Quality Management
Isuru Jayalath
1) What is Quality?
“Quality is about meeting the needs & expectation of customers.”
• Quality management is the act of overseeing all activities and tasks that must be accomplished to
maintain a desired level of excellence. This includes the determination of a quality policy, creating and
implementing quality planning and assurance, and quality control and quality improvement. It is also
referred to as total quality management (TQM).
2) Key Aspects:
• Customer Expectations: Meeting or surpassing what customers anticipate from a product, service,
or process.
• Standards: Adhering to established criteria or guidelines, whether industry-wide or internal, to
ensure quality.
• Continuous Improvement: Ongoing efforts to enhance processes, products, and services for
sustained excellence.
• Value Perception: Customers evaluate quality based on the perceived value relative to the cost.
• Adaptability: Quality is not static; it requires adjustments to meet changing needs and
technological advancements.
• Feedback Utilization: Using customer feedback to refine and enhance products, services, or
processes over time.
• Consistency: Maintaining uniformity and reliability in the delivery of products or services.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing data and information to make informed decisions in the
management of quality processes.
3) Principles of Quality Management
Here, the primary focus revolves around the discussion of seven key principles that form the foundation
of quality management. These principles encompass customer focus, leadership, engagement of people,
process approach, continuous improvement, evidence-based decision-making, and relationship
management. By exploring and understanding these principles, organizations can establish effective
systems, foster a culture of excellence, and consistently meet or exceed customer expectations. Each
principle plays a crucial role in shaping the overall approach to quality within an organization, contributing
to its success and sustainability in a competitive landscape.
Seven Quality Management Principles:
1) Customer Focus
2) Leadership
3) Engagement of People
4) Process approach
5) Continuous Improvement
6) Evidence based decision making
7) Relationships Management
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1) Customer Focus: (Prioritizing understanding & meeting customer needs.)
Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer
needs, should meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.
Key Benefits:
• Increased revenue and market share obtained through flexible and fast responses to market
opportunities.
• Increased effectiveness in the use of the organization’s resources to enhance customer
satisfaction.
• Improved customer loyalty leading to repeat business.
2) Leadership: (Setting a clear vision & commitment to Quality.)
Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should create and maintain the
internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization’s objectives.
Key Benefits:
• People will understand and be motivated towards the organization’s goals and objectives.
• Activities are evaluated, aligned and implemented in a unified way.
• Miscommunication between levels of an organization will be minimized.
3) Engagement of People: (Empowering & involving all personal at all levels.)
People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to
be used for the organization’s benefit.
Key Benefits:
• Motivated, committed and involved people within the organization.
• Innovation and creativity in furthering the organization’s objectives.
• People being accountable for their own performance.
• People eager to participate in and contribute to continual improvement.
4) Process approach: (Viewing activities as interconnected process.)
A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a
process.
Key Benefits:
• Improved efficiency and effectiveness by managing activities as interconnected processes.
• Enhanced consistency and reliability in delivering products or services.
• Clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, and interdependencies within processes.
5) Continuous Improvement: (Constantly seeking ways to enhance processes, products, & services.)
improvement of the organization’s overall performance should be a permanent objective of the
organization.
Key Benefits:
• Performance advantage through improved organizational capabilities.
• Alignment of improvement activities at all levels to an organization’s strategic intent.
• Flexibility to react quickly to opportunities.
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6) Evidence based decision making: (Making decision based on data & information.)
Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.
Key Benefits:
• Informed decisions.
• An increased ability to demonstrate the effectiveness of past decisions through reference to
factual records.
• Increased ability to review, challenge and change opinions and decisions.
7) Relationships Management: (Building & maintaining beneficial relationship with stakeholders.)
An organization and its suppliers are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the
ability of both to create value.
Key Benefits:
• Enhanced collaboration and communication with stakeholders, leading to improved
understanding and alignment.
• Increased efficiency and effectiveness in supply chain management.
• Opportunities for innovation and co-creation with suppliers, customers, and other partners.
• Greater resilience and adaptability to changes in the business environment through strong
relationships.
4) Why quality is important to a growing business?
1) Customer Satisfaction: High-quality products or services lead to satisfied customers. Positive
customer experiences foster loyalty and repeat business, contributing to sustained growth.
2) Reputation Building: Consistently delivering quality builds a positive reputation. A good
reputation attracts more customers, enhances brand value, and creates a competitive advantage.
