Data Collection and Quality Management Paper
Data is collected to learn the effectiveness of a particular tool in preventing defects or to look into the cause of a particular defect (Burrill, Ledolter, p.381 ¶1). Data removes the trepidation and uncertainty of an unknown element. For example, opinions vary from person to person and what one person thinks as good, there is another that thinks otherwise and yet another that may have a neutral opinion. One reason for collecting data is to gain an understanding of the data by organizing and graphing the individual values (Albert, Rossman, p.1 ¶2). Secondly, and most importantly, collecting data helps draw conclusions about a larger group of information (Albert, Rossman, p.1 ¶3).
There are other reasons to collect data. Data also helps people to understand the processes with which they work. Data can also be collected for the purpose of process control. Numerous manufacturing processes use feedback data to adjust an input, such as temperature, in order to keep the output at the desired level. Feedback data from quality control activities can be used to make adjustments that result in more products meeting their requirements (Burrill, Ledolter, p. 381, ¶ 1). Data can also be used to improve processes with the intent of increasing productivity.
For example, a delivery service makes a guarantee that all domestic packages will be delivered within 24 hours. What happens when a package is delivered in 25 hours or later? Will the delivery service make amends by waiving the delivery fee, or did the delivery company make a reasonable guarantee? The data gathered for this delivery company will determine the variables associated with each delivery and paint a clearer picture on whether the time interval ...