Checksheets:
Check Sheet used for Plan Quality Management purpose:
While planning a project, past projects document records are used as an input to identify the process improvements to know where sources and causes of defects encountered and where we may need to do efforts to prevent them in the current project. For example, we are using the same team which was involved in the previous project, these factual data can help us to identify how they are collectively executing a process and at what point we can prevent defects in work products.
he check sheet is a form (document) used to collect data in real time at the location where the data is generated. The data it captures can be quantitative or qualitative. When the information is quantitative, the check sheet is sometimes called a tally sheet.[1]
The check sheet is one of the so-called Seven Basic Tools of Quality Control
Kaoru Ishikawa identified five uses for check sheets in quality control:[3]
- To check the shape of the probability distribution of a process
- To quantify defects by type
- To quantify defects by location
- To quantify defects by cause (machine, worker)
- To keep track of the completion of steps in a multistep procedure (in other words, as a checklist)
A Check Sheet is a tool to collect both qualitative and quantitative facts about quality problems. When it is used to collect quantitative data, then known as tally sheet
“A tally sheet that can be used as a checklist when gathering data”
This is an effective tool from one of the 7 basic quality tools, both to prevent and detect problems by having structured valuable data about quality problems.
Differentiating with check list:
Some professional’s gets confused in check sheet and checklist. Check sheet is not a check list, checklist is basically listing of items need to be considered for the purpose of accuracy and completeness.
For example, maintaining a daily to-do task list is a good example of checklist while the check sheet is a collection of facts about a problem categorized by their cause, types, and/or location
Following table further explains the difference between check sheet and checklist:
| Check Sheet | Check List |
|---|---|
| Check sheet conveys information about frequency of problems by type, causes and/or location | The Checklist is used to include all the necessary steps need to follow to ensure the accuracy and completeness of a work product or process. The Checklist can be used while working on a check sheet to ensure its accuracy. For example, what steps need to follow to develop check sheet while collecting real time data |
| It is normally developed and agreed by the team members as per need of the project. For example sometimes team chooses to develop it to count the frequency for the source of the problem, alternatively team can choose to capture frequency of the data categorised by causes. In other words, check sheet is customized by a team. | For a process, Checklist structure generally comes from the documented standards. Another checklist like to-do list comes from other influences, like someone is preparing to-do list as per expectations set. |
| These is a tool to record facts about interruptions or problems as a result of a quality control process | This is a tool to record what steps are required to fulfil an objective. |
Where It Is Used?
Check sheet is one of the tools from 7 basic quality tools, and used in “Plan Quality” and “Control Quality as a Tool & Technique. Here, my basic objective is to explain the check sheet in the context of these two processes.
While planning a project, past projects document records are used as an input to identify the process improvements to know where sources and causes of defects encountered and where we may need to do efforts to prevent them in the current project. For example, we are using the same team which was involved in the previous project, these factual data can help us to identify how they are collectively executing a process and at what point we can prevent defects in work products.
Like past projects check sheet shows that many defects encountered under category of “misinterpretation of customer requirements” then we may result in a process improvement plan for “Collect Requirements” process. In addition, quality policies in quality management plan and metrics can be designed to measure future work performance and processes.
Check sheet is used as a Tool & Technique in “Control quality process to know about frequencies of problem in a format agreed by the team.
Example Check Sheet
In order to understand the concept I am taking an example that may be used in software project, here I am choosing to show the check sheet in terms of frequencies of quality problems categorized by their causes.
A test team member is evaluating work products to detect problems from the specifications. The team may choose to categorize data about quality problems in following categories:
Categories suggested by Roger S. Pressman:
- Incomplete or erroneous specification (IES)
- Misinterpretation of customer communication (MCC)
- Intentional deviation from specifications (IDS)
- Violations of programming standards. (VPS)
- Error in data representations (EDR)
- Inconsistent component interface (ICI)
- Error in design logic (EDL)
- Incomplete or erroneous testing (IET)
- Inaccurate or inconsistent documentation (IID)
- Error in programming language translation of design (PLT)
- Ambiguous or inconsistent human/computer interface (HCI)
- Miscellaneous (MIS)
While examination of work product test team member, team member assesses the defects and enter the frequencies in their respective category of causes like:
Check Sheet suggested by Roger S. Pressman in software engineering a practitioner’s approach:
Benefits of Check Sheet
Main objective of check sheet is to produce quantitative data about quality problems and use as an input of other seven quality tools like Histogram and Pareto analysis that will be discussed in my upcoming articles.
In addition check sheet is also used to collect qualitative data like no of interruptions that comes from intuition, judgement and feeling of observer.
In short it is an effective tool to collect both quantitative and qualitative data about quality problems.
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The Check Sheet is a simple document that is used for collecting data in real time and at the location where the data is generated. The document is typically a blank form that is designed for the quick, easy, and efficient recording of the desired information, which can be either quantitative or qualitative. When the information is quantitative, the check sheet is sometimes called a tally sheet. The check sheet is one of the seven basic tools of quality control made popular by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa.
Check Sheet used for Plan Quality Management purpose:
While planning a project, past projects document records are used as an input to identify the process improvements to know where sources and causes of defects encountered and where we may need to do efforts to prevent them in the current project. For example, we are using the same team which was involved in the previous project, these factual data can help us to identify how they are collectively executing a process and at what point we can prevent defects in work products.
Like past projects check sheet shows that many defects encountered under category of “misinterpretation of customer requirements” then we may result in a process improvement plan for “Collect Requirements” process. In addition, quality policies in quality management plan and metrics can be designed to measure future work performance and processes.
Check Sheet used for Control Quality purpose:
Check sheet is used as a Tool & Technique in “Control quality process to know about frequencies of problem in a format agreed by the team.
A defining characteristic of a check sheet is that data is recorded by making marks (“checks”) on it. A typical check sheet is divided into regions, and marks made in different regions have different significance. Data is read by observing the location and number of marks on the sheet. Four basic types of check sheets include:
Classification check sheet: A trait such as a defect must be classified into a category. If you just kept track of the total defects, you would know that you had 101 total defects. That is somewhat useful but that, in and of itself, does not provide much insight as to which day is the worst day or which source of defects is in the worst shape, etc. With a classification check sheet, it provides a visual overview of the problem areas.
Defect location check sheet: The physical location of a trait is indicated on a picture, or illustration of a part or item being evaluated. Instead of just keeping track of the number of defects, the defect location check sheet can sometimes reveal an area of the product that tends to see most of the defects. Once this is known, the team can go back to the process to see what it is about the upper right-hand corner of the product that is causing the defects.
Frequency check sheet: The presence or absence of a trait or combination of traits is indicated. Also, number of occurrences of a trait on a part can be indicated. Notice that if you just tracked the number of defects, you may not realize that Wrong Color has the highest frequency of occurrence. Furthermore, if Wrong Color was not broken down further, you might not realize that GREEN is giving you the most defects.
Measurement scale check sheet: A measurement scale is divided into intervals and measurements are indicated by checking an appropriate interval.
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