In the business world, customer dissatisfaction is often the product of defects and variations. Identifying and resolving this is where Six Sigma comes in. Projects are defined and goals are set. An important part of the process is the collection of data from the customers. In order for the project to be successful, it will be necessary to ask the right questions at the beginning.
The data is collected by going to the team members who are to be affected by the changes that are to come. This may involve several departments, or only members of the executive team. But no matter who it is, making sure they give you clear and precise information is only possible if you know what questions to ask. The process begins by interviewing the right person and making them aware of the importance of the data you are collecting.
The teams need to clearly inform the customer of the need and reasons for the data, as that is the only way they will get answers that aren't tainted with misgivings or misunderstandings about the objective. The person who aske the question also needs to be clear of the goals. Often, by passing on the collection of the data to a third party, impartiality can be assured.
The place and time where the questions are asked can also have a direct effect on the answers. If a question is asked in the middle of the work day, the person may temper their answer because they are busy and don't have time to answer. The format of questions should be simple and easy to understand. Questionnaires are appropriate to use, but for the most success, they should be formatted in columns for easier comprehension. The easier you make it for the person answering, the better their answers will be.
Wherever necessary, guidelines on how to answer the questions should also be given so that the right answer is received. Follow the standard formats that are generally used within the company; otherwise, the respondent may be confused while providing the answers, or may simply provide the wrong answer. Teams should also note down the name and designation of the respondent, as they may have to follow-up for any clarification or further data. Teams may find it useful to take a trial run of the data collection activity, so that they know if they need to improve in any area. Asking the right questions in a simple and easy manner is the key to getting the right answers for data collection because it forms the basis for further decisions. - 16755
The data is collected by going to the team members who are to be affected by the changes that are to come. This may involve several departments, or only members of the executive team. But no matter who it is, making sure they give you clear and precise information is only possible if you know what questions to ask. The process begins by interviewing the right person and making them aware of the importance of the data you are collecting.
The teams need to clearly inform the customer of the need and reasons for the data, as that is the only way they will get answers that aren't tainted with misgivings or misunderstandings about the objective. The person who aske the question also needs to be clear of the goals. Often, by passing on the collection of the data to a third party, impartiality can be assured.
The place and time where the questions are asked can also have a direct effect on the answers. If a question is asked in the middle of the work day, the person may temper their answer because they are busy and don't have time to answer. The format of questions should be simple and easy to understand. Questionnaires are appropriate to use, but for the most success, they should be formatted in columns for easier comprehension. The easier you make it for the person answering, the better their answers will be.
Wherever necessary, guidelines on how to answer the questions should also be given so that the right answer is received. Follow the standard formats that are generally used within the company; otherwise, the respondent may be confused while providing the answers, or may simply provide the wrong answer. Teams should also note down the name and designation of the respondent, as they may have to follow-up for any clarification or further data. Teams may find it useful to take a trial run of the data collection activity, so that they know if they need to improve in any area. Asking the right questions in a simple and easy manner is the key to getting the right answers for data collection because it forms the basis for further decisions. - 16755
