QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CONTROL SLIDE 4

IMPORTANT! Consumers demand quality in a competitive market However it is difficult to define quality as it means different things to different people Definitions? Quality of finish? Price paid for good? Reliable? Life span? SLIDE 4

FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY Quality Assurance Quality Control Quality Standards Total Quality Management SLIDE 4

QUALITY ASSURANCE Aims to make sure that quality standards are: Set Agreed Met through the entire organisation Aim is to ensure customer satisfaction and reduce the return of faulty goods SLIDE 4

QUALITY CONTROL Assumes that there will be a degree of waste from products up to 25% if the organisation has a system in place of quality checking at the end of the manufacturing process Leads to increased costs of production as some goods may not ‘pass’ the quality control SLIDE 4

QUALITY ASSURANCE Based on prevention Aims to ensure that quality standards are set, agreed and met through the organisation Aims to create a situation in which “right first time, every time” becomes a real possibility Quality Assurance and Quality Control are two different concepts SLIDE 4

QUALITY ASSURANCE Quality is checked at every stage of the manufacturing process thereby reducing wastage and scrap to 5% or less It checks the good at every stage of the process instead of just the end product Good quality control is achieved through the use of quality assurance SLIDE 4

QUALITY STANDARDS SLIDE 4

IMPORTANT Consumers have a right to expect that goods are of a ‘satisfactory quality’ and that they are ‘fit for the purpose for which they are intended’ This is further supported by the legal system who have continually supported the consumer in cases of ‘bad quality’ SLIDE 4

MEASUREMENTS OF QUALITY Appearance Safety Availability Value for money Ease of use Consumer after sales support Reputation of the product and company SLIDE 4

BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTE Aim to promote quality at all stages of the production and move away from just checking the end result Control and operate the main British Standard BS 5750 Many companies will only deal with other companies that are certified to this standard Companies have to achieve this standard by producing quality manuals for policies of quality assurance including inspections SLIDE 4

OTHERS British Standards Institute Kite Mark Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) Investors in People (IIP) ISO 9000 (BS 5750 international equivalent) SLIDE 4

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT SLIDE 4

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) Aims to produce a perfect product or service every time in order to meet customer requirements Uses the same principles of quality assurance but views the exact needs and requirements of the customer must be regarded above everything else The client tells the manufacturer what they want and it is up to the manufacturer to use this as a guide (benchmark) for quality SLIDE 4

REQUIRES: Whole company focus on quality (Cleaners to MD’s) A commitment from every member of staff Consultation with staff at every level in setting standards Team work and a feeling of worth among the workforce Ensuring TQM is a long term concept Creating a plan for quality Training employees Checking and reviewing performance (audits) Checking for improvement SLIDE 4

INTRODUCING TQM Requires 4 elements: The definition of quality The commitment of all the workforce A system in which this quality can be assured A measure of the ability to meet quality requirements SLIDE 4

A DEFINITION OF QUALITY AT EACH STAGE OF PRODUCTION Depends on the customer providing detailed requirements eg Intended usage Required outcomes Standards of safety Efficiency Quality of the finished product Cost SLIDE 4

THE COMMITMENT OF THE WORKFORCE Commitment from the organisation to quality in its mission statement Definition of staff responsibilities Drawing up and implementing a “contract” to confirm mutual obligation of supplier and customer Establishment Quality Circles of “standard operating procedures” to help ensure consistency eg Audits Benchmarking SLIDE 4

OPERATION OF A SYSTEM IN WHICH ESTABLISHED QUALITY CAN BE ASSURED Defining and specifying products Checking and monitoring quality at all stages Keeping records Establishing a system of review, monitoring and feedback Appraisals for staff Target setting SLIDE 4

BEING ABLE TO MEASURE QUALITY Can be measured both qualitatively or quantitatively May be made on customer’s perceptions, or on objective measurements – both valid indicators of conformity SLIDE 4

BENCHMARKING System of quality assurance which uses the best performers in an industry to set standards for others to meet Compare your own performance to market leaders in the same field Subjective (personal view) and is usually identified from consumers, industry journals and journalists SLIDE 4

QUALITY CIRCLES Groups of people that meet regularly within the organisation Identify, discuss and resolve problems in the production process Should include people from the shop floor to senior managers SLIDE 4