WTFMEA: a technique for failure prevention through global knowledge sharing

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a frequently employed technique to achieve continuous quality improvement through prevention of failures. Since the application of FMEA is largely restricted to design and production functions, an improved technique called Total Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (TFMEA) has been adopted in the research reported in this paper. Of late, organisations have been realising the importance of adopting Information Technology (IT) to enhance productivity in their operations. On realising its potential, IT has been tactically integrated with TFMEA to evolve a technique called Web-Based Total Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (WTFMEA). The functionality of WTFMEA has been explained using its screen outputs. The efforts made to practically validate WTFMEA are narrated. While concluding, the capabilities of WTFMEA in achieving continuous quality and productivity improvement through global knowledge sharing are enumerated. The limitations of WTFMEA and the ways of overcoming them in future are appraised.