Ford Motor Company published their manual,  Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS),  which includes their 8 Disciplines of the problem-solving process. The process was initially used to deal with quality control and safety issues inside the company but later expanded its role to a team approach problem-solving method. The 8D process is employed by engineers and designers to identify, analyse, and correct problems by eliminating the primary source that caused the problem.

So, what are the eight steps in the 8D methodology? The 8D problem solving process includes 8 Disciplines. In the mid-90s, a D0 step for planning was added to the process. The 8D steps include the following:

• D1: Team formation
• D2: Describe the problem
• D3: Develop a temporary containment plan
• D4: Determine and verify root causes
• D5: Verify the permanent solution
• D6: Implement the permanent solution
• D7: Prevent recurrence
• D8: Congratulate your team

The 8 Disciplines aim to achieve the following targets while solving the specified problem:

• Think as a team while solving the problem
• Isolate the situation and understand its causes
• Identify the factors that contribute to the problem
• Provide a temporary solution to halt the impact of the problem
• Eliminate the causes of the problem and the factors contributing to it
• Prevent the problem from recurring

When Should the 8D Problem Solving be Used?

Based on the above targets, the 8D problem solving process is designed for complex problems whose solution exceeds the ability of one expert. Also, it aims to establish communication for problem resolution through different levels inside the company. In some situations, the consumer or the management team requests the application of the 8D process through several forms or documentation.

While 8D problem solving is suitable for recurring problems that may repeatedly occur within a project or company, it is not ideal for simple issues that can be solved quickly by individual efforts. The process is unsuitable for a problem that can be solved with a straightforward solution. The 8D process is designed for complex issues, which require several weeks to solve and the involvement of at least four people.

8D problem solving provides a systematic process to find and solve problems. Therefore, if the situation requires choosing between alternative solutions, 8D acknowledges that other tools may help solve the problem better than the 8D process.

How to Apply the 8D Problem Solving Process?

The steps below form the 8 Discipline process to achieve targeted problem solving through the eight steps.

This discipline is also known as the Pre 8D because it aims to understand the problem and determine if the 8D process is the correct method to use. At this stage, the team aims to answer general questions such as:

• Is this a new problem, or has it happened before?
• Is this a recurring problem?
• What is the history of this issue?
• What was the method used to solve the problem before?

At this stage, the target is to learn about the problem’s history and decide if the 8D process is the best tool to solve the problem.

D1: Team Formation

Thinking as a team can produce more efficient solutions than trying to solve a problem alone. The team includes all the stakeholders involved in the situation. The team communicates with each other and performs brainstorming to solve the problem (check  Design Thinking Tools: Reverse Brainstorming ). If the team does not know each other, the brainstorming time can be used to learn how to teach members to explore ideas together. Methods can be used in brainstorming sessions such as mind mapping , Six Thinking Hats , and  Lego Serious Play.

D2: Describe the Problem

After team formation, the second step is to understand the problem and its risks. This stage starts with a risk analysis to identify the situation and how it can affect the project flow. Several methods can be used to analyse the problem from different perspectives, including  SWOT analysis ,  SCAMPER technique , and similar tools. This stage is essential to building a clear vision of the problem and ensuring all stakeholders have the same understanding of the situation.

D3: Develop a Temporary Containment Plan

While solving the problem, there should be a temporary containment plan to prevent the problem from affecting the rest of the project or the final product. This temporary containment solution is a short-term operation such as adding more labour, increasing the quality measurements, applying a risk plan, etc.

It is essential to understand that the containment action is not the real solution and can only be used for the short term. Therefore, this action can be applied internally and not affect the process of reaching a permanent solution.

D4: Determine and Verify Root Causes

This stage aims to investigate the root causes of the problem; it can be considered the core of the 8D problem solving process. In many problems, what we see as causes are symptoms of other root causes. This misunderstanding can lead to inaccurate attempts at solutions that can have negative consequences in the future and leave the underlying problem unsolved.

An intensive investigation should be implemented because, in many cases, the root cause is hidden inside the process and covered by many symptoms, which is confusing. Some tools can be used to define the root causes of the problem, such as  brainstorming , statistical analysis, flow charts, audits, etc.

D5: Verify the Permanent Solution

Once the root cause is defined, the solution becomes apparent, and the team better understands how to solve the problem. However, the symptoms and other related factors may create difficulties deciding how best to apply the solution. So, these other factors should be considered when determining the permanent solution to the dilemma.

When choosing the permanent solution to the problem, it should meet the following criteria to ensure it is the ideal solution for the problem:

• The solution should be practical
• The solution should be feasible
• The solution should be cost-effective
• The solution should not fail during production
• The solution should be implemented in all affected facilities in the company

D6: Implement the Permanent Solution

Once the solution is approved, this step tends to work as an action plan. This plan aims to outline the steps to implement the solution. It is common to ask questions in this stage: What should be done? Who should be involved in the correction plan?

More documentation and detailed plans should be created if the solution is complex and needs further procedures. The method may include training the team and checking the plan’s progress for further development and improvement.

D7: Prevent Recurrence

Once the action plan is set and ready to be implemented, the team should establish a plan to prevent the problem from occurring in the future. The action plan should be tested and documented as part of the process to avoid the recurrence of the problem. Some of the tools that can achieve this goal are Control Charts, Capabilities Analysis, and Control Plans.

D8: Congratulate the Team

After completing the task and implementing the solution, the team deserves an acknowledgement of their work and a celebration. This event will positively impact the stakeholders and reflect recognition of employees’ efforts from the management inside the company.

How do you Write an 8D Report?

The primary documentation used in the problem solving process is the 8D report. Korenko et al. (2013) presented an example of the 8D problem-solving application, Application 8D Method For Problems Solving . After this example, you can find a free 8D Report template that you can download and use for both commercial and noncommercial applications. The first part of the report, D0, includes information about the problem and the project details related to the project. D1 section contains details of the team involved in the project, roles, titles and contact information. D2 part of the report includes a detailed description of the problem and possible visual images to show the problem clearly. The report can consist of the type of damage of the failure and the function where the problem occurs (Figure 2).  

D3 includes details of the temporary solution for the problem required to stop the damage rapidly. In this part, the temporary remedy is described, particularly the symptoms affect, the responsibility, and the validation of the action. In D4, the team uses a root-cause method such as the 5WHYs or the Cause-Effect analysis (Fish Bone method). These methods help the team to identify the root causes of the problem. In Figure 3, the 5WHYs method is used several times to identify the root cause of the problem. 

D5 of the report provides details about the permanent solution to fix the problem. Unlike the temporary solution, this aims to element the root causes of the problem. This section includes the procedure’s name, the reason to use it, the responsibility, the management approval to apply it and the expected date of completing the utilisation of the solution, as seen in Figure 4. In the following stage, D6, the team provides details on the implementation and validation of the permanent action.

D7 provides details about preventing the recurrent problem, such as the name of the action after the validation process in the previous stage. Also, this stage provides details of the cause behind this action and elements about its responsibility and implementing details. Finally, in D8, the report includes a summary of the procedure and the proper approvals related to the procedure implementation (Figure 5). 

Free 8D Report Template Download

You can download the below 8D report, which you can use for commercial and noncommercial projects. Don’t forget to mention Designorate as the source of this free 8D report.

The 8D Problem Solving process provides a reliable and systematic method that ensures that the problems inside a company or project are solved by eliminating their root causes and preventing recurrence. However, it is most suitable for complex problems that can take weeks or even months to solve. Therefore, the first stage aims to determine if the 8D process is ideal for the problem or if more straightforward tools should be implemented. If the 8D problem solving method is appropriate for your business problem, you have a step-by-step template to guide you through your attempts to find a suitable solution to the obstacle you need to overcome.

Dr Rafiq Elmansy

As an academic and author, I've had the privilege of shaping the design landscape. I teach design at the University of Leeds and am the Programme Leader for the MA Design, focusing on design thinking, design for health, and behavioural design. I've developed and taught several innovative programmes at Wrexham Glyndwr University, Northumbria University, and The American University in Cairo. I'm also a published book author and the proud founder of Designorate.com, a platform that has been instrumental in fostering design innovation. My expertise in design has been recognised by prestigious organizations. I'm a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the Design Research Society (FDRS), and an Adobe Education Leader. Over the course of 20 years, I've had the privilege of working with esteemed clients such as the UN, World Bank, Adobe, and Schneider, contributing to their design strategies. For more than 12 years, I collaborated closely with the Adobe team, playing a key role in the development of many Adobe applications.

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8D Problem Solving Process

Solving major problems in a disciplined way.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

(Also known as Global 8D Problem Solving)

When your company runs into a major problem, you need to address it quickly. However, you also need to deal with it thoroughly and ensure that it doesn't recur – and this can take a lot of effort and elapsed time.

The 8D Problem Solving Process helps you do both of these seemingly-contradictory things, in a professional and controlled way. In this article, we'll look at the 8D Problem Solving Process, and we'll discuss how you can use it to help your team solve major problems.

Origins of the Tool

The Ford Motor Company® developed the 8D (8 Disciplines) Problem Solving Process, and published it in their 1987 manual, "Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS)." In the mid-90s, Ford added an additional discipline, D0: Plan. The process is now Ford's global standard, and is called Global 8D.

Ford created the 8D Process to help teams deal with quality control and safety issues; develop customized, permanent solutions to problems; and prevent problems from recurring. Although the 8D Process was initially applied in the manufacturing, engineering, and aerospace industries, it's useful and relevant in any industry.

The eight disciplines are shown in figure 1, below:

Figure 1: The 8D Problem Solving Process

The 8D Process works best in teams tasked with solving a complex problem with identifiable symptoms. However, you can also use this process on an individual level, as well.

Applying the Tool

To use the 8D Process, address each of the disciplines listed below, in order. Take care not to skip steps, even when time is limited; the process is only effective when you follow every step.

Discipline 0: Plan

Before you begin to assemble a team to address the problem, you need to plan your approach. This means thinking about who will be on the team, what your time frame is, and what resources you'll need to address the problem at hand.

Discipline 1: Build the Team

You should aim to put together a team that has the skills needed to solve the problem, and that has the time and energy to commit to the problem solving process.

Keep in mind that a diverse team is more likely to find a creative solution than a team of people with the same outlook (although if outlooks are too diverse, people can spend so much time disagreeing that nothing gets done).

Create a team charter that outlines the team's goal and identifies each person's role. Then, do what you can to build trust and get everyone involved in the process that's about to happen.

If your team is made up of professionals who haven't worked together before, consider beginning with team-building activities to ensure that everyone is comfortable working with one another.

Discipline 2: Describe the Problem

Once your team has settled in, describe the problem in detail. Specify the who, what, when, where, why, how, and how many; and use techniques like CATWOE and the Problem-Definition Process to ensure that you're focusing on the right problem.

