QI Macros vs Minitab for Ease of Use

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Jay Arthur
888-468-1537
303-756-9144
KnowWare International, Inc.
DBA LifeStar
2253 S. Oneida
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Denver, CO 80224

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Many people have spent five days or more in Minitab training over the years. For some, it's hard to let go of this investment in training, but let's compare the two products for ease of use on a simple control chart. If your data is in Excel (which most data is these days), here's how it works.

QI Macros	Minitab
1. In Excel, select your data	1. In Excel, select your data
2. Click on the QI Macros Menu and select the desired chart.	2. Paste your data into Minitab
3. The QI Macros will prompt you for titles and draw the chart.	3. Click on the Minitab pull down menu and select the desired chart.
The QI Macros automatically evaluate your data and select these for you.	4. Select the columns of data to be included in the chart one by one.
The QI Macros automatically apply all rules. You can change the default rules.	5. Select the stability rules to apply and click ok.
	6. Run the chart.

As you can see, there are a number of additional steps required to achieve the same result. And, as we know from Lean, extra steps mean additional chance for error and more importantly: delay.

Most people find Minitab's step 4 confusing.
How do I select my data? What column do I select to do what?

And the beginning SPC user struggles before they begin with choosing the right chart. That's why the QI Macros have a Control Chart Wizard to choose the right chart automatically. Just select your data and click on the Control Chart Wizard!

Or you can just use the QI Macros templates and drop your data directly into the template. You don't have to run anything.

This may be the easiest way to create Excel-based SPC charts that you update every month or week.

But it's up to you. How much money do you have to spend? And how much time and energy do you want to expend creating your charts?