Too Many Types Of Quality Problems

ne of the hallmarks of expert problem solving is the use of wellfounded problem types or categories when interpreting and responding to situations. Physicians use hierarchies of disease categories to organize their diagnoses of patient ailments. Similarly, attorneys classify cases in terms of the legal principles and precedents involved. Problem types or categories help direct attention to relevant past experiences and pertinent problem solving techniques. Practitioners who lack an awareness of useful problem categories are prone to knee-jerk responses, employing popular methods simply because they are popular. This appeared to be the case at a hospital where a quality circle used a cause and effect diagram to depict requirements for a training program for phlebotomists. Faced with the task of devising a program concerning a design issue, the group unthinkingly used a method intended for diagnosis—a task rarely performed as part of design. To avoid such mistakes, practitioners must be able to categorize problems in solution relevant ways. This presumes that appropriate problem categories have been defined and communicated to problem solvers. Well-defined categories can be organized into a problem taxonomy, a formal classification scheme that differentiates problems according to key characteristics. This article addresses these purposes. It presents an empirically derived taxonomy of quality problems that practitioners can use to better direct their problem solving efforts.