Start by doing a Risk Analysis – if the problem is causing serious risks, for example, to people's health or life, then you need to take appropriate action. (This may include stopping people using a product or process until the problem is resolved.)

If the problem is with a process, use a Flow Chart , Swim Lane Diagram , or Storyboard to map each step out; these tools will help your team members understand how the process works, and, later on, think about how they can best fix it.

Discovering the root cause of the problem comes later in the process, so don't spend time on this here. Right now, your goal is to look at what's going wrong and to make sure that your team understands the full extent of the problem.

Discipline 3: Implement a Temporary Fix

Once your team understands the problem, come up with a temporary fix. This is particularly important if the problem is affecting customers, reducing product quality, or slowing down work processes.

Harness the knowledge of everyone on the team. To ensure that each person's ideas are heard, consider using brainstorming techniques such as Round Robin Brainstorming or Crawford's Slip Writing Method , alongside more traditional team problem solving discussions.

Once the group has identified possible temporary fixes, address issues such as cost, implementation time, and relevancy. The short-term solution should be quick, easy to implement, and worth the effort.

Discipline 4: Identify and Eliminate the Root Cause

Once your temporary fix is in place, it's time to discover the root cause of the problem.

Conduct a Cause and Effect Analysis to identify the likely causes of the problem. This tool is useful because it helps you uncover many possible causes, and it can highlight other problems that you might not have been aware of. Next, apply Root Cause Analysis to find the root causes of the problems you've identified.

Once you identify the source of the problem, develop several permanent solutions to it.

If your team members are having trouble coming up with viable permanent solutions, use the Straw Man Concept to generate prototype solutions that you can then discuss, tear apart, and rebuild into stronger solutions.

Discipline 5: Verify the Solution

Once your team agrees on a permanent solution, make sure that you test it thoroughly before you fully implement it, in the next step.

• Conducting a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to spot any potential problems.
• Using Impact Analysis to make sure that there will be no unexpected future consequences.
• Using Six Thinking Hats to examine the fix from several different emotional perspectives.

Last, conduct a Blind Spot Analysis to confirm that you and your team haven't overlooked a key factor, or made an incorrect assumption about this solution.

Discipline 6: Implement a Permanent Solution

Once your team reaches a consensus on the solution, roll your fix out. Monitor this new solution closely for an appropriate period of time to make sure that it's working correctly, and ensure that there are no unexpected side effects.

Discipline 7: Prevent the Problem From Recurring

When you're sure that the permanent solution has solved the problem, gather your team together again to identify how you'll prevent the problem from recurring in the future.

You might need to update your organization's standards, policies, procedures, or training manual to reflect the new fix. You'll likely also need to train others on the new process or standard. Finally, you'll need to consider whether to change your management practices or procedures to prevent a recurrence.

Discipline 8: Celebrate Team Success

The last step in the process is to celebrate and reward your team's success . Say "thank you" to everyone involved, and be specific about how each person's hard work has made a difference. If appropriate, plan a party or celebration to communicate your appreciation.

Before the team disbands, conduct a Post-Implementation Review to analyze whether your solution is working as you thought, and to improve the way that you solve problems in the future.

In the late 1980s, Ford Motor Company developed the 8D (8 Disciplines) Problem Solving Process to help manufacturing and engineering teams diagnose, treat, and eliminate quality problems. However, teams in any industry can use this problem solving process.

The eight disciplines are:

• Build the Team.
• Describe the Problem.
• Implement a Temporary Fix.
• Identify and Eliminate the Root Cause.
• Verify the Solution.
• Implement a Permanent Solution.
• Prevent the Problem From Recurring.
• Celebrate Team Success.

The 8D Problem Solving Process is best used with a team solving complex problems; however, individuals can also use it to solve problems on their own.

Ford is a registered trademark of the Ford Motor Company: https://www.ford.com/

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An overview of the 8D problem-solving method

The 8D problem-solving method is a powerful tool in product management. It’s designed to help product managers tackle issues systematically and enhance product quality. This method follows eight steps in total, hence the name 8D.

The steps range from identifying problems to implementing long-term solutions. Today you’ll explore how you can effectively apply 8D to your products. You’ll also learn about the benefits of using this approach and analyze some real case studies.

What is 8D?

The 8D problem-solving method is designed to address and resolve problems by identifying, correcting, and eliminating recurring issues.

It involves eight different steps:

• Plan — Prepare for the problem-solving process
• Team selection — Assemble a team with the necessary knowledge and skills
• Problem definition — Clearly define the problem and its impact
• Interim containment action — Implement temporary measures to contain the problem
• Root cause identification — Identify the underlying cause(s) of the problem
• Permanent corrective action — Develop and implement a solution to address the root cause
• Preventive measures — Take steps to prevent the recurrence of the problem
• Team recognition — Acknowledge and reward the team’s efforts in resolving the issue

These steps focus on root cause analysis, preventive measures, and long-term solution implementation. The end goal is to improve product quality and operational efficiency.

The eight disciplines of 8D

The eight disciplines of the 8D method represent a comprehensive approach to solve problems within an organization. Each discipline is designed to guide teams through the process at each stage. Here’s a deeper look into each stage:

This initial step involves preparing for the problem-solving process. The goal here is to understand the problem’s magnitude and set up objectives. It’s about getting ready to tackle the issue systematically.

Team selection

In this step, a cross-functional team is formed. The team should consist of individuals with the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to address the problem effectively. The team works together throughout the 8D process.

Problem definition

Next, the team has to describe the issue in specific terms. The goal here is to understand the impact and scope of the complication. A well-defined problem is easier to solve.

Interim containment

In the process of finding a solution, temporary measures are taken to contain the problem and prevent it from worsening. This reduces further damage or impact to the involved operations.

Root cause identification

In this phase, the team uses various tools and techniques to identify the underlying cause of the problem. An understanding of the root cause is essential for developing an effective, lasting solution.

Permanent corrective action

With the root cause identified, the team moves to develop a permanent corrective action plan to resolve the issue. Now, the team needs to choose the best solution, implement it, and monitor its effectiveness. This analysis will ensure that the problem is truly resolved.

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Preventive measures

With such vast processes, there is always a possibility of the problem recurring. To resolve this, the team identifies and implements measures that address the root cause. There might be a need for changes to different aspects of the overall approach.

Team recognition

The final stage focuses on acknowledging and rewarding the team’s efforts. Recognizing the team’s hard work and success in resolving the issue is important for morale. It also promotes a culture of continuous improvement.

By following these eight disciplines, product managers can solve problems more effectively. The other benefit is that it builds a proactive culture that addresses issues before they escalate.

Applying 8D in product management

Applying the 8D problem-solving method in product management involves leveraging its structured approach. This helps you eliminate problems and process improvement initiatives.

Problem identification

The 8D process begins with gathering data and feedback to quickly identify potential issues. After that, a diverse team from various departments works together to uncover issues. And finally, the team solves the problems efficiently.

Once a problem is spotted, quick fixes are applied to limit its impact. Simultaneously, you explore root causes of an issue using methods like the Five Whys . The final step is to implement the solution based on these insights. Occasionally, redesigns or process upgrades are also used to resolve the issue thoroughly.

Elimination

To eliminate recurring problems, it’s crucial to establish preventive measures. Several steps support the main goal of elimination including process adjustments, quality control improvements, and updates to design standards.

The insights gathered from each 8D cycle help with continuous improvement. It also aids in formulating strategies to avert future issues.

Benefits of the 8D method

The main benefit of using the 8D method is its impact on teamwork and continuous improvement. The more obvious benefits focus on root cause analysis and prevention of issues:

• Enhanced quality control
• Efficient problem resolution
• Systematic and thorough approach
• Teamwork and knowledge sharing
• Focus on root cause analysis
• Reduced recurrence of issues
• Cost reduction
• Improved customer satisfaction

The systematic approach to address issues ensures that no effort goes to waste. Eventually, it helps the teams to quickly propose long-term solutions to a range of problem patterns.

Challenges in implementing 8D

The 8D problem-solving method is extremely valuable when used in the right manner. However, there can be challenges at every stage of this process. Because of this, it’s beneficial for you to have an understanding of how to quickly identify these challenges.

These include:

• Resistance to change among team members
• Insufficient teamwork and collaboration
• Lack of training on the 8D methodology
• Difficulties in data collection and analysis

How to solve them?

• Clearly communicate benefits to overcome resistance
• Foster collaboration and teamwork among participants
• Provide targeted training on the 8D process
• Encourage data analysis for effective problem-solving

For a deeper understanding, let’s take a look at two case studies of how the 8D process can enhance the product management workflow.

Real-life examples of 8D

A leading tech company, (similar to Apple) faced public backlash over smartphones overheating and reduced battery life. In this context, the 8D method helped to quickly identify and contain the issues.

The root cause analysis helped it track the problem back to a battery design flaw. Collaborative efforts with the battery supplier led to a redesigned battery and an update to the operating system. This not only resolved the issue but also restored consumer trust. Eventually, the brand’s reputation for quality was restored.

Similarly, a major automaker found a software glitch in its driver-assistance systems. This issue was risking driver safety. Using the 8D method, it pinpointed outdated algorithms as the root cause. The solution was simple, it issued a software update and enhanced its development processes.

Both of these examples are evidence of how the 8D method can be utilized to prevent complications efficiently.

Key takeaways

In wrapping up, it’s clear that this approach is more than just a procedure. Think of it as a strategic framework designed for the product manager. The 8D method equips you with a robust toolkit for addressing and preempting issues, systematically.

On top of that it helps you to:

• Promote teamwork and continuous improvement
• Reduce problem recurrence through root cause analysis
• Overcome implementation challenges with effective communication

Feel free to comment with any questions you may have!

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8D Chess: How to Use The 8 Disciplines for Problem Solving

Hospitals have developed something of a reputation for being rife with bad processes . When processes aren’t adequate, the result is an abundance of “workarounds”.

For example, when equipment or supplies are missing, a nurse might waste time running around searching for what is needed, and once the item is found, return to their previous duties.

One study indicates that nurses spend 33 minutes of a 7.5-hour shift completing workarounds that are not part of their job description.

This may well “put out the fire” so-to-speak, but really it is just a hastily applied band-aid that does nothing to treat the root cause of the problem.

More time is wasted and more problems will arise in the future because nothing has been done to prevent the initial problem from happening again.

Individual nurses are not at fault here; workplace culture often values expertise in the form of those who “get the job done”, which tends to pull against the notion of spending time building good processes (time in which the job is perhaps not “getting done”).

So how to approach the problem of problem solving ?

In a lean context, problem solving can be distilled into two simple questions:

• What is the problem and how did it happen?
• How can we make sure that it doesn’t happen again?

The 8D, or eight disciplines methodology, is a problem solving process – most likely one of the most widely used problem solving processes out there. It is used by many different countries, in many different industries, and many different organizations.

8D is designed to help you put out those fires, and make sure they don’t happen again.

