The why analysis technique is based on the principle that for every problem or issue, there are several underlying causes that contribute to its occurrence. By identifying and understanding these underlying causes, companies can develop effective solutions to address the problem and prevent it from happening in the future.
In the chemical industry, why analysis can be used to identify the root causes of a variety of problems, such as process defects, product defects, and other quality issues. For example, if a chemical company is experiencing a high rate of product defects, they may use why analysis to identify the underlying causes of the problem.
The first step in conducting a why analysis is to clearly define the problem or issue that is being addressed. In this example, the problem is a high rate of product defects. Once the problem has been defined, the next step is to ask the question "why" to identify the underlying causes of the problem.
For example, the company may ask "Why are we experiencing a high rate of product defects?" The answer to this question may be "Because the raw materials we are using are of poor quality." The next question would be "Why are the raw materials of poor quality?" The answer to this question may be "Because the suppliers we are using do not have strict quality control measures in place."
This process of asking "why" questions can be repeated several times to uncover the underlying causes of the problem. The company may continue to ask "why" questions such as "Why don't the suppliers have strict quality control measures in place?" and "Why are we using suppliers who don't have strict quality control measures in place?"
By asking "why" questions, the company can uncover the underlying causes of the problem, which in this example may be poor supplier selection and lack of oversight of the suppliers' quality control measures. With this information, the company can develop effective solutions to address the underlying causes of the problem, such as implementing strict supplier selection criteria and implementing regular inspections of the suppliers' quality control measures.
Another example in the chemical industry, where a company producing a chemical compound used in the production of paint, is facing a problem of producing low-quality paint. Through why analysis, the company found out that the low-quality paint is due to the chemical compound that is not being mixed properly, which is caused by the lack of proper training for the operators and the equipment not being calibrated properly. By identifying the root cause, the company can now provide proper training for its operators and regularly calibrate the equipment to produce high-quality paint.
In conclusion, why analysis is an effective problem-solving technique that can be used in the chemical industry to identify the underlying causes of a variety of problems, such as process defects, product defects, and other quality issues. By asking "why" questions and uncovering the underlying causes of the problem, companies can develop effective solutions to address the problem and prevent it from happening in the future.