Blogs

Hotspots: corrective and preventive action

Aug. 15, 2011

A hotspot is a recurring problem, by focusing on the top ranking hotspot with corrective and preventive action they can be reduced or eliminated allowing you to move to addressing the next ranking issue. These might be the top issues of customer complaints or top construction defects for example. The only way to know where your problems lie is to establish metrics to monitor your key processes. When you have a problem don’t just put a band aid on it, it will come back! Yes correct the problem then and there as best you can, but you need to instantly think about how to prevent it happening again. The NAHB Research Center has created a Hotspot Implementation Guide with a set of tools that are very useful. You will find the guide at this link:

http://www.toolbase.org/Best-Practices/Quality-Management/hotspot-implementation

About the Author

Denis Leonard

Denis Leonard has a degree in construction engineering, and an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in quality management. He is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality and has been an Examiner for the Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Examiners, a Judge on the International Team Excellence Competition, and a Lead Judge on the National Housing Quality Award. He has experience as a quality manager in the home building industry as well as construction engineer, site manager, and in training, auditing, and consulting with expertise in strategic and operational quality improvement initiatives. His work has achieved national quality, environmental, and safety management awards for clients.

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