In this article, I’ll introduce you to the 8D problem solving methodology and provide you with an outline of the basic process that you can hopefully apply in your own business, plus how you can enhance 8D with other tools and methodologies like Six Sigma , FMEA , and Process Street .

Here’s what I hope you’ll take away after reading:

• An understanding of the basics of 8D
• Advantages of using 8D
• The purpose and objectives of each phase of the 8D process
• An understanding of how to use 8D for problem solving
• How 8D works with other problem solving tools
• How you can use Process Street to maximize the potential of the 8D framework

Let’s begin with the origins of 8D – what is it, and where did it come from?

What is 8D?

8D (sometimes Global 8D or G8D) stands for eight disciplines, and is a problem solving methodology. It’s basically a process for understanding and preventing problems.

Much like how risk management seeks to take a proactive, preventative stance, 8D aims to gain insight into the root causes of why the problems happen, so they won’t happen again.

The 8D process involves eight (sometimes nine) steps to solve difficult, recurring problems. It’s a transparent, team-based approach that will help you solve more problems in your business.

8D origins: Where did it come from?

Despite the popular story that 8D originated at Ford, it was in fact developed in 1974 by the US Department of Defence, ultimately taking the form of the military standard 1520 Corrective Action and Disposition System for Nonconforming Material .

Ford took this military standard, which was essentially a process for quality management , and expanded on it to include more robust problem solving methods.

In 1987, Ford Motor Company published their manual, Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS) , which included their first iteration of the 8D methodology.

Initially termed Global 8D (or G8D) standard, it is currently used by Ford and many other companies in the automotive supply chain.

8D, PDSA, & other problem solving processes

The disciplines of 8D follow the same logic as the Deming Cycle (also known as PDSA, and sometimes PDCA).

PDSA stands for Plan, Do, Study, Act (or Check, in the case of PDCA).

The similarity lies in the fact that both PDSA and 8D are designed to be used to improve processes. They’re both examples of cycles of continuous improvement.

Whereas 8D may be painted as a more generic problem-solving framework, structurally speaking both 8D and PDSA share a lot in common.

The simple idea of beginning with a clear objective, or desired output, and then testing, analyzing , and iteratively tweaking in a continuous cycle is the basis for both methodologies.

There are, of course, differences. We’ll cover the different applications of both 8D and PDSA in this article.

8D advantages

One of the main strengths of 8D is its focus on teamwork. 8D philosophy encourages the idea that teams, as a whole, are more powerful than the sum of the individual qualities of each team member.

It’s also an empirical methodology; that is to say that it is a fact-based problem solving process.

A branch of continuous improvement, proper use of 8D will help you coordinate your entire team for effective problem solving and improved implementation of just about all of the processes used in your business.

The 8 disciplines for problem solving

As you may have noticed, we’re starting with zero, which makes nine total disciplines. This “zero” stage was developed as an initial planning step.

D0: Plan adequately

Make comprehensive plans for solving the problem including any prerequisites you might determine.

Be sure to include emergency response actions.

D1: Establish your team

Establish your core team with relevant product or process knowledge. This team will provide you with the perspective and ideas needed for the problem solving process.

The team should consist of about five people, from various cross-functional departments. All individuals should have relevant process knowledge.

A varied group will offer you a variety of different perspectives from which to observe the problem.

It is advisable to establish team structure, roles, and objectives as far ahead in advance as possible so that corrective action can begin as quickly and effectively as possible.

D2: Describe the problem

Have your team gather information and data related to the problem or symptom. Using clear, quantifiable terms, unpack the problem by asking:

D3: Contain the problem (temporary damage control)

Depending on the circumstances, you may need to mobilize some kind of temporary fix, or “firefighting”.

The focus of this stage should be on preventing the problem from getting worse, until a more permanent solution can be identified and implemented.

D4: Identify, describe, and verify root causes

In preparation for permanent corrective action, you must identify, describe, and verify all possible causes that could contribute to the problem happening.

You can use various techniques for this, including a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis , or Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram .

It’s important that the root causes are systematically identified, described in detail, and promptly verified (or proved). How each cause is verified will depend on the data type and the nature of the problem.

Take a look at the section towards the end of this article for some more problem solving tools to help you decide the right approach.

D5: Identify corrective actions

You must verify that the corrective action you identified will in fact solve the problem and prevent it from happening again in the future (or whatever is your desired threshold of recurrence).

The best way to do this is to collect as much data as possible and by performing smaller-scale “pilot” tests to get an idea of the corrective action’s impact.

You can’t begin to identify the optimal corrective action until you have identified the root cause(s) of the problem.

D6: Implement and validate corrective actions

Carry out the corrective actions, and monitor short and long term effects. During this stage, you should assess and validate the corrective actions with empirical evidence.

Discuss and review results with your team.

D7: Take preventative measures (to avoid the problem happening again)

Here is where you make any necessary changes to your processes, standard operating procedures , policies , and anything else to make sure the problem does not happen again.

It may not be possible to completely eliminate any chance of the problem recurring; in that case, efforts should focus on minimizing possibility of recurrence as much as possible.

D8: Congratulate your team

It’s important to recognize the joint contribution of each and every one of the individuals that were involved in the process.

Team members should feel valued and rewarded for their efforts; this is crucial and perhaps the most important step – after all, without the team, the problem would not have been fixed.

Providing positive feedback and expressing appreciation helps to keep motivation high, which in turn improves the sense of process ownership and simply increases the likelihood your team will actually want to improve internal processes in the future.

How to use 8D for problem solving

The 8D method above outlines a proven strategy for identifying and dealing with problems. It’s an effective problem solving and problem prevention process.

In addition to avoiding long-term damage from recurring problems, 8D also helps to mitigate customer impact as much as possible.

More than just a problem-solving methodology, 8D sits alongside Six Sigma and other lean frameworks and can easily be integrated with them to minimize training and maximize efficacy.

8D is definitely a powerful framework on its own, but it really shines when combined with other synergistic concepts of lean and continuous improvement.

More problem solving tools that synergize well with 8D

8D has become a leading framework for process improvement, and in many ways it is more prescriptive and robust than other more simplistic Six Sigma approaches.

However, there are many Six Sigma methodologies, and even more frameworks for problem solving and process improvement .

The following improvement tools are often used within or alongside the 8D methodology.

DMAIC: Lean Six Sigma

DMAIC stands for:

The DMAIC process is a data-driven cycle of process improvement designed for businesses to help identify flaws or inefficiencies in processes.

Simply put, the goal with DMAIC is to improve and optimize existing processes.

Interestingly, the development of the DMAIC framework is credited to Motorola , whose work built upon the systems initially developed by Toyota .

In terms of working alongside 8D, you could use DMAIC to identify root causes as in D4; you could also implement the same techniques to better understand prospects for corrective actions as in D5, and D6.

We have a whole article on the DMAIC process, if you’re interested.

SWOT analysis

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. You can use a SWOT analysis to gain insight into your organization as a whole, or on individual processes.

The main synergy with 8D is in the identification of opportunities, threats, and weaknesses.

These can represent opportunities for process improvements, weaknesses in your process that could produce problems further down the line, and threats, both internal and external, that may be out of your direct control but that could cause problems for you.

Here’s a SWOT analysis checklist you can use to structure your own analysis:

FMEA: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) is a way of understanding the potential for problems and making preemptive preparations in order to avoid them. It is a method of risk management .

It is a type of preventative risk management process, and so works well in the context of identifying causes of problems so you can better deal with them.

FMEA and 8D work well together because:

• 8D can make use of information gathered during an FMEA process, like brainstorming sessions, to identify potential problems and their root causes.
• You can reuse possible cause information gathered during an FMEA process to feed into different representational diagrams like the Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram, which will help in the 8D process.
• 8D brainstorming data is useful for new process design. This allows the FMEA to take actual process failures into account, which produces more effective results.
• FMEA completed in the past can be used as databases of potential root causes of problems to inform 8D process development.

Here’s a free FMEA template for you to get started ASAP:

The Pareto Chart

The Pareto Chart helps us understand the impact of different variations of input on our output.

In relation to 8D, Pareto Charts can help us prioritize which root cause to target, based on which will have the greatest impact on improvement (where improvement is the desired output of the 8D process).

Here’s the Six Sigma Institute’s example Pareto Chart :

Here we have a simple deductive reasoning technique that asks “why?” five times to dig into the root cause of a problem.

The logic here is that by asking the same question five times, you work progressively “deeper” into the complexity of the problem from a single point of focus.

Ideally, by the fifth question you should have something that has a high likelihood of being a root cause.

This example from Wikipedia does a great job of conveying how the process works:

• The vehicle will not start. (the problem)
• Why? – The battery is dead. (First why)
• Why? – The alternator is not functioning. (Second why)
• Why? – The alternator belt has broken. (Third why)
• Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced. (Fourth why)
• Why? – The vehicle was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule. (Fifth why, a root cause)

Ishikawa diagrams (fishbone diagrams)

Sometimes called “cause-and-effect diagrams”, they are as such used to visualize the cause and effect of problems.

The approach takes six different categories and places information about the problem into different categories to help you understand what factors could be contributing to the problem.

One advantage over the 5 Whys approach is the way this method forces a more holistic perspective, as opposed to the potentially narrow vantage point offered by zooming in on a single aspect or question.

According to the Six Sigma Institute, the 6 key variables pertaining to root causes of problems are:

• Machine: Root causes related to tools used to execute the process.
• Material: Root causes related to information and forms needed to execute the process.
• Nature: Root causes related to our work environment, market conditions, and regulatory issues.
• Measure: Root causes related to the process measurement.
• Method: Root causes related to procedures, hand-offs, input-output issues.
• People: Root causes related people and organizations.

There’s also this useful illustration of a company using a fishbone diagram to better understand what factors contribute to a company’s high turn around time.

Gap analysis

A gap analysis is concerned with three key elements:

• The current situation, or “performance”
• The ideal situation, or “potential”
• What needs to be done in order to get from performance to potential, or “bridging the gap”

The “gap” is what separates your current situation from your ideal situation.

Businesses that perform a gap analysis can improve their efficiency and better understand how to improve processes and products.

They can help to better optimize how time, money, and human resources are spent in business.

There’s a lot that goes into a gap analysis, and quite a few different ways to approach it. Check out our article for a deeper dive into the gap analysis process.

Superpowered checklists

Checklists can be a great way to simplify a complex process into a series of smaller, easy-to-manage tasks. They’re one of the best ways to start using processes in your business.

By using checklists, you can reduce the amount of error in your workflow , while saving time and money by eliminating confusion and uncertainty.

What’s more, if you’re using Process Street, you have access to advanced features like conditional logic , rich form fields and streamlined template editing .

How to use Process Street for 8D problem solving

Good problem solving relies on good process. If you’re trying to solve problems effectively, the last thing you want is your tools getting in your way.

What you want is a seamless experience from start to finish of the 8D methodology.

