Statistical Process Control or SPC has been called one of the greatest technological innovations of the 20th century. I think this is because the techniques have a sound intuitive basis, are straightforward mathematically, and have broad applicability to a wide range of industrial and business environments, including but not limited to manufacturing, process development, product design, supply chain operations, financial operations, health care, logistics and distribution, and many other transactional and service operations. The application of SPC along with other techniques for quality and business improvement have led to significantly improved quality and reliability of many products and services and contributed in an important way to business success and economic development.
Two other innovations have also played a key role in the successful deployment of SPC and other quality improvement tools. These are the use of deployment frameworks, the most successful of which in my view is Six Sigma, and computer software. Because SPC can be very data-intensive appropriate software is essential to any successful application, and JMP is an outstanding package. It has all of the fundamental and advanced techniques that are necessary to a successful SPC implementation.
The authors have done an excellent job of demonstrating how the key ideas of SPC in my book, both basic Shewhart control charts, and more advanced techniques, can be implemented in JMP. The software package has a logical design and the authors provide detailed step-by-step help along with screen shots and output from JMP to guide the reader to successful use of the technology. In many places they also provide additional insights about the methodology or extensions of some of the basic ideas that are extremely useful to the practitioner. The authors have an extensive background in the application of these methods across a variety of industrial and business settings, and this comes through clearly in the writing. Some of their own innovations such as measures of process stability are included and thoroughly illustrated in the book.
I highly recommend this book. It is well-written, and provides clear, authoritative guidance on the implementation of SPC through the JMP software package. Even if you are an experienced JMP user you will find the book a rewarding and useful reference. For new users, the book is an invaluable aid that will quickly facilitate your successful use of the SPC toolkit.
Douglas C. Montgomery
Regents’ Professor of Industrial Engineering
ASU Foundation Professor of Engineering
Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