Statistical Process Improvement

Which Chart is Right?
(See overview)


When tracking data over time, you have a number of options regarding how to analyze the data.  You could use a P-chart, designed specifically to track mortality or adverse health events over time.   You could use an X-bar chart designed for tracking health status and satisfaction surveys of a group of patients over time.  You could use a moving average chart to help you construct control chart for an individual patient's data over time.  This section helps you decide which of these various charts are appropriate for your application.  If you do not have a specific application in mind or if you wish to learn more about each of the various different charts, skip this section.  In the following, we ask you 4-7 questions and based on your answers advise you which chart is right for the application that you have in mind.

Have you collected observations over different time periods?