The best kinds of processes are actionable. That’s why you should consider using a BPM software like Process Street to streamline recurring tasks and eliminate manual work with automation .

Process Street’s mission statement is to make recurring work fun, fast, and faultless. By breaking down a process into bite-sized tasks , you can get more done and stay on top of your workload.

Sign up today for a free Process Street trial!

Problem solving is an invaluable skill. What’s your go-to process for problem solving? We’d love to know how it compares with the 8D method. Let us know in the comments!

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Oliver Peterson

Oliver Peterson is a content writer for Process Street with an interest in systems and processes, attempting to use them as tools for taking apart problems and gaining insight into building robust, lasting solutions.

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Mastering the 8D Problem Solving Method: A Comprehensive Guide

It is often said that “a stitch in time saves nine.” Efficient problem-solving is an essential skill , especially in a professional environment.

When it comes to addressing complex issues, the 8D Problem Solving method has gained significant traction across various industries. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the 8D Problem Solving method, its history, and its application across multiple sectors.

History of the 8D Problem Solving Method

The 8D Problem Solving approach has its origins in World War II when the American military was under intense pressure to produce reliable weapons as quickly as feasible.

The military established a methodical approach to problem-solving, focusing on quality control and continual improvement, to ensure that resources were used effectively.

This was the first instance of what would later develop into the 8D technique.

The writings of Walter Shewhart , W. Edwards Deming , and Joseph M. Juran , who set the groundwork for contemporary quality control and continuous improvement ideas, had a substantial impact on the development of the 8D Problem Solving approach.

These guidelines stress the value of data-driven decision-making and the necessity for businesses to take a pro-active approach to problem-solving.

The Ford Motor Company faced intense competition from Japanese automakers in the 1980s, which caused it to struggle.

Ford used quality control and continuous improvement as its guiding principles and included the 8D Problem Solving process into its business practices to regain its footing.

The automobile sector adopted the 8D methodology widely as a result of the initiative’s success.

The 8D Problem Solving approach gained popularity outside of the automobile industry as it showed continuous promise.

The 8D methodology is now being used by businesses in a variety of industries, such as manufacturing, healthcare, and technology, to solve complicated issues, enhance their operations, and guarantee customer happiness.

The 8D Problem Solving approach has attained widespread acceptance throughout a number of industries.

It is a potent tool for businesses looking to improve their problem-solving skills and promote long-term success due to its systematic approach, emphasis on teamwork, and emphasis on continual improvement.

The Eight Disciplines of 8D Problem Solving

D1: Form a Team

Assembling a diverse team with relevant expertise

The first phase in the 8D process is to put together a varied team of people with the necessary knowledge, making sure that all viewpoints and skill sets are represented. This multidisciplinary approach makes it easier to recognize problems and produce creative solutions.

Defining roles and responsibilities

The tasks and responsibilities of each team member must be established once the team has been constituted. Team members can work cooperatively and effectively by setting clear expectations, ensuring that everyone’s abilities are utilized to the utmost extent. It keeps the problem-solving process on track and upholds accountability.

D2: Define the Problem

Accurate problem description

Accurately characterizing the current problem is the second discipline of the 8D technique. In order to do this, the team must acquire pertinent data, analyze it, and create a clear, succinct statement describing the problem. A focused and efficient problem-solving approach is built on a well identified problem.

Gathering data and identifying root causes

To create long-lasting solutions, the problem’s underlying causes must be determined. The team must gather information from a variety of sources, such as consumer feedback, product testing, or process performance measurements, in order to accomplish this. The team is able to uncover patterns, trends, and potential fundamental causes thanks to this data-driven approach, which also ensures that the problem-solving procedure is unbiased and grounded in facts.

D3: Develop an Interim Containment Plan

Quick, temporary solutions

Minimizing the effects of a problem is crucial in the field of problem solving. Creating an interim containment strategy, which offers quick, temporary solutions to the issue, is the third discipline in the 8D technique. These quick fixes aid in limiting the harm, stopping more problems, and buying the team some time while they produce a more long-term fix.

Mitigating damage and preventing further issues

It is essential to keep an eye on the interim containment plan’s efficacy and adjust as necessary as you go. This guarantees that the short-term fix works to contain the harm and stop the issue from getting worse. Any lessons learnt during this phase should also be recorded by the team because they will be helpful in creating the ultimate corrective action.

D4: Identify Root Causes

Root cause analysis techniques

The fourth discipline of the 8D technique entails examining the issue more closely in order to determine its underlying causes. Various root cause analysis methods, including the Five Whys, Fishbone Diagram, and Fault Tree Analysis, must be used in this situation. The team may create focused solutions that address the issue at its source rather than just treating its symptoms by determining the fundamental causes of the problem.

Verifying root causes through data

Verifying potential root causes with data is crucial after the team has discovered them. Taking this step, the team can avoid being misled by assumptions or unrelated elements and instead concentrate on the real core cause. The team may be confident that their suggested remedies will be successful in tackling the problem by validating the main causes using data.

D5: Choose and Verify Permanent Corrective Actions

Developing and evaluating potential solutions

The team can now consider various solutions after determining the root reasons. “Two heads are better than one,” as the saying goes, and this collaborative process frequently produces innovative and useful ideas. The team should assess each alternative after producing a list of potential corrective actions based on elements including feasibility, cost, and potential impact. This makes it more likely that the selected solution will be both workable and efficient.

Implementing and verifying chosen solution

It’s crucial to assess the effectiveness of the chosen solution before fully applying it. A small-scale trial or a pilot program can be used to accomplish this. The team may be certain that their selected corrective action will be successful when used on a bigger scale by confirming the solution’s success in resolving the issue.

D6: Implement Permanent Corrective Actions

Developing a detailed action plan

The team must create a thorough action plan for putting the selected solution into practice when it has been verified. This strategy should specify the actions, materials, and timetable required for a full integration of the solution into the organization’s operations. A comprehensive action plan makes for an effective implementation that minimizes any hiccups or setbacks.

Monitoring implementation and adjusting as needed

It’s essential to keep an eye on the permanent remedial action’s development and adjust, as necessary. The team may make sure that the solution is properly integrated and produces the required results by remaining alert and reacting to any unforeseen obstacles.

D7: Prevent Recurrence

Identifying potential future issues

The 8D method’s seventh discipline focuses on predicting prospective problems that might develop in the future from comparable underlying causes. The team can help to prevent repeat incidences and continuously enhance the organization’s procedures by foreseeing and addressing these possible issues.

Adjusting processes and procedures to prevent recurrence

The team should analyze and make any necessary modifications to the organization’s systems and procedures to stop the issue from happening again. This can entail creating new quality control procedures, updating the documentation, or changing the training materials. Implementing these changes, the company can promote a climate of continuous development and make sure that the lessons discovered throughout the problem-solving procedure are incorporated into every aspect of its day-to-day work.

D8: Congratulate the Team

Recognizing team achievements

It’s important to acknowledge the team’s effort and commitment when the 8D technique has been implemented successfully. Celebrating their accomplishments promotes a sense of ownership, boosts morale, and encourages continuing commitment to ongoing growth.

Sharing lessons learned with the organization

The team should share their lessons learned with the broader organization. Doing so, they can help to disseminate the knowledge gained during the problem-solving process, fostering a culture of learning and improvement throughout the company.

Practical Application of the 8D Problem Solving Method

Numerous industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology, have successfully used the 8D Problem Solving method. These actual instances show how adaptable and successful the system is at solving a variety of challenging issues .

Although the 8D method offers a structured approach to problem-solving, it is crucial to customize the procedure to the particular requirements and context of the current problem.

This could entail modifying the chronology, modifying the root cause analysis methods, or adding new data sources.

The team can ensure the most efficient problem-solving procedure by continuing to be adaptable and flexible.

Tips for Successful 8D Problem Solving Implementation

Emphasizing clear communication

Clear communication is the lifeblood of effective problem-solving.

Throughout the 8D process, the team should prioritize open and honest communication, ensuring that all members have a thorough understanding of the problem, the chosen solution, and their individual responsibilities.

Fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement

A collaborative and improvement-focused culture is key to the success of the 8D method.

Encouraging open dialogue, mutual support, and ongoing learning, the organization can create an environment in which the 8D method can thrive.

Employing project management tools and techniques

Project management tools and techniques can be invaluable in facilitating the 8D process.

Using tools such as Gantt charts, project management software, or Kanban boards, the team can better track progress, allocate resources, and manage timelines.

These tools can help to keep the problem-solving process organized and efficient, ensuring that the team stays on track and achieves their goals.

Final Thoughts

The 8D Problem Solving method is an effective and adaptable way for tackling complicated challenges in a variety of industries.

Organizations may methodically identify and address problems, stop them from happening again, and promote a culture of continuous improvement and adhering to the eight disciplines.

As we’ve seen, the 8D method’s effectiveness depends on putting together a varied team, upholding clear communication, customizing the procedure for particular circumstances, and using efficient project management tools and approaches.

We urge you to use the 8D Problem Solving method inside your organization now that you have a thorough understanding of it.

Doing this, you may not only address issues more quickly, but also unleash the long-term growth potential of your company.

If you can master the 8D approach, your business will have a better future and you’ll be well-equipped to traverse the waters of problem-solving.

Q: What is the 8D Problem Solving method?

A : A systematic strategy for addressing complicated challenges across multiple industries is the 8D Problem Solving method. It consists of eight disciplines that help firms recognize problems, find solutions, stop them from happening again, and promote a continuous improvement culture.

Q: What are the origins of the 8D Problem Solving method?

A : The United States military created a systematic approach to problem-solving during World War II that was centered on quality control and continual improvement, and this is where the 8D technique got its start. The Ford Motor Company later adopted and promoted the technique in the 1980s.

Q: What are the eight disciplines of the 8D Problem Solving method?

A : The eight disciplines of the 8D method are

• Form a Team
• Define the Problem
• Develop an Interim Containment Plan
• Identify Root Causes
• Choose and Verify Permanent Corrective Actions
• Implement Permanent Corrective Actions
• Prevent Recurrence
• Congratulate the Team

Q: How can the 8D method be applied across different industries?

A : The 8D method is adaptable and may be used to solve a wide variety of complicated problems in a number of different industries, including manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and technology. Organizations should modify the process to match the particular requirements and context of the current challenge in order to utilize the 8D technique effectively.

Q : What are some tips for successfully implementing the 8D Problem Solving method?

A : To ensure the success of the 8D method, organizations should

• Emphasize clear communication.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Employ effective project management tools and techniques .

Q: What is the role of root cause analysis in the 8D method?

A : The 8D method’s key element is root cause analysis, which identifies the root reasons of an issue. Organizations can create focused solutions that solve the issue at its foundation rather than just masking the symptoms by addressing the root causes.

Q: How can the 8D method help prevent the recurrence of problems?

