1. Interrelationship DiGraph
ASQ Orlando Section 1509 Technical Session
May 26, 2016
Grace Duffy, CMQ/OE, LSSMBB, CQA, ASQ Fellow, DSM

2. Interrelationship Digraph
Sometimes called a Relations Diagram
Process to find critical issues - not reactions to symptoms
More a communications than a technical tool
Easy to find remedies to symptoms
Too Much OT - Reduce OT:
Work harder
Shorter breaks/lunches
Monitor telephone/internet usage
Apathetic employees
Is the Workforce composition correct for what we have to do?

3. Interrelationship Digraph
Instead of one item following another in a logical sequence, each item is connected to many other pieces, showing that they have an impact on each one.
Once all the relevant connections between items have been drawn, the connections are counted.
Those with the most connections will usually be the most important factors to focus on.

4. Interrelationship Digraph
Why are they worthwhile?
Because they make it easy to pick out the factors in a situation which are the ones which are driving many of the other symptoms or factors.

5. Interrelationship DiGraph Concept

6. How To Create An Interrelationship Digraph
Process Steps:
Use the Header Cards from an Affinity Diagram
Compare each Header Card to all others
Use an "influence" arrow to connect related Header Card
The arrows should be drawn from the Header Card that influences to the one influenced
Does this card cause any others to happen or is it a result from another card(s)
If two Header Card influence each other, the arrow should be drawn to reflect the stronger influence
Put an arrowhead on the end of the line that shows the direction of the cause and effect relationship. Use only one way arrows. The arrow should point toward the effect and away from the cause

7. How To Create An Interrelationship Digraph
Process Steps:
Use only one way arrows. The arrow should point toward the effect and away from the cause
Outgoing arrow = basic cause – if solved spill over reaction on large number of other issues
Incoming arrow = secondary issue or bottleneck
Count the arrows – Number of In Arrows and Out Arrows
The Header Card with the most outgoing arrows will be a driver or root causes The one with the most incoming arrows will be a bottleneck, outcome or result

8. ID Questions Start with a pair of cards for comparison
Any relationship between the two cards?
Yes – proceed to step 2
No – pick another pair of cards for comparison
Which way is the cause direction?
Does the first card cause the second card to happen? Y/N
Does the second card cause the first to happen? Y/N
Draw the arrow direction to the card that results from the driving card
How strong is the strength of the relationship?
1 – weak – medium strong

9. Interrelationship Digraph (ID) – Driver/Root Cause
Issue Statement
Issues Affecting The Alignment of Statewide Resources with
Priorities in a State Health Improvement Plan
Feedback on
Progress
Flexibility In State
Funding
Local Leadership
Commitment
Advocacy that
Demands Change
People with
Adaptable Skills
Performance
Management. to Track
$/Priorities
IN 0
Out 5

10. Interrelationship Digraph (ID) – Bottleneck/Outcome/Result
Issue Statement
Issues Affecting The Alignment of Statewide Resources with
Priorities in a State Health Improvement Plan
Feedback on
Progress
Flexibility In State
Funding
Local Leadership
Commitment
Advocacy that
Demands Change
People with
Adaptable Skills
Performance
Management. to Track
$/Priorities
In 4
Out 0

11. Interrelationship Digraph
1. Feedback on Progress
2. Flexibility In State Funding
3. Advocacy that Demands Change
4. Local Leadership
Commitment
5. People with Adaptable Skills
6. Performance Management to Track $/Priorities 1 2 3 4 5 6
# In
# Out

12. Interrelationship Digraph
Completed
1. Feedback on Progress
2. Flexibility In State Funding
3. Advocacy that Demands Change
4. Local Leadership
Commitment
5. People with Adaptable Skills
6. Performance Management to Track $/Priorities 1 2 3 4 5 6
# In
# Out

13. Arrows Tell A Story All Out – Driver/Root Cause/
All In – Bottleneck/ Effect/Outcome/Result
Can Add Another Dimension
Strength of the Arrow (relationship)
1 – Weak
5 – Medium
10 - Strong
Arrows Out – base cause
Arrows In – secondary issues/bottlenecks

14. Interrelationship Digraph (ID) – Driver/Root Cause
Issue Statement
Issues Affecting The Alignment of Statewide Resources with
Priorities in a State Health Improvement Plan
Feedback on
Progress
Flexibility In State
Funding
Local Leadership
Commitment
Advocacy that
Demands Change
People with
Adaptable Skills
Performance
Management. to Track
$/Priorities
IN 0
Out 5 10 5 1

15. Interrelationship Digraph (ID) – Bottleneck/Outcome/Result
Issue Statement
Issues Affecting The Alignment of Statewide Resources with
Priorities in a State Health Improvement Plan
Flexibility In State
Funding
Feedback on
Progress
Advocacy that
Demands Change 5
Local Leadership
Commitment 10 5 5
Performance
Management. to Track
$/Priorities
People with
Adaptable Skills
In 4
Out 0

16. Interrelationship Digraph
1. Feedback on Progress
2. Flexibility In State Funding
3. Advocacy that Demands Change
4. Local Leadership
Commitment
5. People with Adaptable Skills
6. Performance Management to Track $/Priorities 1 2 3 4 5 6
# In
# Out 10 35 25
Strength
How to Capture the ID Data
Use #3 to show how to check

17. Interrelationship Digraph Summary
Process to find critical issues not reactions to symptoms
The conversation that takes place during the development of an ID graph is very valuable since people are exposed to a wide variety of knowledge and experience

18. Discussion How do we advance/achieve these future drivers identified?
Who?
What
When?
How?

19. Based On What I Have Heard These Are The Things We Should:
Continue Doing
Start Doing
Stop Doing
Best Practices
Aha
Learnings .
To Build A Healthier Chicago

20. Team Reports
Discussion