8 Disciplines (8D): what it is and what it means

The 8 disciplines (8D) are a structured method for serious problems with an impact on customers or safety, introduced by Ford in 1987. The sequence includes: forming the team, describing the problem, immediate containment, root cause analysis, choosing corrective actions, implementation, verifying effectiveness, recognizing the team. Immediate containment is the critical phase that sets 8D apart from other methods: the damage is stopped before the cause is even understood.

Distinctive: immediate containment is the critical phase
Distinctive: the damage is stopped before the cause is even understood
Essential: 8 disciplines
Essential: serious problems with an impact on customers or safety
Essential: immediate containment
Constant: forming the team
Constant: verifying effectiveness

Glossary

8 Disciplines (8D)

A structured 8-phase method for serious problems with an impact on customers or safety, with immediate containment of the damage before cause analysis.