3) Customer Retention: Quality fosters customer loyalty. Satisfied customers are more likely to stay
with the business, reducing the cost and effort associated with acquiring new customers.
4) Operational Efficiency: Efficient and well-implemented processes contribute to higher quality.
Streamlined operations result in cost savings, improved productivity, and better resource
utilization, supporting business growth.
5) Market Differentiation: High-quality products or services differentiate a business in the market.
This distinctiveness can attract new customers and create a niche in a competitive environment.
6) Regulatory Compliance: Meeting quality standards ensures compliance with regulations.
Adhering to industry and legal standards enhances credibility and avoids potential legal issues.
7) Innovation and Adaptability: A commitment to quality often drives innovation. Businesses that
prioritize quality are more adaptable to changing market conditions and emerging trends,
facilitating sustained growth.
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8) Cost Savings: Quality management practices reduce errors, rework, and waste. This results in cost
savings, which can be reinvested in the business for expansion and development.
9) Employee Morale and Productivity: Quality-focused organizations tend to have motivated
employees. A positive work environment and a sense of pride in delivering quality contribute to
increased productivity and employee satisfaction.
10) Customer Recommendations: Satisfied customers become brand advocates. Positive word-of-
mouth recommendations from customers can drive new business opportunities and contribute to
organic growth.
5) What is the Quality Assurance and Quality Control?
Quality Control (QC)
• The operational techniques & activities used to fulfill requirements for quality.
• Quality Control is a reactive product-oriented approach that involves checking and verifying the
end product to identify and correct defects. It is a set of activities or techniques used to monitor
and control the quality of a product or service during its development or production. QC involves
inspection, testing, and measurement of the product to ensure it meets predefined standards. The
goal of QC is to identify and address any deviations from the desired quality, ensuring that the final
output meets the required specifications.
Quality Assurance (QA)
• All the planned & systematic activities implemented within the quality system that can be
demonstrated to provide confident that a product or service will fulfill requirements for quality.
• Quality Assurance is a proactive process-oriented approach designed to prevent defects and
ensure that processes are implemented effectively. It involves systematic activities, processes, and
standards that aim to provide confidence that a product or service will meet specified
requirements. QA encompasses planning, process implementation, and systematic evaluations to
verify that the processes used to create products or deliver services are effective and efficient.
Quality Control (QC) Quality Assurance (QA)
Focused on product. Focused on process.
Reactive. (Responding to problems after they have Pro-active. (Taking action to prevent issues before
happened) they occur)
Line function. Staff function.
Find defects. Prevent defects.
Testing. Quality Audits.
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6) 7- Quality Tools
1. Stratification (Graph/ Flowcharts)
Stratification analysis is a quality assurance tool used to sort data, objects, and people into separate and
distinct groups. Separating your data using stratification can help you determine its meaning, revealing
patterns that might not otherwise be visible when it’s been lumped together.
Whether you’re looking at equipment, products, shifts, materials, or even days of the week, stratification
analysis lets you make sense of your data before, during, and after its collection.
To get the most out of the stratification process, consider which information about your data’s sources
may affect the end results of your data analysis. Make sure to set up your data collection so that that
information is included.
Figure 1: Example for Stratification
Flowcharts
Some sources will swap out stratification to instead include flowcharts as one of the seven basic QC tools.
Flowcharts are most commonly used to document organizational structures and process flows, making
them ideal for identifying bottlenecks and unnecessary steps within your process or system.
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Mapping out your current process can help you to more effectively pinpoint which activities are
completed when and by whom, how processes flow from one department or task to another, and which
steps can be eliminated to streamline your process.
Figure 2: Example for Flowcharts
2. Histogram
Quality professionals are often tasked with analyzing and interpreting the behavior of different groups of
data in an effort to manage quality. This is where quality control tools like the histogram come into play.
The histogram represents frequency distribution of data clearly and concisely amongst different groups
of a sample, allowing you to quickly and easily identify areas of improvement within your processes. With
a structure similar to a bar graph, each bar within a histogram represents a group, while the height of the
bar represents the frequency of data within that group.
Histograms are particularly helpful when breaking down the frequency of your data into categories such
as age, days of the week, physical measurements, or any other category that can be listed in chronological
or numerical order.
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Figure 3: Example for Histogram
3. Check sheet (or tally sheet)
Check sheets can be used to collect quantitative or qualitative data. When used to collect quantitative
data, they can be called a tally sheet. A check sheet collects data in the form of check or tally marks that
indicate how many times a particular value has occurred, allowing you to quickly zero in on defects or
errors within your process or product, defect patterns, and even causes of specific defects.
