Data Analysis Tools and Techniques

Researchers have recognized the need for understanding the relationships between different aspects of Total Quality Management (TQM). Bunney and Dale (1997) stated that the introduction of the quality management tools depends on the stage of the improvement process. They came up with two different classifications of the commonly used tools in TQM, one according to the area of application and the other according to the business function in which they could be utilized.

Scheuermann, Zhu, & Scheuermann (1997) analyzed 15 commonly used TQM tools and sorted them into qualitative and quantitative classifications. The qualitative approach to gathering information focuses on the understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. This is generally done in interviews, open-ended questions, or focus groups. On the other hand, the quantitative method involves the quantification of the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into useable statistics.

From the examination of the information above, the team decided what approach should be taken for the problem at hand. For the data collection, questionnaires/voting would be employed; flowcharts would be used to explain the workflow. Then the acquired data would be analyzed using QFD (Quality Function Deployment), scatter diagrams, histograms and Pareto Charts to give concrete numerical results. As our line of attack would be making use of elements from both quantitative and qualitative categories, we would be opting for a research from a mixed-method viewpoint.