What is an Interrelationship Diagram?
→ An interrelationship diagram represents the relationship between the factors in a complex situation.
→ This tool easily identifies the difficult relations between the various factors.
→ This tool helps us to identify the Cause and Effect Relationship of the critical issues.
→ This analysis helps us to differentiate between the issue and cause or we can say that the driving factors and the outcomes of that activity.
→ We can also use this tool to identify logical relationships in a complex and confusing problem situations.
→ This tool is a part of a New 7 QC Tools (Seven Management and Planning Tools).
→ The Interrelationship_Diagram also visualizes the relationships between the various factors.
Different Names of an Interrelationship Diagram
- Interrelationship diagraph,
- Relations_Diagram or Digraph,
- Network_Diagram
When to use the Interrelationship Diagram?
→ We need to use this_diagram when we are trying to understand the relationship between ideas or cause_and_ffect relationships.
→ We can use it during the analysis of a complex issue or a situation.
→ After creating an Affinity_Diagram, Fishbone_Diagram, or Tree_Diagram, we can use the Interrelationship_Diagram for detailed and further analysis.
→ Use an Interrelationship_Diagram can also be useful in identifying root_causes, even when objective data is not available.
How to Make an Interrelationship Diagram?
→ Materials needed: Sticky notes or cards, large paper surface, marking pens.
→ We can divide the diagram making process into below simple four steps.
- Identify and define the Issue or Problem
- List down all ideas/activity
- Draw and count the arrow as per cause and effect relationship
- Analysis of the Interrelationship Diagram
Step 1: Identify and define the Issue or Problem
→ Define the statement of the problem for that we need to make an Interrelationship_Diagram.
→ Write the problem on a sticky note and place it at the top of a whiteboard or blank paper surface.
Step 2: List down all ideas/activity
→ Brainstorm ideas about the issue and write them on sticky notes. In other words, we can say develop issues related to the problem.
→ After that, we need to identify the relationships.
→ Using any of the issues as a starting point, work through the relationships in sequence.
Step 3: Draw and count the arrow as per cause and effect relationship
➨ For each pair of issues, determine the below three possibilities.
(a) No cause and effect relationship,
(b) A weak cause_and_effect relationship,
(c) A strong cause_effect relationship.
→ If the team determines there is a cause_and_effect relationship then also determine which issue is the cause and which is the result.
→ Draw arrows to indicate directions of influence or we can say that the direction of the arrow should be from an influencer (affecting to) to influence by (get affected).
➨ Draw arrow based on below two types.
(a) For strong relationships, use a solid line.
(b) For a weaker relationship, draw a dashed line.
→ Although some relationships may seem evenly balanced, always determine which is the stronger influence and draw the arrow in that direction.
→ At a time we need to use only a single-headed arrow to avoid two-headed arrows.
→ For each issue, clearly record the number of arrows going in and going out.
→ Count the arrow in and an arrow out for each idea and note down the counts of arrow either at the bottom of each box or side of the box.
→ The box has the highest arrows that are the key activity/idea and also keep it in mind that the count of arrows is the only indicator it is not a final one.
→ Sometimes the idea/activity having a lesser number of arrows is also a key activity or idea.
→ At finally, draw a bold box around the key ideas.
Step 4: Analysis of Interrelationship Diagram
→ Now we need to analyze the_diagram to identify drivers and outcomes.
→ We can identify the basic causes for which ideas have primarily outgoing (from) arrows.
→ Then the final effects can be identified as the ideas have primarily incoming (to) arrows. And the final effects may be very critical to address.
→ A high number of outgoing_arrows indicate that an issue is a driver or possible root cause.
→ The idea with a higher number of incoming arrows known as a key issue or key concern.
Example of an Interrelationship Diagram
→ For a Better understanding of the Interrelationship_Diagram, we are taking one example and we will refer to the above-mentioned steps for making the diagram.
Step 1: Identify and define the Issue or Problem
→ So in the very first steps, we need to Define the Problem or identifying the issue. In this example, we will take the below issue.
➨ Issue/Problem: Poor Communication of the Product Dispatch/Shipping.
Step 2: List down the cause and effect relations for all ideas/activity
➨ As per the brainstorming, we have found below ideas or points that are related to Poor Communication of the Product Dispatch/Shipping.
⇢ Poor Communication with Logistic Provider
⇢ Poor Communication with Dispatch Department
⇢ Poor Planning
⇢ Poor Scheduling of Logistic Provider
⇢ Poor Maintenance of Truck
⇢ Late Order From Customer
⇢ Breakdown in Truck
⇢ Late Delivery of Raw Material
⇢ Other Orders in Progress
Step 3: Draw and count the arrow as per cause and effect relationship
→ Now as per the next step we will find out the cause and effect relationship and drawing the incoming and outgoing_arrows.
→ After that, we need to count the arrows in and out for each idea.
→ Write the counts at the bottom of each box.
→ These all things we can easily show in the below picture.
Step 4: Analysis of Interrelationship Diagram
→ From which idea or point having the highest number of output_arrows is called a driver or key cause.
→ In other words, a key cause affects a large number of other items.
→ The above diagram shows the following key causes:
→ Poor Planning - (5 outgoing_arrows)
→ Late Order From Customer - (5 outgoing_arrows)
→ A Concern or Idea with a large number of Input_arrows is affected by a large number of other concerns or ideas.
→ Thus, It could be a source of quality or performance metric.
→ Poor Scheduling of Logistic Provider - (4 Incoming_arrows)
→ A Measure of Poor Scheduling of Logistic Provider could create the problem of Late Delivery.
Advantages of an Interrelationship Diagram
→ This tool very easily analyze the cause and effect relation of any problem
→ A very complex issue can be easily solved by this tool
→ Sometimes this tool is used to identify the Root Cause Analysis
→ This tool is very easy to use and analyze
Post a Comment