A : By recognizing potential future issues that may result from comparable root causes and modifying processes and procedures accordingly, the 8D technique aids in preventing the recurrence of problems. This proactive strategy assists companies in making continuous improvements and reducing the possibility that similar issues will arise again.

Ronnie Patterson

Ronnie Patterson, founder of MagnÜron, is a multifaceted entrepreneur with a diverse background in music, electronics engineering, and engineering management. Drawing on experience across various industries, He offers expertise in SEO, operations, and strategy to help businesses thrive. Possessing a unique perspective and unwavering commitment to collaboration, and ideal partner for growth and success.

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Step-By-Step Guidelines on The 8D Problem Solving Process

This is the first page in a free training on the 8D Problem Solving Process. Here is an overview of the pages on each of the eight disciplines:

The 8D method, also known as the 8 Dimensions  or 8 Disciplines, describes a process of steps to be taken in order to solve a problem methodically.

The benefit of the method is the complete and thorough approach which enables us to solve current issues, in fact to improve a situation immensely. Depending on the nature of the problem, a team or an individual can work through these steps in order to discover the possibilities in improving any situation.

Importance of an 8D Report

• The 8D report serves as a checklist as well as a means of tracking improvement measures decided upon, It also ensures that all steps are completed.
• The 8D report is a basic part of the 8D problem solving methodology and at the end of each step, must be brought up to date. Any documents completed as a result of actions done then become part of the report.
• Therefore the report mirrors the current status of the problem solving work and is therefore to be seen as a “living document” !
• The completed documentation can be archived as it is a valuable source of knowledge for the future. With many lessons to be learned from them, they can help solve other problems that may occur later on.
• Important Aspects to be taken into consideration: The aim of the 8D problem solving process is to increase the likelihood of effectively solving problems in the production and R&D functions.

Insightful Guidelines of doing 8D Problem Solving 

The following is important for the successful completion of the 8D problem solving process:

1. Choose the right team: Ensure that those people with the best knowledge of the processes or topic in question are involved.

2. Accurate description of the problem: They say that the better you describe a problem, the closer you are to the solution. Use questions such as: What is the problem? / What is it not? Where is the problem? / Where is it not? How widespread is the problem? / How far does it not go to (any limits recognizable)?

3. Avoid skipping through steps: Often, due to time constraints, there is an urge to skip through steps. This must always be avoided.

4. Ensure co-operation within the team: remembering the stages of teamwork of Forming, Norming, Storming and Performing and the typical effects each stage has, ensure that all members of the team cooperate fully. Remember too, that people often don’t know how much they know until they actually start exchanging with others.

5. Maintain Momentum: often there is the danger that the team converge to such a degree that they fail to set priorities or fail to have a systematic approach in carrying out the analysis.

6.  Ensure Management Support:  Enlist Managerial support by frequent informing of developments within the process. Be prepared for the pressure from Management (they are under pressure from the customer) as this pressure exerted can often lead to a rushed job and a failed problem solving process. Have a named Champion in management, someone who will champion your needs through especially when more resources are needed.

7. Understand the difference between possible causes and the real cause.  Again, due to time pressures, there is the natural tendency to jump to conclusions that are not founded on scientific fact. In a rush, it can often happen that a possible cause is presumed to be the main cause and the danger lies therein that it may not be. Make sure that you run confirmation tests to avoid this happening.

8.  Implement permanent corrective measures:  As momentum can wane, especially as time progresses and the pressure has lessened, the most important step can often be overlooked. Make sure that the corrective measures are implemented, - and implemented thoroughly!

9. Document Results:  Formulate the successes and document them. Consider completing a “Lessons Learned” document for the benefit of others to gain from at a later stage.

10. Congratulate your Team:  It is important to give credit where credit is due. This motivates! So, with a job well done, don’t forget to congratulate your team!

SUPER,  Free 8D Report Template

Click  HERE  to download a F ree Template for your 8D report.

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Quality Day Quiz - 8D

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• 1. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt In 8 D - Problem solving Methodology; D signifies for a) 8 Types of details b) 8 Disciplines c) 8 Dimensions d) 8 Directions for Root Cause Analysis
• 2. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Deviations are typically found in: a) 0 km and field failure b) Non-fulfillment of customer service level agreements c) Certification, customer or internal audit deviations d) All of the above
• 3. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Which step in 8D "Describes the problem"? a) D0 b) D1 c) D4 d) D2
• 4. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt 8D comprises three complementary aspects with equal importance. What are they? a) Method, Process, Report b) Product, Process, Project c) Problem, Solution, Prototype d) Cost, Schedule, Quality
• 5. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt The correct application of the 8D method will help to a) Avoid the re-occurrence of known problems b) Avoid the re-occurrence of unknown problems c) Avoid occurance of all problems identified as part of risk management d) Avoid usuage of excess budget
• 6. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Step D5 of 8D pertains to a) Implement & Verify Containment action b) Finding Root Causes c) Implement Permanent Corrective Actions d) Select & Verify Corrective Actions
• 7. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt "Provide information to the team" is performed during which step/phase ? a) D8 b) AHM c) D0 d) Quality Day
• 8. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt What are the trigger points for 8D? a) External customer complaints <br /> b) Internal production deviations <br /> c) Supplier-induced deviations <br /> d) All of the above<br />
• 9. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt External customer complaints is also known as<br /> a) Customer analysis request (CAR) b) Failure analysis request (FAR) c) Both a and b d) None
• 10. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt An internal production deviation is a detected deviation between the a) Frontend <br />and Backend production sites. <br /> b) Software Development and Hardware Validation c) Defined release criteria and Achieved release criteria d) QMS and SDHB
• 11. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Which tools are used in step D7 - "Prevent re-occurrence" of 8D? a) FMEA b) Control Plan c) a and b d) None
• 12. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt What are the common pitfalls while executing step D2 - "Describing the problem" in 8D technique? a) Incomplete problem description b) Use of insufficient data and facts c) No check for reoccurrence d) All of the above
• 13. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Understanding risk and working out temporary fix is part of which D? a) D3 b) D5 c) D6 d) D7
• 14. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt QMP stands for a) Quality Measurement Process b) Qualification Measurement Process c) Quality Monitoring Protocol d) Quality and Management Process
• 15. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Which Automobile Company first used the 8 D tool? a) Daimler b) Ford c) Mercedes d) BMW

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• Eight Disciplines (8D) Problem Solving

** Unlock Your Full Potential **

The 8D is a team-based, structured approach to problem-solving. The 8D system aims to identify the root causes of the problem and take necessary actions to resolve the recurring issues permanently.

The US Government standardized the process of Corrective Actions in MIL-STD-1520 (Corrective Action and Disposition of Nonconforming Material). This standard was first issued in 1974, and the last revision was Rec C, issued in 1986 and later cancelled in 1995 without replacement.

This problem-solving approach was later formalized and popularized by Ford Motors.

KEY Takeaways

• The 8D model is a structured approach to problem solving.
• The 8D model provides a framework for systematically identifying problems, evaluating options, and taking corrective actions
• The 8D method is based on the 8 steps of the problem-solving approach.

8D or Eight Disciplines

The eight disciplines are the eight steps of the problem-solving approach. Later, in the 8D method, step D0 was added to the process. These eight steps (and initial step zero) include:

D0 - Preparation and Emergency Response

- Understand, define and quantify symptoms

- Identify the customer and other affected parties

- Protect the customer (band-aid solution) – Use the PDCA approach

- Determine if an 8D approach is needed

D1 - Establish the Team

This is the first step in creating a disciplined approach to developing solutions. It involves establishing a team that will be responsible for resolving the issue. Typically, the team consists of 3 to 7 members. When selecting a team member, selecting individuals with different skill sets and experience is essential. Each individual should bring something unique to the table.

The team members' roles are clarified and defined during this phase, and the ground rules are set up for the team.

D2 - Describe the Problem

In this step, the team describes the problem they are trying to solve. The problem is defined in quantifiable terms. A problem statement is created that defines the scope of the problem.

The problem boundaries are also established. For example, it may be stated as "the problem is limited to the XYZ application."

The affected party reviews the problem description, and any changes are documented.

D3 - Interim Containment Plan

During this step, the team creates a containment plan. These are temporary actions to isolate the customer from the outcome of this problem. The goal of interim containment is to minimize the impact on the customer while the team works on a permanent fix.

The interim containment plan is reviewed with the appropriate departments or functions in the organization.

When developing the containment plan, consideration is given to the following:

- Benefits vs risks

- What can we do to limit the impact?

- How long does the containment need to be effective?

- Is there anything else we need to consider?

D4 - Root Cause Analysis

Root cause analysis is performed to determine why the problem occurred. The team identifies all possible contributing factors that could have caused the problem. They then analyze each factor and assign a probability to how likely it is to have contributed to the problem.

The most common tools for root cause analysis are brainstorming , five whys and the Cause and Effects Diagram .

D5 - Develop Permanent Corrective Actions

After determining what caused the problem, corrective actions are taken to prevent future occurrences. This includes documenting the action(s), assigning responsibility, and implementing them.

There can be multiple root causes for a problem. Also, for every root cause , there could be multiple corrective actions. Hence the corrective actions might need to be prioritized.

D6 - Implement Permanent Corrective Actions

Once the corrective actions are implemented, the team reviews their effectiveness. If necessary, additional corrective actions are added.

Also, at this stage, evaluate containment actions and decide when these can be removed. If the problem does not disappear, reapply containment actions and revise the Corrective Action plan.

D7 - Prevent Future Recurrence

At this point, modify work processes, systems, methods, equipment and practice to prevent similar problems (in the same work area or other areas in the organization).

D8 - Recognize Contributions (Individual and Team)

This final step recognizes the contributions of individuals and teams involved in the process. It is essential to recognize the contribution of those who helped resolve the problem.

Additional Thoughts on the 8D Approach

In my experience, I've found that the 8D approach provides a good framework for dealing with complex issues. However, it's important to remember that it's just one tool among many others. There are many different ways to approach an issue.

For example, you could use the 5 Whys or the Cause and Effects diagram instead of the 8D approach. You could also use a combination of approaches.

If you're working on a small project, you may want to start by using the 5 Whys . But if you're trying to solve a large problem, you may want to use the 8D approach.

You should choose the right tool based on your situation.

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8D Problem Solving Report

8D is a problem solving method used globally, mainly in manufacturing industry by Quality Engineers and Operations managers. The purpose of 8D problem solving method is to identify, correct and prevent problems affecting customers and operational efficiency. It is a problem solving approach similar to PDCA cycle (Plan – Do – Check – Act).

8D stands for 8 Disciplines. It is a methodology that emphasizes “No problem should be repeated but fixed permanently”.

8D Problem Solving Method originally evolved during Second World War. But it became an official methodology in 1974, when it was used by US Government for its Military Operations as ‘Military Standard 1520’. Later it was adapted and popularized by Ford Motors with slight modification in the methodology.

