Introduction to Quality

What is QUALITY?

Broadly defined -- quality refers to the ability of a product or service to

consistently meet or exceed customer expectation

The Dimensions of Quality

1) Performance - refers to the main characteristics of the product or service

(use)
2) Special features - refers to the extra characteristics
3) Conformance - refers to how well a product or service corresponds to a
customer's expectations
4) Reliability - consistency of performance without breakdown
5) Durability - refers to the useful life of the product or service
6) Service after sale - handling of complaints, or checking on customer
satisfaction
7) Aesthetics - pleasing to look at
8) Safety - safe when use as directed

The determinants of quality (degree to which a product or service successfully

satisfies its intended purpose) are:

1) Design - the starting point for the level of quality eventually achieved
2) How well it conforms to design - the degree to which goods and services
conform to the intent of the designer
3) Ease of use - instruction on how to use the product must be easy to
understand, injuries caused to consumer can end up in litigation
4) Service after delivery - technical support/contact from the service provider

Some of the consequences of poor quality

• Loss of business
• Liability
• Productivity
• Costs
Internal failure costs - failures discovered during
production
External failure costs - failures discovered after
delivery to customer
Appraisal costs - cost of activities designed to
ensure quality or to uncover defects
Prevention costs - cost of preventing defects from
occurring
Difference between modern quality management and the formerly traditional
approach

Quality Control by prevention vs. Quality Control by detection

Quality Gurus:
Deming - a statistics professor at NYU in the 40s, and is credited for Japan's
focus in quality and productivity
• Known for his 14-point prescription for achieving quality in an
organization (see page 426 for list)
• Four key elements in Deming's 14 points
(1) appreciation for system
(2) a theory of variation
(3) a theory of knowledge
(4) psychology

2) Juran - like Deming also taught Japanese manufacturers how to improve

quality
• Views quality as fitness-for-use
• Believes that 80% of quality defects are management controllable
• Describes Quality management as trilogy consisting of (1) quality
planning, (2) quality control (3) quality improvement
• Quality planning is necessary to establish processes that are
capable of meeting quality standards
• Quality control is necessary to know when corrective action
is needed
• Quality improvement will help find better ways of doing
things
• Key element of Juran's philosophy is the commitment of management to
continual improvement

3) Crosby - developed the concept of zero defects and popularized the phrase
"do it right the first time"
• Like Deming and Juran, he believes management's role in achieving
quality
• Believes in the concept "quality is free"

4) Ishikawa - Key contributions include the development of the cause-and-effect

diagram (a.k.a the fishbone diagram)

5) Taguchi - best known for the Taguchi loss function - a formula for determining
the cost of poor quality
The idea is that deviation of a part from a standard causes a loss
His method is credited with helping Ford Motor Company to reduce its warranty
losses