BSI British Standards Publishes Two New Guides To The Use Of Statistical Process Control Charts

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 04 Aug 2008 - 13:00 PDT

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All tasks encountered at work involve a process, some more complex than others. The output of many processes is dependent on, often multiple, inputs.

- Are you sure that the output is the best that your process can achieve?
- Could the output be improved by adjusting some of the input parameters of the process?
- How do you know whether the process is stable or unstable, "in" or "out" of control?
- How do you know that the output from a process continues at its best level?

Two new publications from BSI British Standards provide guidance on how statistical process control charts can be used in different scenarios where only a limited amount of data is available or processes have short duration. The standards help organizations ensure consistent, predictable, capable and reliable processes.

When people think about processes they often think about product manufacture but processes are used by many organizations in order to deliver a service. Process control charts are therefore equally applicable to service and manufacturing organizations. They are an essential tool for quality improvement and form part of the toolset of Six Sigma practitioners.

Two new parts of the BS 5702 series have recently been published:

- BS 5702-2:2008 - Guide to statistical process control (SPC) charts for variables - Part 2: Charts for individual values
- BS 5702-3:2008 - Guide to statistical process control (SPC) charts for variables - Part 3: Charting techniques for short runs and small mixed batches

The standards demonstrate the benefits, versatility and usefulness of a simple but powerful pictorial method for monitoring, audit and surveillance with the objectives to control and improve many types of processes. They also explain which type of control chart is most applicable to a particular process and they complement BS 5702-1:2001 - Guide to statistical process control (SPC) charts for variables. Part 1: Charts for mean, median, range and standard deviation.

The standards are relevant to all people who need to ensure that the processes that they control are delivering the best and continue to do so. They can be applied across industry, commerce, public service, health care, environment, food, information technology and finance. Case studies are included to illustrate this adaptability.

Please go to the on-line BSI Shop http://www.bsigroup.com/shop to buy the standards and also see standards in the BS 5701 and BS 5703 series, each comprising four parts and which are also available from BSI.

About BSI British Standards

BSI British Standards is the UK's National Standards Body, recognized globally for its independence, integrity and innovation in the production of standards and information products that promote and share best practice. BSI works with businesses, consumers and government to represent UK interests and to make sure that British, European and international standards are useful, relevant and authoritative. For further information please visit http://www.bsigroup.com/britishstandards.

About BSI Group

BSI British Standards is part of BSI Group, a global independent business services organization that inspires confidence and delivers assurance to customers with standards-based solutions. Originating as the world's first national standards body, the Group has over 2,300 staff operating in over 120 countries through more than 50 global offices. The Group's key offerings are:

- The development and sale of private, national and international standards and supporting information
- Second and third-party management systems assessment and certification
- Product testing and certification of services and products
- Performance management software solutions
- Training services in support of standards implementation and business best practice.

http://www.bsigroup.com