Implement the Action Proposals

Action proposals describe the tasks necessary to remove the root causes of the analyzed defects or problems and avoid their reoccurrence. Only changes that prove to be of value should be considered for broad implementation.

• Analyze the action proposals and determine their priorities. Criteria for prioritizing action proposals include:
  • Implications of not addressing the defects
  • Cost to implement process improvements to prevent the defects
  • Expected impact on quality
• Select the action proposals that will be implemented.
• Create action items for implementing the action proposals. Examples of information provided in an action item include:
  • Person responsible for implementing it
  • Description of the areas affected by it
  • People who are to be kept informed of its status
  • Next date that status will be reviewed
  • Rationale for key decisions
  • Description of implementation actions
  • Time and cost for identifying the defect and correcting it
  • Estimated cost of not fixing the problem
  To implement the action proposals, the following tasks must be done:
  • Make assignments
  • Coordinate the persons doing the work
  • Review the results
  • Track the action items to closure
  Experiments may be conducted for particularly complex changes. Examples of experiments include:
  • Using a temporarily modified process
  • Using a new tool
  Action items may be assigned to members of the causal analysis team, members of the project team, or other members of the organization.
• Identify and remove similar defects that may exist in other processes and work products.
• Identify and document improvement proposals for the organization’s set of standard processes.