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Posted 27th November 2024
‘Without data you are just another person with an opinion’ (1)
In 2024, data has become one of the most valuable assets that an organisation can possess. But with the exponential increase in data availability, leaders are faced with the challenge of not just collecting information, but of making sense of it in a way that drives the sort of effective decision-making that is crucial for success.
‘Data without context has no meaning’ (2)
Data on its own, though, is insufficient to generate insights and support good decision-making. Individuals, teams and leaders need to be able to link data to its context within the organisation to enable and support better conversations when decisions are being made.
A century ago, Walter Shewhart introduced what is considered the first Statistical Process Control (SPC) chart, laying the foundation for the current approach to quality and process improvement.
While initially rooted within manufacturing, Statistical Process Control is now used across various sectors and industries, including healthcare. In the National Health Service (NHS), for example, organisations are now expected to utilise SPC charts within their board reports, signifying a broader recognition of their potential value.
Since Shewhart’s first chart, the number of SPC chart types available has increased, as have the rules associated with their interpretation. The core principles of SPC, however, have remained consistent: identifying common cause variation (natural fluctuations inherent in the process) and special cause variation (abnormal fluctuations due to specific factors) to inform decision-making. By identifying and understanding the nature of variations, organisations can make informed decisions about process improvements.
This is an important point. If decision-makers focus solely on the charts and statistical methods, there is a risk that the broader significance of SPC will be missed. There is a set of necessary activities required to create the chart. But the chart is not the endpoint; it’s the start of a dialogue. In this way, SPC isn’t just a collection of tools but a philosophy – a way of thinking that prioritises an understanding of the causes of process variations, fostering continuous improvement, and cultivating a culture that proactively seeks to optimise performance.
In parallel with the evolution of SPC, the concept of data storytelling is gaining prominence. It is no longer enough to merely produce the chart; it is also essential to provide a story alongside. Data storytelling bridges the gap between complex analytics, such as SPC, and actionable intelligence. It involves crafting narratives that provide context, evoke emotion, and compel action, transforming abstract numbers into relatable stories that influence decisions at all organisational levels.
Experts like Brent Dykes and others emphasise that data storytelling is more than just presenting statistics – it’s about weaving data into narratives to communicate insights that stakeholders can understand and use. The collection, preparation, visualisation and analysis of the data is essential, but its value comes from the insights it provides and the dialogue it supports.
Integrating SPC with data storytelling creates a powerful framework for organisational excellence. While SPC provides the statistical foundation for understanding and visualising processes, data storytelling frames these insights within narratives that resonate with people. This synergy could transform how organisations perceive and use data, moving beyond static charts and graphs to create dynamic narratives that drive continuous improvement.
Consider an organisation that’s experiencing fluctuations in production quality. An SPC chart might reveal variations, but without context, it remains a simple technical illustration. By applying data storytelling, the organisation can narrate the journey of the production process, highlighting where variations occur, exploring root causes and proposing solutions. This narrative not only makes the data accessible, it engages stakeholders, encouraging collaboration and collective problem-solving.
Adopting SPC as a way of thinking involves a fundamental shift in organisational culture, but organisations often encounter problems when they fail to fully embrace it. Here are six common missteps that can hinder the effective implementation of SPC:
Ignoring or dismissing data that doesn’t align with preconceived notions hampers improvement. A true SPC mindset accepts data as a reflection of reality, prompting inquiry and understanding rather than denial.
Instead of examining and refining the processes generating the data, there is criticism of the process that produced the data in the first place. This criticism undermines data integrity and leads to ineffective solutions.
Misinterpreting random variations as significant trends can lead to misguided actions resulting in unnecessary adjustments and wasted resources. SPC helps differentiate between common cause and special cause variations, preventing overreaction to normal process behaviour.
Attributing common cause variation to specific incidents or people can result in unnecessary interventions. SPC fosters an understanding of what constitutes normal variation, helping organisations focus on genuine anomalies that require attention.
Assigning responsibility for outcomes influenced by systemic factors undermines morale and obscures true causes. SPC promotes understanding the system, acknowledging that individual performance is often shaped by the process.
