The Public Health Foundation (PHF) is always working to present new and innovative approaches to using quality improvement (QI) tools and techniques that help improve the effectiveness of a health department’s processes. In an initiative led by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Office of Performance Management, a new adaptation of the Cause-and-Effect Diagram helped strengthen this crucial QI tool.

The Cause/Solution and Effect Diagram presented in this paper combines the Cause-and-Effect and Solution-and-Effect Diagrams to provide a comprehensive picture of causes and potential solutions for any QI project. Explore how the Cause/Solution and Effect Diagram was used in the collaboration between IDPH, Office of Health Promotion, Oral Health Section Team Members, and PHF Consultants Amanda McCarty and Jack Moran, and how you can utilize it for your QI goals​.