Unit 2 Quality: Principles of Data Analysis

Aims:

• To enhance students’ awareness of the terminology of quality
• To provide students with an understanding of the statistical methods used in quality
• To provide students with an understanding of reliability and variability.

Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

• Collect and present data in appropriate formats
• Make calculations, construct and interpret control charts and process capability studies
• Calculate and make judgement on the reliability of series and parallel systems
• Explain and interpret variability and probability distributions in specific situations
• Explain and justify how the use of data analysis supports the attainment of product/service quality.

Indicative Content:

1. Data collection/presentation
    1.1 Pareto analysis
    1.2 Cause and effect
    1.3 Brainstorming
    1.4 Data presentation
         1.4.1 Pie charts
         1.4.2 Bar graphs
         1.4.3 Line graphs
         1.4.4 Histograms
         1.4.5 Tally charts
2. Variability
    2.1 Calculate mode, mean, medium, range, standard deviation and variance
    2.2 Continuous and discrete random variables
    2.3 Probability distributions
    2.4 Normal, binomial and Poisson distributions
3. Statistical process control
    3.1 Process capability studies
    3.2 Statistical process control charts
    3.3 Calculation and use of decision lines
4. Reliability
    4.1 Basic concepts of series and parallel systems
    4.2 Use of redundancy to improve reliability
    4.3 IInterpretation of time life distribution

Assessment Requirements:
The assessment for this unit will be comprised of one assignment. The assignment is to be marked by the course tutor and then submitted to IQA for moderation.

Awarding Criteria:
The minimum pass mark is 40%.
Marks will be accredited fail, pass, merit or distinction.