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Matrix Diagram (Page 2 of 2)
If the half-columns of sets
A and B in the T-matrix described above are bent to allow inter-relation of
items of set A to those of set B, then a
Y-shaped matrix
results. Placing two
T-shaped matrices back-to-back, however, will result in an
X-shaped matrix,
which allows the inter-relation of four sets of items to each other.
Lastly, the
C-shaped
matrix
is a 3-dimensional matrix that interrelates three sets of elements
simultaneously.
To construct a matrix
diagram, the following
steps are usually taken: 1)
define the
purpose
of the matrix diagram; 2) identify what sets of elements need to be
included to meet the objective of the matrix diagram; 3) assemble the
best team that can inter-relate all the elements of the matrix; 4)
select the matrix format; 5) choose and define the relationship symbols;
and 5) complete the matrix diagram.
As an
example,
suppose that a supervisor wants to document the assigned tasks and
expertise levels of his engineers in matrix format. Since he needs
to interrelate two different sets of information (assignments and
expertise levels) to a third common set (his engineers), then the
T-shaped
matrix
is the best format for his purpose. Also, in this case, he has all
the information he needs to fill up the matrix, so no team is formed for
the task. Had a more complex matrix been required, then the right
people must be called in to form the matrix. Figure 1 shows the
T-matrix for this example.
Figure 1. A T-shaped Matrix
Diagram Defining the Assignments and
Expertise Levels of 3
Engineers
In the first
half of the T-matrix above,
graphical
symbols (a circle and a triangle) were used to interrelate the elements,
with the circle denoting primary responsibility and the triangle
denoting secondary responsibility. The main reason for using
graphical symbols in this portion is to have an immediate visual
indication of the
distribution
of the tasks among the engineers. One glance at the table shows that the
tasks were equally distributed.
In the second
half of the T-matrix,
numbers
were used to denote the expertise levels of the engineers. This is
because there's a need to
'grade'
the various expertise levels of the engineers. Of course, symbols
may also be used for this purpose, but doing so will also require an
assignment of a number to each symbol used. Lastly, using numbers
in a matrix will allow mathematical processing of the data (such as
summing up the values of a row or column), which can be useful in some
cases.
The matrix
diagram is a very versatile tool that can be used in many applications
of the manufacturing industry. Engineers who become
'matrix thinkers'
gain the
ability to conjure up matrix diagrams whenever the need for it arises,
allowing them to explore all available options systematically before
making a major decision.
See Also:
Scatter Diagram; Ishikawa Diagram
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