Without a solid grasp of process behaviour, organisations struggle to learn from history, anticipate future trends, or enact meaningful changes. SPC provides tools to help organisations analyse historical data, model future scenarios, and identify areas for improvement, facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning.
By acknowledging and addressing these pitfalls, organisations can fully leverage SPC as a mindset, transforming data into an asset for continuous improvement by linking it to storytelling.
To support this mindset, it needs to be easy for organisations to create the right chart. In the past, creating SPC charts was a time-consuming process involving manual data preparation followed by individual chart creation through spreadsheet templates in statistical software. This often limited the frequency, depth of analysis and narrative that accompanied the chart.
Today, technology has revolutionised the landscape. Tools like Power BI and BCN’s EasySPC tool automate data processing and visualisation, allowing teams to focus on interpretation and action rather than preparation.
Automation enables real-time monitoring and more frequent analysis, fostering agility and responsiveness. With these tools, more organisations can integrate SPC into their daily operations, making data-driven insights an integral part of their culture. This technological shift reflects a broader transformation, where teams can focus on interpreting insights rather than data processing, transforming raw data into actionable insights contextualised by organisational needs and goals.
This allows us to move to the right side of Brent Dykes’ Data Storytelling diagram. How do we now bridge the last mile for SPC?
Data storytelling has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of SPC by providing context and meaning to statistical analyses. By crafting narratives around SPC charts, organisations can communicate insights more effectively, engaging stakeholders both within and outside of the organisation. This approach ensures that data is not just collected and presented, but analysed and communicated effectively to drive strategic decisions and, consequently, actions.
For example, by applying SPC, a hospital can track wait time variations and identify patterns. Data storytelling transforms these findings into narratives that illustrate patient experiences, staff workflows and system inefficiencies.
Sharing these stories with medical staff, administrators and stakeholders highlights the human impact of data and encourages collaborative efforts to implement solutions. For instance, the narrative might reveal that peak wait times coincide with staff shift changes, suggesting a need to adjust scheduling or streamline handover procedures. By engaging the team in this story, the hospital fosters a collective commitment to improvement.
This approach not only enhances patient care but also builds a culture of continuous improvement. By viewing SPC as more than a chart and using data storytelling, the hospital fosters a shared understanding of challenges and engages staff at all levels in the improvement process.
Creating a culture that embraces SPC and data storytelling requires intentional effort. Leadership plays a crucial role in modelling data-driven decision-making and encouraging transparency. By demonstrating a willingness to not just use the charts but generate the insights, leaders set the tone for the organisation.
To empower broader teams and employees to engage confidently with data, education is vital. Providing training on the principles of SPC charts, along with data storytelling techniques, equips teams with the skills needed to leverage these tools effectively. This investment in skills development is crucial for sustaining a data-centric culture.
As data continues to proliferate, the integration of SPC and data storytelling will become increasingly vital.
Organisations that view SPC as a dynamic mindset rather than a static tool will be well-positioned to capitalise on emerging opportunities. By adopting SPC as a philosophy and leveraging data storytelling, they can transform raw data into strategic assets that drive growth and improvement.
Statistical Process Control is more than just a tool – it’s a mindset that empowers organisations to transform data into actionable insights. When combined with data storytelling, SPC bridges the gap between numbers and narratives, fostering collaboration, driving meaningful improvements and connecting decisions to the outcomes that matter.
By moving beyond static charts and embracing dynamic, contextualised narratives, organisations can unlock the true potential of their data. SPC and data storytelling together illuminate opportunities, engage stakeholders and inspire a collective commitment to continuous improvement.
The journey to integrating SPC and data storytelling is transformative. It requires strong leadership, a willingness to embrace change, and investment in tools and training, But, when done well, the reward is a culture that thrives on insights, innovation and a shared mission for excellence.
As data continues to shape the future, organisations that adopt SPC as a mindset and data storytelling as a strategy will lead the way through growth, collaboration and lasting impact.
1 Generally attributed to W. Edwards Deming
2. Donald Wheeler