Which tool is typically used to identify process variations during quality control?

Control charts are essential tools in quality control used to monitor and identify process variations over time. They display data points in time order, allowing organizations to visualize how a process performs relative to established control limits. By plotting individual observations or averages on the chart, one can easily see trends, shifts, or any unusual patterns that might indicate potential issues with the process.

The strength of control charts lies in their ability to distinguish between common causes of variation, which are inherent to the process, and special causes, which are unusual and require investigation. This differentiation is crucial for maintaining quality standards and ensuring that processes remain stable and capable.

Other tools like checklists, histograms, and flowcharts serve different purposes in quality management. Checklists are typically used for ensuring that all tasks or criteria are completed; histograms provide a graphical representation of data distribution; and flowcharts map out processes for clarity. While valuable in their own right, these tools do not provide the same level of dynamic monitoring and analysis of variations as control charts do.