Methods of Improving Quality

Methods of Improving Quality

1. Total Quality Management

   • TQM is a philosophy, not a tool
   • A way of looking at a quality issue
   • Requires commitment from the whole organisation, not just the quality control department
   • The business considers quality in every part of the business process from
     • Design to
       • to
         • Sales
   • TQM is about building-in rather than inspecting-out.
   • Success of TQM depend on it being imbedded in the organisational culture

2. Quality Control

   • Based on inspection
     • Workers get on with producing as many units as possible, and quality control inspectors check that the output meets minimum acceptable standards.
     • inspectors will check others from the same batch and if concerned may scrap the whole batch
       • The problem with this system is that faulty products can slip through, and it stops staff from producing the best quality
         • They just focus on products 'good enough' to pass the checks

3. Quality Assurance

   • assures customers that detailed systems are in place to govern quality at every stage in production

4. Improvement