As the name indicates 8D has 8 disciplines that any process or operations should follow to solve the problems occurring. The outcome of 8D is a report called ‘8D Report’ that records the problems, root cause(s) and corrective and preventive actions.

The below are the D’s in 8D approach:

Figure 1: 8D Problem Solving Approach

1D  – Team Formation: The first and foremost step not only in 8D but also in any other initiative or project is Team Formation, for any initiative cannot be successful without a right team. The team selected should be committed, competent, co-ordinated, cross-functional with representation from all teams, and should be knowledgeable in 8D methodology.

2D – Problem Description: After selecting the team, our concentration should be on detailing the problem. The team should collect details about the problem, for completely understanding the depth of the problem. All details should be data and fact based.

3D – Interim Containment Actions: Once the problem is described, before heading up to problem solving, the team should fix the effect of the problem, especially on customers. It might involve actions like isolating the items affected, replacing defective parts, before it reaches the customers. This step is mainly to prevent the problem from reaching the market and customers, which might become a competitive disadvantage and reduce customer loyalty.

4D – Root Cause Analysis: After taking containment actions, the team should involve in identifying the root cause(s) for the problem. Methods and tools like 5-Why Analysis , Fishbone diagram , Pareto Analysis , 7 Old QC tools , New QC tools etc. can be used for identifying the root cause. An important point to be noted is: Whatever method is used for RCA , it should be data & fact based.

5D – Formulate Corrective Actions: After successfully arriving at the root cause, the team should formulate corrective actions to be taken to correct the problem. Tools like Brain storming, Affinity diagram etc. can be used.

6D – Validate Corrective Actions: After arriving at the corrective actions, the team should validate whether the solutions are effective. There are several tools like Accelerated life testing , simulation etc. available for this purpose. Then the solution can be implemented in the process. The solution approach from step 4-6 should be repeated until the problem is completely eliminated.

7D – Preventive Action: Identifying and implementing corrective actions is only a temporary solution that keeps the system running or is like ‘Living with the problem by taking counter measures’. The permanent solution is to identify a potential long term solution that will not allow the problem (similar problems) from occurring into the system again. Sometimes corrective action will be a costly, time being measure. Preventive action makes changes in the system, upstream or downstream processes so that the entire system is modified or aligned for ‘Problem Free’ operations.

8D – Team and Individual Recognition: Once the problem is completely solved, the team and the extra-ordinary contributors must be rewarded and recognized appropriately. This will act as a motivation factor for other employees.

These are the steps of 8D methodology. To summarize, 8D is a holistic, systematic and proven methodology for problem solving.

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Examples Of 8D Problem-Solving

Product defects are not uncommon but an organization must act quickly to eliminate them. This will ensure customers have a…

Product defects are not uncommon but an organization must act quickly to eliminate them. This will ensure customers have a good experience and the brand doesn’t suffer. In the event of a complaint, an organization can rely on the analysis of an 8D report sample to address errors and improve quality.

The 8D methodology is a structured and systematic approach to problem-solving. From an 8D problem-solving example it’s clear that it not only identifies a problem but also recognizes the weaknesses in the system. Analysis of an 8D report example prevents future occurrences of similar issues.

Examples Of 8D Reports

8d problem-solving report example, 8d problem-solving example.

An 8D problem-solving example shows the strength of this model lies in its methodology, structure and discipline. Organizations can effectively use an 8D report example to analyze defects, its root causes and ways to implement corrective actions.

Let’s have a look at these 8D reports.  

An organization had a problem with holes appearing in its metal cast toy parts. They found that about 3% of their last batch received complaints after operations due to pin-hole defects. An analysis was submitted after the purchase head asked for a full 8D report example . Here’s a look at the 8D report sample that was submitted.

D1 : Names of team members, team leader and manager.

D2 : The problem reported by the customer is described by answering the following questions:

• What is the problem? A pin-hole defect
• Who reported it? Tulip Pvt Ltd
• When did it occur? Seen in the last batch
• Why did it happen? Due to a defect in the casting base
• How much production is affected? 3% of the products are defective.

  These questions aim to simplify their approach to problem-solving.

D3 : Once the problem is defined, the defective parts are segregated.

D4 : The root cause of the problem is identified by answering the following questions:

• Why is there a pin-hole defect?
• Why are core problems arising?
• Why wasn’t the core cured properly?
• Why was drying/curing time not modified?

These questions reveal that curing time was not validated and that was the root cause of the problem.  

D5 : A permanent corrective plan is recommended to the quality assurance engineer. It is proposed that product and process should be validated for new drying time.

D6 : Permanent corrective actions are implemented. 10 samples are collected. Product and process characteristics of each sample are checked.

D7 : Preventive measures are recommended to ensure the problem doesn’t recur.

D8 : Team and individual contributions are recognized by the manager. The team leader and team members are rewarded for their efforts.  

An organization received customer complaints about shrinkage on an automobile part. The management demanded a thorough analysis based on an 8D problem-solving example . Here’s the 8D report sample that was submitted:

D1 : A team is created with supply team members, team leader and manager.

D2 : A customer complaint is used to describe the problem. The problem is established by answering the following questions:

• What is the complaint? Shrinkage on sump.
• When was it seen? In the last batch.
• Why did it happen? Due to a defect in the entrance area.
• Who reported the problem? Albert D’Souza
• How much production is affected? Nearly 2%

These questions allow the team to devise a containment plan.  

D3 : As a containment action the team decides to stop consignments and segregate the good parts immediately.

D4 : To identify the root cause, the team has to answer the questions defining the problem. They are:

• Why was there a shrinkage at the ingate area?
• Why were high pouring temperatures used?
• Why was the pyrometer reading incorrect?
• Why was the pyrometer condition not checked?

The root cause of the problem is revealed to be a faulty pyrometer.

D5 : As a permanent corrective plan, periodic checking of the pyrometer is suggested to the maintenance supervisor.

D6 : Permanent corrective action is implemented and pyrometers are scheduled for weekly checks.

D7 : Periodic checking and proper maintenance of pyrometers are factors to prevent a recurrence.

D8 : The team effort is recognized. The manager and team are praised for solving the problem.

An 8D report example will show that Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is an integral part of the 8D process. It helps managers establish problem statements, identify potential causes, compare theories and confirm the main cause of a problem. You can establish the root cause in an 8D report example by asking the most relevant questions related to the defect.

Harappa’s Structuring Problems course equips learners with frameworks to strengthen problem-solving skills. Explore the various causes behind a problem before solving it. Learn how to simplify problems, manage them better and scrutinize them in depth. The course helps professionals, managers and team leaders master logic trees, impact analysis, MECE principle and PICK framework.  Take the team to newer heights with Harappa.

Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics such as What Is Problem Solving , Different Problem Solving Methods , Common Barriers To Problem Solving , and What are the essential Problem Solving Skills to classify problems and solve them efficiently.

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What is 8D Problem Solving? Complete Guide For 2024

Problem-solving is now becoming essential for companies to stay ahead of the competition. 8D problem solving is one of the most popular methodology used in all industries for solving technical problems at the workplace.

This methodology uses many of the tools from six sigma but focused on identifying, correcting, and preventing a problem. This methodology is not part of six sigma but they do help in many situations to structure the problem-solving process and find its solution. 

In this article, we will understand the 8D problem solving methodology in detail along with a case study example so that at the end you will become ready to implement it. Let’s start…

Table of Contents

What is 8D problem solving methodology – 

Before getting into this let’s understand the simple question, what is meant by a problem?… A problem is a situation you want to change or it is an opportunity for improvement. right! In the context of Six Sigma, the problem is nothing but the out-of-control situation, waste in the process or special causes of variation, etc.

Generally, there are two causes of variation which are responsible to disturb any process i.e.  Special cause of variation and a common cause of variation. The focus of any problem-solving tool is to reduce these variations as much as possible.

Suppose, If we plot the control chart, in that any data point which is beyond the upper and lower limits indicates that the process has special causes of variation, and when all the data points are within these limits that means our process has only a common cause of variation.

Common causes of variation are an integral part of any process, they cannot be eliminated completely from the process. We can reduce it up to a certain level so that process performs effectively and efficiently. Six Sigma methodology is useful to reduce these common causes of variation by using the DMAIC process . 

But when there is a special cause of variation in the process, it is an indication of disturbances in the process which then increase the variability of the process beyond acceptable levels.

These causes of variation must be eliminated from the process to make it stable. Here comes the use of 8D problem solving methodology. This 8D methodology is useful to eliminate all the special causes of variation to bring long-term stability to the process.

Six Sigma   – Useful in reducing common cause of variation. 8D problem solving – useful in eliminating special cause of variation.

This problem-solving methodology is designed to define the problem in the process and find the root cause of that problem. It focuses on implementing a long-term solution to prevent the reoccurrence of the problem.

History of 8D methodology – 

8D has its origins in the united states military and also in the automobile industry but nowadays it is extensively used in all industries like food processing, healthcare, tech manufacturing, services, etc. In 1980, Ford Motor Company developed team-oriented problem solving which then become an 8D problem solving methodology.

Due to its effectiveness, it was accepted as a primary method of problem-solving at Ford. After it becomes popular at Ford and because of its effective results, 8D methodology was globally accepted as the best problem-solving method to tackle engineering problems.

The name 8D stands for the disciplines covered in this methodology or the 8 steps of problem-solving. These steps are identified as D0 to D8 and it follows the PDCA cycle (Plan – Do – Check  – Act).

The goal of this method is to find the root cause of a problem, develop containment action to protect customers, and take corrective action to prevent similar problems in the future.

What are the 8 disciplines of 8D problem solving – 

8D methodology is the combination of 8 steps or disciplines starting from D1 to D8 in which professionals work together to solve problems and create effective solutions for that problems. Initially, it is comprised of 8 stages of problem-solving later it is updated with the initial planning stage D0 so now 8D becomes D0 to D8 steps.

This is a very structured and highly disciplined methodology of problem-solving which drives systematic changes or improvement in the process by preventing problems. We will discuss how this 8D problem solving works later in this article but for now, Let me list down all the steps of this powerful method.

When to use 8D problem solving – 

This powerful problem-solving methodology is required when…

• There is a need to find a permanent solution to the problem and prevent the recurrence of that problem.
• There is a need to develop containment action to protect customers, and take corrective action to prevent similar problems in the future.
• Customer complaints are received (when they are unhappy with product/service performance.)
• There is more amount of internal rejection, waste, and scrap in the process which makes process performance poor.
• There is a failure in a system or in a process beyond the acceptable levels.
• There is safety or regulatory issues that occurred.

How to apply eight disciplines of (8D) problem-solving –

Now let’s get into the depth of each discipline and understand what will happen in each discipline and as problem solvers what you need to do – 

D0 – Prepare and plan for 8D – 

Proper planning is important to implement 8D problem solving successfully. This stage is all about finding the problems and prioritizing them.

You may find multiple problems and all seem to be urgent hence main task here is to identify the main problem on the basis of its impact or importance and the urgency to resolve it.

