Q 558. Out of control action plan (OCAP) - What is an Out of Control Action Plan (OCAP)? How can it be used for continuous improvement in an organization?

 

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Out of Control Action Plan (OCAP)

 

An Out of Control Action Plan (OCAP) is a structured process used to address situations in which a process is considered "out of control." In statistical process control, an out-of-control situation occurs when a process is no longer stable or predictable, and its output exceeds its normal variability limits. An OCAP is a documented plan that outlines the steps to be taken when an out-of-control situation is identified. Its purpose is to ensure that corrective action is taken promptly to bring the process back into control.

 

Steps for OCAP implementation:

 

Step 1: Identify the problem and collect data

In this step, the process is monitored to identify when it goes out of control. This can be done using statistical process control tools such as control charts. Once the problem is identified, data is collected to understand the extent and impact of the problem. For example, if a manufacturing process is producing defective parts, data can be collected on the number and type of defects.

 

Step 2: Containment

The next step is to contain the problem to prevent it from causing further damage. For example, if the defective parts are being produced, the process may need to be stopped to prevent further production of defective parts.

 

Step 3: Root Cause Analysis

In this step, the cause of the problem is identified. This may involve a detailed analysis of the process and the data collected in step 1. Tools such as Ishikawa diagrams or the 5 Whys can be used to identify the root cause.

 

Step 4: Develop and implement corrective actions

Once the root cause is identified, corrective actions are developed and implemented to address the problem. For example, if the root cause of the defective parts is found to be a faulty machine, the machine may need to be repaired or replaced.

 

Step 5: Verify effectiveness of corrective actions

The effectiveness of the corrective actions is verified by monitoring the process and collecting data. If the corrective actions are successful, the process should be back in control and producing products within the specified limits.

 

Step 6: Prevent recurrence

To prevent the problem from recurring, preventive actions are developed and implemented. For example, regular maintenance of machines can prevent future breakdowns.

 

Step 7: Close the OCAP

Finally, the OCAP is closed, and documentation of the problem, root cause, corrective and preventive actions are recorded. The team responsible for implementing the OCAP can then conduct a review to identify lessons learned and to improve the process further.

 

In conclusion, the OCAP implementation process is a structured approach to problem-solving that can help organizations address process variation and control issues. By following the steps outlined above, organizations can quickly identify problems, contain the issue, and implement corrective and preventive actions to bring the process back under control.

 

 

 

Examples of OCAP as a method to promote continuous improvement: 

 

A restaurant receives multiple complaints from customers about food poisoning. An OCAP can be implemented to investigate the root cause of the issue, such as the source of the contaminated food or incorrect food handling practices. Corrective actions can then be taken, such as updating food safety protocols and staff training.

 

A hotel receives complaints from guests about rude behavior from the front desk staff. An OCAP can be implemented to identify the root cause, such as inadequate training or hiring practices. Corrective actions can then be taken, such as implementing a customer service training program for all staff or improving the recruitment process to hire employees with better interpersonal skills.

 

So as we can see above, OCAP can be used for continuous improvement in an organization by providing a structured approach to identify and address issues, improving processes and preventing future issues from occurring. By implementing corrective actions and continuously monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of these actions, an organization can improve its overall quality and customer satisfaction. OCAP can also help organizations meet regulatory requirements and improve safety and environmental performance.

OCAP is a structured approach to ensure data correction so that the process under study operates within the Specification limits i.e., Upper and Lower Specification limits which is the acceptable operating range. It is similar to the concept of Outlier analysis used in Control Charts wherein we analyze the root cause of the data points that exceed the specification limits.

 

It involves the below steps:

1.    Define the problem statement for the given process.

2.    Identify Root cause using either 5 Why analysis or Fishbone analysis. Pareto charts can be used in case we are analyzing defects.

3.    Identify the corrective actions and prioritize them in case of multiple actions.

4.    Identify the preventive actions so that similar problems do not occur in future.

5.    Implement the CAPA (Corrective and preventive actions). Identify owners and monitor the action to closure.

6.    Continue monitoring the process and monitor if the implemented actions were effective. This can be checked if there is any process improvement.

7.    This ultimately leads to process stability and a stable process is always predictable.

8.    This also leads to customer satisfaction through better services.

Out of Control Action Plan

 

Definition - One of the often employed tools in the Control phase to track the efficiency of the process is the control chart. We can determine using the control chart whether the process is operating within the UCL and LCL. We will require an action plan to bring the process under the control limits if the data exceeds these control limits or if there are too many control limitations because the process is not streamlined.

 

I'd like to give an example of a project we started at my current organisation to illustrate the significance of the Out of Control Action Plan.  OCAP works well when we have batch processing, several causes, and lengthy cycle periods, but in this project, we have used it to reduce the lengthy cycle time.

 

The team attempted to identify non-duplicate claims during this procedure. We did a time-study on each and every step and we learned that to find non-duplicate claims using the conventional method, the processor needs to spend close to 4-5 hours every report. Due to the fact that we had been following the process steps for a long time, we had to raise the UCL and LCL.

 

After this, we have taken some sample records, processed it and understood the accuracy and effort hours required to process those records utilizing the traditional method.  We plotted the control chart to check the variations.  Below is the control chart where we learned that we are superficially showing the process under control by just raising the UCL and LCL.

