Input and Output Data Sets

The following is a complete list of the variables in output SAS data sets created by the ISHIKAWA environment:


Variable    Type    Len    Description
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_LEVEL_     Num       8    Level of detail
_TEXT1_     Char     40    First  line of label
_TEXT2_     Char     40    Second line of label
_TEXT3_     Char     40    Third  line of label
_TEXT4_     Char     40    Fourth line of label
_TEXT5_     Char     40    Fifth  line of label
_NOTE1_     Char     40    First  line of note
_NOTE2_     Char     40    Second line of note
_NOTE3_     Char     40    Third  line of note
_NOTE4_     Char     40    Fourth line of note
_RELPOS_    Num       8    Relative arrow position
_SIDE_      Char      1    Side arrow attaches to parent
_ANGLE_     Num       8    Angle (non-horizontal arrows)
_LWIDTH_    Num       8    Line width
_LSTYLE_    Num       8    Line style
_LCOLOR_    Char      8    Line color
_TCOLOR_    Char      8    Text color
_ICOLOR_    Char      8    Box infill color
_SCOLOR_    Char      8    Shadow color
_STYPE_     Char      1    Shadow type
_SWIDTH_    Num       8    Shadow width
_RELLNG_    Num       8    Relative length of an arrow
_HLEVEL_    Num       8    Arrow head threshold
_HSTYLE_    Num       8    Arrow head style
_HLNGTH_    Num       8    Arrow head length
_HWIDTH_    Num       8    Arrow head width
_HTEXT_     Num       8    Font height
_FTEXT_     Char      8    Font

Only the variables _LEVEL_ and _TEXT1_ are required in the input data set for the ISHIKAWA procedure. Each observation in the input data set corresponds to a particular arrow in the diagram. The order of the observations is critical because it defines the relationships of the arrows.

  • The trunk is always the first observation.

  • The remaining observations are ordered so that leaves are nested within stems, stems are nested within branches, and branches are nested within the trunk.

  • The variable _LEVEL_ is numeric and indicates the level within the diagram. The trunk has a level of 0, branches have a level of 1, stems have a level of 2, and so on.

  • The first line of text in a label is stored as _TEXT1_, the second as _TEXT2_, and so on.