Tools for data analysis

Data analysis is the process of using statistical techniques and software to organize, summarize, and interpret data. The goal of data analysis is to answer questions about a population based on the sample data.

Variables charts (measurement data)

A variable chart is a chart that shows the distribution of measurement data. The most common type of variable chart is a histogram, which shows the number of measurements that fall into each range of values.

The example below shows the number of people who purchased an item if they paid for it using cash or credit card at an online store (the x-axis).

Control charts

Control charts are used to monitor the process of manufacturing or service process. The Control Chart Builder makes it easy to create control charts by guiding you through the steps. You can easily build your own control chart using data from a spreadsheet, database table or text file.

Control charts are not designed to analyze products or services; they are used only for monitoring processes. So, if you want to analyze products or services then use some other type of analysis tool like regression analysis.

X-bar & range

X-bar & range is a control chart that is used to determine if an attribute or measurement has changed from the previous sampling period.

It uses the average of a set of observations, called the centerline (X), and their RANGE (the difference between their highest and lowest values).

This chart can be used to detect shifts in mean value or variation in process performance by plotting both these measurements over time.

X-bar & sigma

X-bar and sigma is a control chart used to monitor process variation. X-bar and sigma charts are also called X-MR, for the X-bar Moving Range.

X-bar and sigma charts are used to monitor process variation. The chart compares each new measurement to the mean of all measurements taken in a given period of time, as well as comparing it to previous values.

X-MR

X-MR is a time-based control chart that is used to monitor the process mean. X-MR charts are useful when the process mean varies over time, and they are often used in conjunction with cycle counting or other statistical methods.

In a fixed location, an X-MR chart looks like this:

Median

The median is the value that divides a dataset into two equal parts. The median is not influenced by extreme values in a data set and can provide a more representative understanding of the distribution than does mean. Median is used to describe a distribution and is used to analyze data that are not normally distributed.

Run chart

A run chart is a method of displaying information about the variation in a process over time. It is used to detect patterns, such as trends and cycles, from data. A run chart is a time series graph that shows the number of occurrences of an event or events over time.

Run charts are used to determine whether there are any patterns in the data and whether these patterns appear to be random or not. The purpose of run charts is to determine whether successive observations tend to be higher or lower than previous observations. Run charts can also show if there are seasonal variations in your process data (example: sales increase during certain times of year).

Histogram

A histogram is a graphical representation of the frequency distribution of a dataset. The histogram shows the number of observations in each interval, where an interval can be defined by either an equal count or by equal widths.

Histograms are useful for examining how data are distributed, and they can also help to determine whether a set of data is normally distributed.

Capability analysis

Capability analysis is used to assess the capability of a process to produce output within specified limits. It is used to determine if a process is capable of producing output within specifications. A capability analysis evaluates whether or not the process has sufficient performance for its intended purpose, and if it can maintain that level of performance over time.

A typical capability analysis includes two steps: (1) defining the range of acceptable values, which in this case would mean determining what “good” data looks like; and (2) calculating how often certain quality characteristics present themselves in samples taken from an entire population. For example, if you're running an experiment on people's weight/height ratio over time, you could check how many times someone's height changed by a given amount during any given period of time—like every six months—to see how frequently these changes occurred across all participants in your experiment

np-chart

np-chart is a control chart for variables data.

It is used to monitor the process.

It is used to detect shifts and trends in variables data.

It is used to detect out-of-control points in variables data.

p-chart

The P-Chart provides a visual way to detect changes in the process mean. It is used to:

Detect shifts in the process mean.

Detect shifts in the process standard deviation.

c-chart

The c-chart is a control chart used to determine if a process is in control or not. It’s used when the output variable is continuous and can take on any value within a specified range.

The c-chart uses the range to determine if the process is in control. If the data points fall within three standard deviations of the mean, then we conclude that there are no special causes affecting this process (i.e., it's 'in control').

u-chart

You can use the U-Chart to monitor the quality of a process. It's often used in conjunction with histograms, which are also useful for analyzing data. The U-Chart is similar to an X-Y plot, except that instead of using a line to connect points on a graph (as in an X-Y plot), it uses two lines. One line represents the cumulative percentage of nonconforming products or defects; the other represents conforming products or defects at each stage of production or testing. If you want to see how many items were rejected at each stage, for example, your results would be plotted as follows:

Pareto

The Pareto chart is a histogram that shows the number of defects against frequency and the cumulative percentage of defects. It is used to find the most frequent causes of defects.

The Pareto chart works by showing you how many times each issue occurs, as well as how much time is spent on each issue. This can help you prioritize which issues need more attention or different solutions.

g-chart

G-chart is used for variable data, count data and so on.

t-chart

The T-chart is used to monitor the process mean.

It is a single-variable control chart.

You can detect shifts in your data, which signals that something might be wrong with your process.

Control Chart

The control chart is a tool for monitoring the process. It is used to identify the causes of variation in the process, detect out-of-control conditions and detect special causes of variation.

The control chart consists of five parts which are:

X axis = time series data (e.g., measurements repeated over a period of time) or variables subject to control limits

Y axis = sample mean plotted against number of observations taken at each time point - also known as an individual value plot (IVP) or scatter diagram

Upper Control Limit (UCL) -the average run length multiplied by 3 standard deviations above the mean, where run length equals the number of consecutive points on one side or other o fthe central line before crossing over it

Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of great tools to help you analyze your data. Some are more complex than others, so it’s important to choose the right one based on what kind of data you have and what your goals are for using it. Whatever tool you use, just remember that good analysis starts with gathering data from reliable sources—and then keeping a close eye on how those sources change over time!