APIS IQ-Tools -- Why NOT Excel - APIS IQ-Software | FMEA · MS Excel APIS IQ-Tools Conclusion MS...

APIS IQ-Tools – Why NOT Excel

Jurgen [email protected]

IQ-Version 5.1 - 2007

MS Excel APIS IQ-Tools Conclusion

1 MS ExcelDescription (Wikipedia)Summary

2 APIS IQ-ToolsDescription and Features (Manual)Summary

3 ConclusionAdvantages APIS IQ-ToolsSummary


MS ExcelWikipedia (1/3)

Microsoft Excel [...] is a spreadsheet application [...]It features calculation and graphing tools [...] one of themost popular microcomputer applications to date.

[...] the cells are organized in rows and columns, andcontain data or formulas with relative or absolutereferences to other cells.

Excel was the first spreadsheet that allowed the userto define the appearance of spreadsheets (fonts, characterattributes and cell appearance). [...] Excel has extensivegraphing capabilities.



[...] Since 1993, Excel has included Visual Basic forApplications (VBA), a programming language based onVisual Basic which adds the ability to automate tasks inExcel and to provide user defined functions (UDF) for usein worksheets. VBA is a powerful addition to theapplication which, in later versions, includes a fullyfeatured integrated development environment (IDE).Macro recording can produce VBA code replicating useractions, thus allowing simple automation of regular tasks.



VBA allows the creation of forms and in-worksheetcontrols to communicate with the user. The languagesupports use (but not creation) of ActiveX (COM) DLL’s;later versions add support for class modules allowing theuse of basic object-oriented programming techniques.

The automation functionality provided by VBA hascaused Excel to become a target for macro viruses. [...]


MS ExcelSummary - Excel

Microsoft Excel:

is a spreadsheet tool with cells for calculation and referencingto other cells

has extensive graphing capabilities

has an integrated programming language based on VisualBasic called VBA

VBA allows the creation of forms and in-worksheet controls tocommunicate with the user


APIS IQ-ToolsQM-Document

QM Documents [...] are specified in standards andpublications [...] purpose of APIS IQ-RM is tocomfortably provide consistent QM Documents.

[...] most important QM Documents that can becreated:

FMEA Formsheet, Process Flow Diagram, ControlPlan, Structure Tree, Function Net, Parts FunctionsMatrix, Failure Net, Fault Tree, Variants Matrix,Deadlines Overview, Statistic Evaluations, RequestStructure, Request check list


APIS IQ-ToolsComplete Integration - Redundancy-free

Within an IQ-Document several Projects / Structurescan be saved, [...]

Because of the redundancy-free, object-orientedapproach of APIS IQ-RM, a QM Document is notdifferent from one view to another view because itcontains the same data, i.e. the IQ-Document with all itsIQ-Objects and relationships. Views like the FMEAFormsheet, Process Flow Diagram, Control Plan, [...] arealways completely integrated and thus contain the sameinformation. Changes made to IQ-Objects in one viewautomatically have effects on all other forms that containthe same information.


APIS IQ-ToolsTerminology Control and Intelligent Re-Use

The information in an IQ-Document is controlled by ageneral Terminology Control and makes the intelligentre-use of information possible.

Certain information [...] affects all IQ-Objects andviews in this Document. Particularly these are:

- Valuation Catalogues: [...] used by defaulteverywhere where risk valuations are to be assigned

- Symbol Palettes: [...] used by all views that useSymbols, e.g. in the Process Flow Diagram


APIS IQ-ToolsTerminology Control and Intelligent Re-Use

APIS IQ-RM supports the direct input not only in thevarious Formsheet Editors (for FMEA, Control Plan,Process Flow Diagram), but also in all other Editors.

User administration is integrated into APIS IQ-RM.The System saves different information about a specificuser (name, department, telephone numbers and E-mailaddresses).


APIS IQ-ToolsMultilingual Documents

[...] storing the contents of an IQ Document inseveral languages. [...] a reference language must begiven. [...] translated into the target language [...] in thetranslation mode of the Forms Editor, or by using thetranslation dialogue box

[...] supports synchronisation of different languageversions in comparison to the reference language. APISIQ-RM recognizes:- Whether there is already a term for the object in thetranslation language- Whether the term is current in the translation language


APIS IQ-ToolsFunction Nets

Functions Nets describe how subordinate Functionscooperate in a System in order to ensure main functions[...] a cause-effect relationship [...] The number of stepsbetween a Basic-Function and a Top-Level-Function isunlimited [...]


APIS IQ-ToolsFailure Nets

Failure Nets describe the failure linkages in a System[...] a cause-effect relationship. [...] can have anunlimited number of causes and effects and/orconsequences. [...] (in addition to the FMEA way ofthinking) The Failure Nets of APIS IQ-RM describes howTop-Level Failures develop in steps from elementaryfailures (Fault Tree View) or which effects are caused byan elementary failure in a System (Event Tree View).The number of the steps between an elementary failureand a Top-Level failure is unlimited [...]


APIS IQ-ToolsContinuous Improvement - Action Groups

[...] a Current-State analysis is performed (WhatActions currently exist? [...] ) and a Target-State isadded to oppose it (What new Actions shall beintroduced? [...]

planned for a certain Deadline (and Responsibility)[...] documentation of a continuous improvement processpossible. [...] attach as many Revision States as desired

[...] Actions Groups contains one or more Preventiveand Detection Actions and rate them with a commonRPN.


APIS IQ-ToolsSummary - IQ-Tools (1/2)

APIS IQ-Software:

different consistent QM-Documents (FMEA, PFD, CP)

redundancy-free, object oriented approach

terminology control

intelligent re-use of information

valuation catalogues are integrated

symbol palettes are integrated


APIS IQ-ToolsSummary - IQ-Tools (2/2)

APIS IQ-Software:

user friendly input with catalogue support

documentation of logged-in user actions

multilingual documents

support of the translation process

function and failure nets do support the analysis process

continuous improvement process support(unlimited number of revision states)


APIS IQ-Tools vs. MS ExcelAdvantages APIS IQ-Tools (IQ-FMEA / IQ-RM) (1/3)

QM Methodology aspects

There is the requirement to work with function and failurenets – this can not be realized within Excel.

Automatic checking of consistency and rule based analysissupport will be extremely difficult to realize with Excel.IQ-Tools do have this integrated

APIS IQ-Tools are well established in the world of FMEA andRisk Management. There will be the necessity to explainExcel based solutions.



Practical aspects

Intelligent re-use

Multilanguage support

Specialized views with graphics (Process Flow, Statistics, etc.)



Strategical aspects

Usage of a full functional, object oriented programminglanguage, not trying to misuse MS Excel. It has been proveddozenz of times that MS Excel with its VBA will lead to adead end situation with respect to performance, functionalityand time for maintaining self developed solutions.

More than 800 customers with several thousand installationsdo use the APIS IQ-Tools. A programming team with about20 software engineers is exclusively developing the IQ-Tools.


APIS IQ-Tools vs. MS ExcelSummary

Summary

1 Because of methodology, practical and strategicaly aspects theAPIS IQ-Software should be used.

2 (Self developed) MS Excel solutions will – sooner or later –lead to a waste of time.

3 Investments for additional software (APIS IQ-Tools) andtraining will give a good return.

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