We need to properly understand the customer complaint data and then check which complaint needs an emergency response to protect the customer from further consequences.

At this stage, we can use tools like Pareto analysis to select and prioritize the problem. This tool gives us a clear picture of the problem and tells us where we need to do the investigation.

At the time of the planning stage, we need to consider – 

• Who will be on your team?
• What is your time frame?
• What resources will you require?
• Is it a new problem or already occurred?
• What is the history of the problem?
• If it occurred before then how it was solved at that time?

D1-Grab a team 

To implement this team-oriented problem-solving methodology we need a cross-functional team of quality professionals, process owners, subject matter experts, team leaders, and sponsors. This stage is all about forming a team of people with product or process knowledge.

The team leader should be the person who has the right expertise to solve problems and knows how to implement the 8D process or the person who works close to the process i.e. process owner. Then there is an 8D moderator or SME, the person who is trained in 8D and guides the team by giving them feedback.

On the other hand, the Sponsor is responsible for resources and they support the team in any financial decision-making and give the authority to implement corrective action.

And at last, there are team members who are experts assigned to work on the problem with their specific knowledge. Time and resources are allocated to them so that they can work on the problem as per the 8D problem solving process.

List of team members who are generally part of this project –

• Process owner
• SME’s
• Quality engineers
• production staff
• Team leader

D2-Understand the problem

A properly defined problem is a half-solved problem. At this stage, describe the problems in such a way that it is easily understood and can highlight the issue faced. While highlighting the problem you need to focus on Where, When, and How.

For Where type questions ask like where did the problem occur? which site of the company? which location in the company or which process line has a problem etc. Is the problem with a single process/product or does the entire batch have a problem? etc.

For when type questions ask like when was the first occurrence of the problem? Is there any time pattern? Does it occur after every cycle, every day, or every shift? Focus on when exactly the problem occurs.

For how type question ask like how many products affected? how many processes have these problems? All the answers to such questions must be based on facts and exact data. This helps to understand the exact problem.

Understanding the problem becomes easy when we focus on these types of questions. We can use tools like cause & effect diagrams, 5 why analysis, or affinity diagrams to get more information about the problems.

D3-Take containment action

At this stage, we need to define and implement the containment action that will protect the customer from the problem. It is the temporary action implemented till permanent corrective action is implemented and validated. This action will be discontinued after the positive results of the validation of permanent corrective action.

It is the quick fix of a problem for example- S hutdown of the machines that are not working. So that we can stop the production of defective parts. That means the target of this action is to protect customers from future consequences.

During this stage, we need to maintain communication with the customer because of containment action there may be a delay in the delivery of the product so discussion with them helps to maintain trust.

Examples of Containment action- 

• Stoppage of production.
• Informing the customer about the problem.
• Informing operators about the problem.
• Additional visual control.

D4- Find the Root cause

Identification of the root cause is very important. If it is properly identified, it can be acted upon and recurrence can be prevented from that root cause. The location of that root cause also needs to be identified. More than one root causes are responsible for the problem.

To identify this we can use tools like root cause analysis, fishbone diagram, 5 why analysis, and Is/Is Not analysis. Well, you are familiar with other tools but Is/Is Not analysis is something new. Let me give you one example to show what this tool is…

For example – If there is a problem and you start assessing the situation with questions starting from Where When etc. we already discussed this.

In this analysis, we look for both sides of the question. Where is the problem and where is not the problem or we can ask when the problem occurs and when it does not occur? This type of questioning helps us to set some boundaries for the problem study.

For example – The problem is in product A and it is not in products B and C these answers we will get and after that, we can only focus on product A for further problem study. That’s how Is/Is not analysis works.

List of tools used for finding root cause- 

• Pareto charts
• Affinity diagram
• Brainstorming session
• 5-why analysis
• Fishbone diagram
• Fault tree analysis
• Statistical analysis
• Hypothesis testing
• Regression analysis

D5- Choose permanent corrective action

Permanent corrective action is the action that removes product/process/system condition which is responsible for the generation of the problems. The determination of this permanent action is dependent on the root cause identified in the D4 stage.

Basically, at this stage, we want to remove the root cause of the problem by choosing effective permanent action. There can be more than one permanent action so to choose the best from it we can do brainstorming with team members also we can use the affinity diagram tool.

During brainstorming, team members look for acceptance criteria to select the permanent action, they evaluate the risk associated with the particular permanent action and make a balanced choice. Hence the goal of this stage is to remove the cause & effect link completely.

Criteria for choosing the best corrective action or solution for the problem – 

• Practical – 8D team should be able to implement the solution practically.
• Feasible – The solution must be feasible. 
• Cost-effective – Implementing and using the solution must be cost-effective.
• Robust – The solution must be robust so that it should not fail when it is implemented practically.

Examples of permanent corrective action – 

• Introducing additional control in the process.
• Rework defective units found in the process.
• Rework units returned from the customers.
• Inform the supplier about defective parts delivered and their exchange.
• Implement visual control at the workplace.
• Implement Poka-Yoke

D6- Implement and validate corrective action 

Once the permanent corrective action is determined it is implemented and for effective implementation, we need to focus on proper planning. We need to create an action plan which includes information like what steps are needed to implement the solution, who will do them, and when they will be completed.

Communicate the action plan and all the changes with team members as well as with people who are working in that area and make sure everyone in the team follows the action plan and tracks results.

At this stage, we also need to prove the effectiveness of the permanent action. After its implementation, we have to recollect the response data about that process. service or sites in order to understand how this permanent solution works. That means we have to verify the effectiveness of the solution.

Then accordingly team updates all the documentation plans, work instructions, and failure effect analysis data once the validation of corrective action is done. That’s how this stage completely focuses on the implementation and validation of the solution.

List of tools used during this stage – 

• Check sheets
• Control charts

D7- Learn and define prevention for the future 

This stage is more like the control phase of the DMAIC project where we need to control the improvements made on the process and ensure that gains obtained during the project are maintained long after the end of the project.

Similarly, at this stage of 8D problem solving, the team focuses on the active prevention of the reoccurrence of the problem. They review similar services/products or processes in the company to prevent a recurrence.

The team actively presents the 8D methods to experts at other process lines or at other sites of the company so that they can actively work on the prevention of problems.

Process owners and upper management work together to share the learnings of 8D across the company and execute 8D training at different processes or product lines. These learning documents consist of updated procedures and work instructions for the prevention of problems.

Also, the team develops a new set of standard operating procedures that everybody needs to follow who works in that area or at the process line, etc. in order to prevent the recurrence of the problem.

They proactively update the failure mode effect analysis document and control plans because these two tools help us identify the problem area and then prevent its occurrence. 

• Control plans
• Capability analysis

D8- Congratulate and release the team

This stage is one of the most important disciplines of 8D problem solving , here the team leader should recognize the team and individual efforts, recognize those who perform best during the project, and then congratulate all the team members as well as the main contributors to this project.

Recognition is important because we don’t know when we need these team members again so if the team leader appreciates their effort at the end of the project then team members feel motivated and they will be always ready to work with the leader in the future.

After this team leader declares the formal closure of the 8D project by documenting all the lessons learned. Finally, all the documentation is completed in the form of an 8D report which is available for all the employees at the company for learning purposes. 

This stage is all about the documenting final 8D report and celebrating the successful completion of the 8D project.

That’s how the 8 disciplines of 8D problem solving methodology work. The most important part of this method is the 8D report which consists of a quick summary of the entire problem-solving project. Now let’s see what the 8D report means…

What is 8D report?

The output of an 8D project is the 8D report and this is first used in the automotive industry. Here we will go through a basic example of the 8D format in order to understand what it includes and its structure. 8D report has 3 parts let’s see them one by one…

In the first part (as per sample 8D report picture), we have to fill in our company information like name and logo. Then, we have to fill in information about the parts/process where we performed this project and the date(when the problem occurred).

After that in the next section, we have to fill in information about the problem basic like whether the problem occurred for the first time or it is repeated and how much severity it has.

Then in the next section, we have to add the team member information like their names and sign. After that in the next section, we have to add detailed information about the problem.

Then there is a section of containment action, in which we have to add what type of containment action we have taken to avoid more damage. Provide details about containment action.

In the second part (as per the sample 8D report picture), initially, we have to add our cause & effect diagram with a detailed analysis that includes all the possible causes classified into different categories.

After that, there is a section on the Root cause, see during cause & effect analysis we found the possible causes and then we segregated potential causes from that. By using tools like 5 why analysis, we found the root causes of all these potential causes, that root cause information we have to add in this section.

Then in the next section, we have to add information about the corrective action which we have taken to prevent the occurrence of the problem. Next to that section, we have to add validation results of corrective action, after testing the correction action and how it works, that information we have to include here.

In the third part (as per the sample 8D report picture), We have to add a list of the preventive action taken. Next to it, we have to add information about all the documents created during the project like a list of documents and the name of updated documents.

After that, we have to add evidence of the final results like photographs, graphs, control plans, etc. At last, there is a section on problem closure and sign-off, which includes a summary of all 8 disciplines or 8D steps like the start and end date of each step.

Then there is sign-off from all the team members which shows this project successfully completed. At the bottom mention the total time required to complete the 8D project .

This is the basic structure of the 8D report , it is different for different companies so there is no standard for it you can select as per your company. I hope you got the basic idea of the 8D format. (Check out 8D report template )

Benefits of 8D problem solving method- 

8D is the structured and highly disciplined methodology of problem-solving. Proper implementation of this methodology can provide the best results. It is easy to learn and applicable to solving any type of engineering problem. Here is the list of benefits of 8D problem solving – 

• This methodology builds a culture of team-oriented problem-solving instead of individual problem-solving. Inspire the employee to work together in a team to solve any engineering problem.
• It improves the awareness amongst the employees as well as management about understanding the problems and ways to find solutions.
• It increases customer satisfaction, profitability, and market share of a company.
• It increases the practical understanding of Root cause analysis.
• It increases the understanding of statistical tools amongst the employee that are used in problem-solving. 
• It improves the skill of implementing permanent corrective action and validates its results.
• This methodology helps to create a proper action plan to prevent the reoccurrence of problems in the future and engage everybody in this process.
• This methodology helps in bringing about systematic change rather than just quick fixes.

8D problem solving case study – 

Until now we discussed everything about 8D problem solving so it’s time to understand how it works practically. With this case study, we will understand How the 8 disciplines of the 8D methodology work. Lets’ see – 

Practical implementation of 8D at car washing center. (Scenario)

“ TATA motors have a car wash service center in Bombay city (Bombay – a popular city in India). TATA motors recently ran into problems with some of their customers which causes damage to their reputation.

Also, they have built over a long period, incurring financial damages from litigation from angry customers and losing their loyal customer base to their competitors.

Recently, the shift operator discovered that some of the cars coming out from one of three car wash machines have scratches on the rear body. The problem was fixed by calling a technician.

