The Tree Diagram in Corrective and Preventive Action Planning
Purpose: This article examines how the tree diagram can help translate identified problems and their causes into structured corrective and preventive actions in a manufacturing company. Design/Methodology/Approach: A secondary qualitative analysis used material from a supervised single-case study of a manufacturing company. The source study combined direct process observation with analysis of available company documentation. FMEA identified and prioritized potential failure modes, Ishikawa diagrams structured their causes, and tree diagrams translated five selected problems into possible corrective and preventive actions. Findings: The tree diagram linked the identified causes to specific organizational, technical, and competence-related interventions. In the case examined, the proposed responses included standardizing procedures, strengthening monitoring, developing employee competences, improving communication, increasing automation, and clarifying planning and responsibilities. Practical Implications: The tree diagram can serve as a straightforward decision-support tool that bridges problem diagnosis and improvement planning. Its value increases when it is used sequentially with risk-identification and cause-analysis methods. Originality/Value: The article presents an integrated FMEA-Ishikawa-tree diagram sequence and highlights the tree diagram's role in operationalizing qualitative analysis results, not merely visualizing them.