AIAG’s new CQI 20: Effective Problem Solving Guide combines the practitioner and leadership problem solving guides to offer more support and best practices to organizations throughout the supply chain.

SOUTHFIELD, Michigan, September 13, 2018 – In a 2015 “Quality 2020” survey developed by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) in collaboration with Deloitte Consulting, problem solving was identified as one of the most critical issues impacting quality for the global automotive industry. In response, AIAG began taking steps to substantially improve, expand and combine the existing problem solving documents, CQI-20 and CQI-21, and today announced the release of the resulting publication, CQI-20: Effective Problem Solving Guide.

In addition to feedback from nearly two-thirds of Quality 2020 respondents who felt that their organizations were only moderately capable at problem solving, survey data also provided perceived reasons for this lack of proficiency – poor root cause analysis, absence of sufficient management/organization support, time constraints and hasty decisions were all cited as reasons the industry believes current problem solving efforts to be ineffective.

Prompted by this revealing feedback, the initiative to rework the problem solving documents began with another survey effort that explored these previously identified issues more thoroughly. As Karen Krutsch, AIAG program manager, quality initiatives, explains: “The problem solving team conducted an additional survey to delve deeper. As a result, we found that issues pertaining to company culture and implementation of available tools were frequent roadblocks to effective problem solving.”

The solution to these roadblocks, the team determined, was not necessarily to create something new – particularly since the tools and trainings were already available – but rather to build upon and combine the current problem solving documents.

In addition to expanding upon the importance of verification of each step, closing of the process and monitoring/measuring preventative action plans, additions to the revised CQI-20 document include guidance on the following: how to write an accurate problem statement, establishing root cause and the importance of selecting and testing corrective actions prior to implementing the selected corrective actions.

By combining the two distinct problem solving guides for leaders and practitioners respectively, the new CQI-20 document also emphasizes the importance of leadership’s role in the problem solving process. Each section contains notes pertaining to “Executive Support” as well as Inputs-Process-Outputs, Step Overview, Tools, Outcome and Progress Check Questions.

“Based on the initial data from our Quality 2020 survey and the feedback received during our more focused follow up survey, it’s clear that problem solving is a top concern for OEMs and suppliers alike,” Krutsch concludes. “We believe that the additional detail based on best practices in the new CQI-20 will provide organizations with the opportunity to improve their problem solving capabilities – and AIAG is fully committed to supporting those efforts.”

Purchase the new CQI-20: Effective Problem Solving document here.

About AIAG

The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) is a unique not-for-profit organization where OEMs, suppliers, service providers, government entities, and individuals in academia have worked collaboratively for more than 35 years to drive down costs and complexity from the supply chain. AIAG membership includes preeminent manufacturers and many of their parts suppliers and service providers. Visit www.aiag.org for more information.