Total Quality Management Guide
The Elements of Quality Management and How They’re Applied
Total Quality Management Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Quality Assurance ........................................................................................................................... 3 Quality Control ............................................................................................................................... 4 Quality Improvement ...................................................................................................................... 6 APPENDIX A: PRODUCTION DESIGN ASSESSMENT .......................................................... 8 APPENDIX B: ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS ................................................................................ 9 APPENDIX C: COMMUNICATING DATA ............................................................................. 10
Total Quality Management Guide
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Total Quality Management Guide
Introduction
When the Industrial Revolution brought about mass production, individual craftsmanship diminished. Individual craftsmen managed quality simply by sales -- a customer would either accept the “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction workmanship, or not. While it may have been Japan and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice that first implemented the idea of quality management of many alternatives.” in manufacturing, it was an American, Walter A. William A. Foster Shewhart, who is known as the “Father of Statistical Quality.” This was a result of his theory of maintaining a statistical process control through the reduction of variation. What that means is that if we can mass produce one product or service in such a way as to make each unit identical, the chance for error goes down and the quality goes up. Today the concept of quality management is applied in all types and sizes of businesses. It reaches across different service industries; and is put to use in the fields of manufacturing, healthcare, government, food services, and public schools. Quality means different things for different industries, and takes a different meaning depending on whether a product, a service, or a combination of both is offered. For example, some common characteristics that are reviewed in order to assess the quality of a product will include:
Aesthetics Availability Durability Ease of Disposal Ease of Use Maintainability Performance Reasonable Price Reliability Safety Serviceability Simplicity of Design
While the characteristics that define quality in service-driven industries include:
Accuracy Availability Communication Competence Completeness Credibility Reliability Responsiveness Safety Security
Timeliness Understanding the Customer
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The concept of Quality Management is based around three primary areas: (1) quality control; (2) quality assurance; and (3) quality improvement. Within each of these categories, there are general criteria that must be contemplated related to quality. The seven main criteria that affect any business are: 1) 2) 3) 4) Leadership Strategic Planning Customer Focus Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management 5) Workforce Focus 6) Process Management 7) Results
For each criterion, importance, strength, and improvement goals must be assessed and addressed. Assessments alone cannot improve quality, which is why plans for improvement are critical. Such plans must include milestones and deadlines so that progress toward achievement of each goal can be measured along the way. The three categories of quality – control, assurance, and improvement – are sometimes interchanged due to a lack of understanding of each of them. There are excellent definitions of quality assurance and quality control provided by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) on