8D is a team method for solving a problem in eight ordered steps, often called disciplines. The team is formed (D1), the problem is described in measurable terms (D2), and containment protects the customer right away (D3). Then the team finds and proves the root cause, including why the problem escaped detection (D4), chooses and verifies permanent corrective actions (D5), puts them in place and confirms they work (D6), prevents recurrence in similar products and processes (D7), and recognizes the team (D8). Many versions add a planning step, D0.
Example: A customer finds loose connectors on delivered harnesses. The supplier opens an 8D, sorts stock at the customer within 24 hours, traces the cause to a worn crimp die with no die-life limit, adds a die change interval and a pull test, and applies the same limit to its other crimp presses.
Many customers ask for an 8D report after a complaint, and the order of the steps matters: containment first, then a proven cause, then a fix with evidence. D7 is the step most often skipped, and it is what keeps the same failure from showing up on a sister line.
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