Why use a worksheet for D2
Most weak D2s come from filling the 8D form straight from the complaint email. The Is / Is-Not method asks, for each question, where the problem occurs and where it could occur but doesn’t. Doing it on a worksheet first, with the team and the data in the room, keeps the facts separate from opinions about the cause.
This page is the blank form. For how to write the D2 text and the mistakes reviewers send back, read the D2 problem description guide. The worksheet is generic; use your customer’s 8D format where it is required.
What the worksheet covers
| Row | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| What (object and defect) | Part numbers and variants affected and not affected; the characteristic and how far out of spec |
| Where (on the part, found, made) | Location on the part; where it was found; line, machine, tool, cavity, shift that made it, and comparable ones that didn’t |
| When: first seen | Date, lot or serial of the first known defect, and the last known good |
| When: history | Pattern over time and what changed before or around first seen: product, process, material, supplier, people, gauges |
| When: in the life cycle | Incoming, assembly, test, field; after how long in use |
| How many / how much | Quantity, rate and trend; size of the defect |
| How detected | Method, who found it, and why it wasn’t found earlier |
Each row has four columns: Is, Is not, Difference / what changed, and Source / evidence. Below the table, a box for the problem statement, open questions and the clues passed to D4.
The history row
Many Is / Is-Not forms stop at “when first seen”. The history row asks two more things: how the problem developed over time (one event, a steady rate, a rising trend) and what changed before or around the first occurrence. Product, process, material, supplier, people and gauge changes all count. A change that lines up with the first known defect is often the strongest clue D4 gets, but it is still only a clue until it is tested.
How to fill it in
- Real comparisons in Is-Not: name a similar part, line, lot or period where the defect could appear but doesn’t. “Not applicable” tells the reviewer nothing.
- Evidence per row: note where each fact comes from: customer data, retained samples, your inspection records.
- Mark gaps: if a cell isn’t known yet, write the open question and who will find out. Don’t guess.
- No causes: “caused by the new flux” belongs in D4. In D2, write “new flux lot from week 38” as a change.
- Hand on the clues: list the differences as candidates for the fishbone worksheet and the 5 Whys template.
Writing up D2 from the worksheet? Get a free Accept / Conditional / Reject advisory on the 8D text, with missing evidence named, before it goes to the customer.
8D Gate is a free pre-send readiness advisory. It doesn't replace the customer's decision. We don't store your 8D body in our database; you can delete anytime. Your text is sent to Anthropic (Claude API) only to run the review; Anthropic doesn't use API data to train its models and by default deletes it within 30 days. Content flagged under its Usage Policy may be kept up to 2 years.
Weak vs strong: a filled example
Illustrative, fictional example from an electronics assembly with insufficient solder:
| Row | Weak | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| What | Bad solder joints | Is: insufficient solder on connector J4, board 2210-B. Is not: other connectors; variant 2210-A |
| Where | Production | Is: line 2, wave solder. Is not: line 1 running the same board |
| When: first seen | Recently | Is: date codes from week 38. Is not: week 37 and earlier (retained boards checked) |
| When: history | (left blank) | Is: after the new flux lot and a conveyor speed change on line 2 in week 38. Is not: any change on line 1 |
| How many | Several | Is: 14 of 600 boards at the customer’s ICT. Is not: every board in the lot |
The strong version points D4 at line 2, week 38 and two changes, and it says how the boundary was checked. The same rows work in other sectors: a food plant would use batch codes, lines and an ingredient change; a machining shop would use machines, tool changes and gauge records.
FAQ
- How is this different from the D2 guide?
- The D2 guide explains how to write a problem description and what reviewers look for. This page is the blank worksheet to fill in during the meeting, with the history row and an evidence column added.
- Does the Is / Is-Not table find the root cause?
- No. It narrows the problem and gives clues. The differences it shows become candidates for D4, where they still need to be tested.
- What does 8D Gate check?
- It gives a pre-send readiness check on the 8D text: an Accept / Conditional / Reject advisory with missing evidence and questions. It isn’t a customer decision. The review tool is v0.1: it reviews English 8D reports, and the interface and report are in English. Templates are also available in German, Czech and Polish.
Free pre-send readiness check
Before the 8D goes to the customer, run the text through the free supplier 8D readiness check.
Upload a PDF, Word (DOCX) or Excel 8D. You get an Accept / Conditional / Reject advisory, a score, section ratings, missing evidence, and questions to close gaps, with a PDF download. It is a pre-send readiness check for your team, not a customer decision.
8D Gate is a free pre-send readiness advisory. It doesn't replace the customer's decision. We don't store your 8D body in our database; you can delete anytime. Your text is sent to Anthropic (Claude API) only to run the review; Anthropic doesn't use API data to train its models and by default deletes it within 30 days. Content flagged under its Usage Policy may be kept up to 2 years.
Get the free 8D / D4 checklist
Optional. The worksheet downloads above are free, no card. Want the D1–D8 checklist too, with more on root cause, escape and verification? Leave your address here and it downloads right away.
Get the free 8D / D4 checklist