*The Seven Basic Tools of Quality include: 1.Checklist - A simple data-recording device.

Check sheets and simple surveys are effective methods, easy to design, and fun to implement either as an individual or a team. They are provide a snapshot of the process being studied and reveal underlying patterns including the frequency of an event or activity. Frequently, check sheet results are turned into Pareto charts [next]. 2. Pareto chart - A graphical tool for ranking causes from most significant to least significant. A Pareto chart is a series of vertical bars lined up in a descending order - from high to low - to reflect frequency, importance, or impact. Pareto charts quickly draw everyone's attention to the most important factor - providing an at-a-glance snapshot of priorities. 3. Flowchart/process map - Graphical tools that shows the major steps in a process. Flowcharts are a useful tool for for examining how various steps are related to each other. By studying these charts individuals and teams can often uncover potential sources of trouble and/or identify steps to be taken to improve or error-proof a process. 4. Cause-effect diagram - A tool for analyzing and illustrating a process by showing the main causes and subcauses leading to an effect (symptom). It is sometimes referred to as the "Ishikawa diagram," because Kaoru Ishikawa developed it, and the "fishbone diagram," because the complete diagram resembles a fish skeleton. The fishbone is easy to construct and invites interactive participation. 5. Histogram - A graphic summary of a set of data that reveals the amount of variation that a process has within it. The pictorial nature of the histogram lets people see patterns that are difficult to detect in a simple table of numbers. Control charts [below] are actually a series of histograms laid on their side with acceptable variation levels indicated in the form of upper and lower statistical control limits [+/- three standard deviations]. 6. Scatter diagrams - A graphical technique to analyze the relationship between two variables. Two sets of data are plotted on a graph, with the y-axis being used for the variable to be predicted and the x-axis being used for the variable to make the prediction. The graph will show possible relationships among variables: those who know most about the variables must evaluate whether they are actually related or only appear to be related. 7. Control chart - A run chart with upper and lower control limits on which values of some statistical measure for a series of samples or subgroups are plotted. The chart frequently shows a central line to help detect a trend of plotted values. It helps determine whether or not a process is operating consistently or if a special cause has occurred to change the process mean or variance. Improvements in common cause variation require fundamental changes in the process.