Before you make any changes to your SPC software, you need to assess your current situation. This means reviewing your process data, control charts, capability indices, and improvement goals. You also need to identify any external factors that may affect your process, such as customer demands, market trends, regulatory changes, or environmental conditions. By doing this, you will have a clear picture of your current state and your desired state.
Absolutely, except let the response of the monitored parameter tell you when external factors are affecting the process. You will see a shift in the mean or out-of-control conditions (good or bad) with the control chart. ONE main reason for having control charts is to not overreact to random events that cause variability in the tracked parameter(s), but rather know when the probability-is-high that an upset of the stable system has occurred.
Next, you need to identify the gaps and opportunities between your current state and your desired state. This means analyzing your process data and control charts to find out where you are deviating from your specifications, where you have potential for improvement, and where you have risks or uncertainties. You also need to prioritize your improvement actions based on their impact, feasibility, and urgency. By doing this, you will have a clear plan of what you need to change and why.
Once you have a clear plan of what you need to change, you need to choose the right SPC software features and tools to support your improvement actions. This means selecting the appropriate control chart types, variables, parameters, limits, rules, and alerts for your process. You also need to consider the integration, automation, and customization options of your SPC software to make it more user-friendly, reliable, and flexible. By doing this, you will have a clear set of SPC software features and tools that match your process needs and goals.
In my experience, spending time to visualize the control chart is the MOST important assessment. When deviations occur, visit the workflow, process room, etc. See first-hand what is happening. Don't rely strictly on the numbers.
After you have chosen the right SPC software features and tools, you need to implement and test the changes. This means updating your SPC software settings, inputs, outputs, and reports according to your plan. You also need to test the changes on a small scale or a pilot run before applying them to the whole process. You need to collect and analyze the new process data and control charts to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the changes. By doing this, you will have a clear evidence of the results and benefits of the changes.
Certainly you will want to outline changes and test them, but let the results show on the existing charts before changing them.
Finally, you need to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of the changes. This means tracking and measuring the performance and quality indicators of your process over time. You also need to compare the actual outcomes with the expected outcomes and the baseline data. You need to identify any gaps, issues, or opportunities for further improvement. You need to document and communicate the outcomes and the lessons learned. By doing this, you will have a clear feedback and learning loop for your SPC software and process.