 

 

After continuous brainstorming and utilizing the Cause and effect analysis, we understood the problem area as below:

 

 

According to the cause and effect analysis, the manual effort is what is causing the UCL and LCL processes to go awry. If we can use automation to cut down on the time spent on this particular cause, we will be able to bring the process under control.  Here, we understood that the goal of out of control, Control Chart was to assist us in locating the causes of the issue and help us eliminate those that are hindering the processes.  The OCAP (automation) that we derived assisted us in understanding the variable and the trend that impacted the process.  This also enabled us to think on each process step, conduct brain storming sessions, and use the cause and effect analysis to ascertain which is the root cause that affects performance.

 

Below is the control chart after taking appropriate steps and implementing the automation, where we can see that the UCL and LCL have been optimized and the effort hours required have also reduced from 4-5 hours/record to max of 15 minutes/record.  This has also resulted in dollar savings of 14-15% month on month. 

 

Lessons learned from this project:

• It helped us to understand the current state of the process and what is the issue.
• It helped us to think and analyze and eliminate non-value added tasks.
• It helped us to build an automation step that was never a part of this project. 
• Goal was to improve productivity of the processor and improve satisfaction levels.
• Team worked in tandem with the all the stakeholders in the brainstorming sessions to identify the root causes.
• We have considered both immediate as well as long-term goals to make the process robust.

 

OCAP- approach help to everyone achieve control the even they themselves in situation that they extremely emotions situation below step need to be follow

 

1.       Identify activate that can lead OCAP. This could be situation, person behaviour or set of behaviour

2.       Identify coping strategies that help to deal with of OCAP triggers. Example: talking to a trusted friend, deep breathing, meditation, exercise.

3.       Making specific action plan, when you are OCAP situation.  Example leaving the situation, counting upto “N” Number etc.

4.       Make a Practice regularly – so it became habit. This will make it easier to implement when you find yourself in an out-of-control situation.

5.       Still you feel- your behaviour is affecting daily work / personal life- take help from Expert mental health.

 

Continuous improvement is an important part of any action plan . Organization talking step to change behaviour of employee some example are below

 

 

1.       Job Role changes – If employee is monotonous- Then it is very difficult to get Continuous improvement for in same process. HR is taking step to change role

2.       Mind-set- Old Experience are very rigid to change their behaviour. Some time they don’t follow instruction/ process. HR is taking step to change mind set by off job training, Counselling etc.

3.       Cross functional Team: making small team also help to achieve OCAP.

4.       Work Motion study: Deep study on Work motion. Example- efficiency can be increase if we change work on left hand from Right Hand.

5.       Consistency is key to the success of action plan. Make sure you are practicing your plan regularly and sticking to it when you need it most.

6.       Recommendation & recognition- always recommend person who is controlling behaviour and  recognition them

7.       Regularly review your action plan to see how effectiveness and it is in helping you to achieve control of your behaviour. Make note of to do & don’t & adjust accordingly.

 

By continuously improving your out-of-control action plan, you can increase its effectiveness and improve your ability to regain control of your behaviour in challenging situations. Remember, seeking professional help from a mental health provider is always an option if you are struggling to manage your emotions or behaviour.

An Out of Control Action Plan (OCAP) is a structured problem-solving approach that organizations use to address issues that are outside the normal process control limits. It is an essential tool for continuous improvement in organizations as it provides a systematic approach to identify, contain, and eliminate the root cause of problems.

 

OCAPs are typically used in manufacturing and service industries, where quality control is critical to the success of the organization. It involves a team-based approach, where a cross-functional team is assembled to investigate the problem, identify the root cause, and implement corrective actions to prevent the problem from recurring.

 

The OCAP process involves the following steps:

Define the problem: The first step is to clearly define the problem and establish the impact it has on the process or product.

Contain the problem: The team takes immediate action to prevent the problem from getting worse and impacting other parts of the process or product.

Identify the root cause: The team uses problem-solving tools such as fishbone diagrams, flowcharts, and statistical analysis to identify the root cause of the problem.

Develop and implement corrective actions: The team develops a plan to correct the root cause of the problem and implements the necessary changes.

Verify the effectiveness of the corrective actions: The team monitors the process to ensure that the corrective actions have been effective and that the problem does not recur.

Update the process: The team updates the process to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.

 

The OCAP process can be used to improve the quality of products or services, reduce waste, and increase efficiency in the organization. By systematically addressing issues that are outside the normal process control limits, organizations can continuously improve their processes and products, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction, improved profitability, and a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

The concept of six sigma is all about reducing variation and enabling a consistent output/outcome. This means all factors that could bring in variation are tightly controlled. For this to happen, of course there was a prior plan on how to keep things under control, which is known as a control plan. This includes a comprehensive risk assessment, a detailed thought through assessment on what all could go wrong or what all could fail. While the system delivers a controlled output due to such control plan, there always are possibilities that process may run out of control, producing defective output/outcome. The purpose of OCAP is to identify the root cause(s), take corrective actions to eliminate the causes(s), and prevent the problem from recurring in the future. This can be achieved using quality tools and techniques such as statistical process control, Ishikawa diagrams, process flowcharts, Pareto charts to analyse the data and identify the root causes of the problem.

 

A diligent and consistent adherence of this method leads to a situation where the possibility of failures keep reducing and results in continual improvement. To take the best advantage of OCAP, cross functional teams must be involved and the results must be shared as best practices across the organisation. Learning from other function's OCAPs must be considered too. One important point is to consider the review of the OCAP while changes are planned in the system or processes. While you build a tightly controlled system using years of knowledge, a badly manage change can make the process go out of control.

Interesting applications highlighted by a couple of respondents. The best answer has been provided by Partho Karmakar. 

 

Reply from Moushmi is also a must read.