But again after two weeks, the problem started re-occurring, and this time the scratches were even more worst. This was discovered by the evening shift operator who notified the supervisor.

TATA motor’s head office sends the quality control supervisor to the car wash center to deal with this problem. After analyzing the situation he came to the conclusion that to properly solve this problem we have to use the 8D problem solving approach.

To prevent further damage to the machine, the quality supervisor immediately instructed the operator to shut down the faulty car washing machines. Customers were already waiting to resolve this problem. 

The quality supervisor invited the engineer, operator, car wash center supervisor, and service technician to a brainstorming session. Everybody on the team knows that due to this problem our company facing negative feedback from customers.

During the brainstorming session, they discussed the questions like who discovered the scratches? What did those scratches look like? when it was first noticed? after how much time it re-occurred? etc. Everybody on the team puts their own opinion during the discussion.

At the end of a brainstorming session, they gather the data and the team comes to the conclusion that the problem is due to the malfunctioning of a particular sensor in the machine. The engineering team looked into this and found that the machine had a sensor calibration problem in which the sensor periodically malfunction.

They found the problem and now the team wants to know the reason behind that problem so that they can find a permanent solution for that. After performing a Root cause analysis they found that this problem happened due to the annual servicing of the machine being 4 months late.

To fix this problem, the 8D problem solving team instructed the car washing center supervisor to call a specialist to do servicing of problematic machines and repair or replace that non-functioning sensor.

After fixing this, the team collected the data of that machine (which has a sensor problem earlier) in order to validate whether that machine working properly or not. After 9 hrs the machine was continuously tested and as a result, it is found that there were no scratches, and cars were washed from the center there were no new reports regarding the scratches. 

In order o address the angry customers, the 8D team suggested a car wash center to give them some concession for car washing and respond to all their feedback. And then 8D team created an action plan or strict guidelines for the servicing procedure of all the 3 car washing machines to prevent the recurrence of the problem.

All the important lesson learned during this project has been documented for future reference. In the end, the quality supervisor who is the team leader of this 8D project appreciated all the teammate’s efforts and congratulated them on the successful completion of the project.”

This is a complete problem scenario we discussed and now below we documented all these scenarios in the form of 8 disciplines of problem-solving. 

OD – Aware of the problem

A Shift operator discovered that a number of cars coming out from one of the three-car washing machines have scratches on the car body.

1D -Grab the team 

The quality supervisor invited the engineer, operator, car wash center supervisor, and service technician to a brainstorming session in order to discuss the problem.

2D- Understand the problem

At the end of a brainstorming session, they gather the data and the team comes to the conclusion that the problem is due to the malfunctioning of a particular sensor in the machine.

In order to come to this conclusion, they studied questions like who discovered the scratches? What did those scratches look like? when it was first noticed? after how much time it re-occurred? etc.

3D -Take containment action 

To prevent further damage to the machine, the quality supervisor immediately instructed the operator to shut down the faulty car washing machines.

4D – Find the root cause 

The engineering team looked into this and found that the machine had a sensor calibration problem in which the sensor periodically malfunction.

They found the problem and now the team wants to know the reason behind that problem so that they can find a permanent solution for that.

After performing a Root cause analysis they found that this problem happened due to the annual servicing of the machine being 4 months late.

5D – Choose corrective action

To fix this problem, the 8D problem solving team instructed the car washing center supervisor to call a specialist to do servicing of the problematic machine and repair or replace that non-functioning sensor.

6D – Implement Corrective action

The team collected the data of that machine (which has a sensor problem earlier) in order to validate whether that machine working properly or not.

After 9 hrs the machine was continuously tested and as a result, it is found that there were no scratches, and cars were washed from the center there were no new reports regarding the scratches. 

7D – Prevention for the future 

8D team created an action plan or strict guidelines for the servicing procedure of all the 3 car washing machines to prevent the recurrence of the problem. All the important lesson learned during this project has been documented for future reference.

8D – Release the team 

The quality supervisor who is the team leader of this 8D project appreciated all the teammate’s efforts and congratulated them on the successful completion of the project.

That’s how this problem in the car washing center was permanently solved using 8D problem-solving and in the end, the team created an 8D report for further learning. This example shows how effectively we can apply this methodology to solve technical problems.

Conclusion – 

Well, I hope you got the basic idea about the powerful tool called 8D problem solving. We discussed all the concepts related to this methodology and also discussed the eight disciplines of this method along with what happens during each discipline and which tools we need to use.

We also understood when to use this tool and what are its benefits. We also discussed the concept of the 8D report , and what it looks like. In the end, we covered one basic case study to understand how 8D problem solving works to solve real-life problems.

If you found this article useful then please share it in your network and subscribe to this platform to get more such articles every week. We will meet again in the next article!

Frequently asked question

What is 8d problem solving process.

This problem-solving methodology designed to define the problem in the process and finding the root cause of that problem. It focuses on implementing a long-term solution to prevent the reoccurrence of the problem.

What does 8D stand for?

The name 8D stands for the disciplines covered in this methodology or the 8 steps of problem-solving. These steps are identified as a D0 to D8 and it follows the PDCA cycle (Plan - Do - Check  - Act).

Is 8D a Six Sigma tool?

8D methodology uses many of the tools from six sigma but focused on identifying, correcting, and preventing a problem. This methodology is not part of six sigma but they do help in many situations to structure the problem-solving process and find its solution. 

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The 8d method was originally the brainchild of the ford motor company. the concept was developed in the 1980s and was initially given the moniker tops (team oriented problem solving) due to its emphasis on a team approach..

This approach proved to be incredibly effective, and the process has now been adopted by other companies to root out their own problems. Now known as Global 8D, the method is ideally suited to manufacturers, but it’s also been effectively used in healthcare, retail, finance and government sectors.

What is the 8D problem-solving method?

‘8D’ stands for the eight disciplines of problem-solving. Each discipline of the tool supports businesses in finding the root cause of a non-conformity and implementing a permanent solution. This detailed and disciplined approach makes it a valuable method for boosting quality and reliability within your business.

Its methodology also puts a great deal of emphasis on what is referred to as the problem-solving team. By bringing different people together, you can take advantage of their diverse experience as well as rapidly develop their individual problem-solving skills.

Other benefits include:

• Greater problem-solving efficiency
• The discovery of any necessary systemic changes
• The creation of a document trail and database outlining non-conformities and their solutions
• Better understanding of non-conformities within the business and their solutions

How do I use the 8D method?

To help you through your problem-solving journey, here is a step-by-step guide through the eight dimensions.

0D: Planning

This stage is not an official part of the eight-step process, but it remains crucial for the method to work.

Before you begin to problem-solve, you need a plan of action. Start gathering evidence on the issue, whether it is a series of customer complaints, a defective product or a process that was not carried out correctly. This will help you decide upon your team and will kick-start the investigation.

1D: Find a team

Now you have an idea of the issue, it’s time to assemble your team.

Try to choose people from different departments within the business but remember to include those who are familiar with the processes linked to the non-conformity/issue. This team can shift as your investigations continue, so be prepared to call in other expertise as you learn more about the events leading up to the issue.

To keep things moving, make sure a leader is elected. Ideally, they should be someone who is familiar with the 8D process.

2D: Problem identification

At this stage you need to set down a description of the problem. This should be fact-based and focused on information taken from business data. By doing this, you can narrow down the issue and start to rule out possible causes of the non-conformity.

To help you create an accurate description, you may like to base it on the 5W2H methodology (who, what, where, when, how and how much?).

3D: Temporary correction

Now that you have a good idea of what the problem is, you may need to put a temporary corrective action in place.

This won’t resolve the root cause of the issue, but it will help to protect your customer from receiving bad products or service from your business.

Interim measures could include stopping production or replacing defective parts, for example.

4D: Root cause analysis

We’re now getting to the business end of this process. At this stage, you can begin to identify the root causes of the non-conformity and verify them using facts gleaned from your data collection.

To help you identify the true cause of the problem, take advantage of other problem-solving techniques, such as the five whys.

The five ways is a very straightforward technique in which you ask the question ‘why’ for every answer you generate.

Here’s an example:

How to use the five whys

Problem: Water spillage in the factory.

1.  First why: The water spillage occurred because the factory pipeline was leaking.

2.  Second why: The factory pipeline leaked because it was damaged.

3.  Third why: The factory pipeline was damaged due to poor maintenance.

4.  Fourth why: The pipeline was poorly maintained because it wasn’t checked regularly.

5.  Fifth why: It wasn’t checked regularly because there isn’t a maintenance schedule for the pipelines.

Root cause: A missing maintenance schedule

Other techniques include the fishbone diagram, which is illustrated below. In this example, the non-conformity was a late delivery. If using the fishbone method, you won’t necessarily fill every section – it will depend on the type and scale of problem you are investigating.

You may also like to walk through your business’ processes to discover the exact location of the root cause. In this case, a process flow diagram may be useful. This is essentially a flowchart that illustrates the relationship between major components.

5D: Permanent correction

Once you are happy that you have found the root cause of your issue, it is time to put together a permanent corrective action. This action will replace the temporary measures you put in place.

In the case of the factory water spillage, the permanent corrective action will be to create a new maintenance schedule to prevent excessive damage.

When you have a plan of what to do, you need to establish its probable effectiveness before you put it into action. Simulations or tools such as Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) can be handy for this. ALT is useful in manufacturing as it tests a product by subjecting it to extreme conditions. Once you’re satisfied that you have found the right solution, it’s time to move to the next stage.

6D: Implementation

It’s now time to implement your chosen permanent corrective action.

To implement it correctly, you need to create a project plan that covers communication to the relevant work teams and overseers as well as the steps to completion. Make sure you also decide how you will measure your success.

7D: Prevention

This stage is dedicated to making sure you prevent the non-conformity from reoccurring.

For example, in the case of the water spillage from the pipeline, the preventative action will be to communicate the new maintenance checks to the relevant team and to issue training on how to check the pipes.

Sharing your knowledge and the lessons learned during the fact-finding process is also key. Make sure the problem and its resolution are communicated to the rest of the business and update documents and your ISO processes.

You may also like to take a look at related products or procedures to see if similar problems are occurring in different parts of the business.

8D: Feedback

The last discipline is dedicated to rewarding your problem-solving team and recognising their efforts. Feed back on their performance and highlight any areas for improvement – this will help them to develop their problem-solving skills and tighten up the process during the next investigation. Once that’s done, it’s time to celebrate!

Need some extra support?

Running a management system and playing detective when it comes to non-conformities can be quite challenging when you’re juggling other business needs.

For more support or guidance, you can reach our team of experts by calling 0333 344 3646 or emailing [email protected] .

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About the author

Claire Price

Content Marketing Executive

Claire worked for Citation ISO Certification between 2020 and 2022 writing creative and informative content on ISO certification and consultation to help businesses reach their potential.

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