With its simple setup and easy-to-read graphics, check sheets make it easy to record preliminary
frequency distribution data when measuring out processes. This particular graphic can be used as a
preliminary data collection tool when creating histograms, bar graphs, and other quality tools.
Figure 4: Example for Check sheet (or tally sheet)
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4. Cause-and-effect diagram (also known as a fishbone or Ishikawa diagram)
Introduced by Kaoru Ishikawa, the fishbone diagram helps users identify the various factors (or causes)
leading to an effect, usually depicted as a problem to be solved. Named for its resemblance to a
fishbone, this quality management tool works by defining a quality-related problem on the right-hand
side of the diagram, with individual root causes and sub-causes branching off to its left.
A fishbone diagram’s causes and subcauses are usually grouped into six main groups, including
measurements, materials, personnel, environment, methods, and machines. These categories can help
you identify the probable source of your problem while keeping your diagram structured and orderly.
Figure 5: Example for Cause-and-effect diagram (also known as a fishbone or Ishikawa diagram)
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5. Pareto chart (80-20 rule)
As a quality control tool, the Pareto chart operates according to the 80-20 rule. This rule assumes that in
any process, 80% of a processes or system’s problems are caused by 20% of major factors, often referred
to as the “vital few.” The remaining 20% of problems are caused by 80% of minor factors.
A combination of a bar and line graph, the Pareto chart depicts individual values in descending order using
bars, while the cumulative total is represented by the line.
The goal of the Pareto chart is to highlight the relative importance of a variety of parameters, allowing
you to identify and focus your efforts on the factors with the biggest impact on a specific part of a process
or system.
Figure 6: Example for Pareto chart (80-20 rule)
6. Scatter diagram
Out of the seven quality tools, the scatter diagram is most useful in depicting the relationship between
two variables, which is ideal for quality assurance professionals trying to identify cause and effect
relationships.
With dependent values on the diagram’s Y-axis and independent values on the X-axis, each dot represents
a common intersection point. When joined, these dots can highlight the relationship between the two
variables. The stronger the correlation in your diagram, the stronger the relationship between variables.
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Scatter diagrams can prove useful as a quality control tool when used to define relationships between
quality defects and possible causes such as environment, activity, personnel, and other variables. Once
the relationship between a particular defect and its cause has been established, you can implement
focused solutions with (hopefully) better outcomes.
Figure 7: Example for Scatter diagram
7. Control chart (also called a Shewhart chart)
Named after Walter A. Shewhart, this quality improvement tool can help quality assurance professionals
determine whether or not a process is stable and predictable, making it easy for you to identify factors
that might lead to variations or defects.
Control charts use a central line to depict an average or mean, as well as an upper and lower line to depict
upper and lower control limits based on historical data. By comparing historical data to data collected
from your current process, you can determine whether your current process is controlled or affected by
specific variations.
Using a control chart can save your organization time and money by predicting process performance,
particularly in terms of what your customer or organization expects in your final product.
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Figure 8: Example for Control chart (also called a Shewhart chart)
7) Continuous Improvement in Quality Management:
Continuous Improvement is a fundamental principle within Quality Management that emphasizes an
ongoing, incremental, and systematic approach to enhancing processes, products, or services. Also known
as continuous or continual improvement, it involves a cyclical and iterative process aimed at making small,
gradual advancements over time. Here's a breakdown:
1) Iterative Cycle: Continuous Improvement operates in cycles, often using methodologies like the PDCA
(Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle. This cyclical nature allows organizations to regularly assess, adjust, and
refine their processes.
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2) Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle: The PDCA cycle involves planning a change (Plan), implementing it
on a small scale (Do), evaluating the results (Check), and acting on what was learned to make further
improvements (Act). This cycle repeats, fostering a culture of ongoing enhancement.
3) Kaizen Philosophy: Often associated with Continuous Improvement, the Kaizen philosophy originates
from Japan and encourages small, continuous changes by involving all employees. This approach
values collective effort and emphasizes incremental progress.
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4) Data-Driven Decision Making: Continuous Improvement relies on data collection, analysis, and
interpretation. Organizations use key performance indicators (KPIs) and other metrics to measure
current performance, identify areas for improvement, and track progress over time.
5) Employee Involvement: Engaging employees at all levels is crucial. Front-line workers often have
valuable insights into daily operations, and their involvement fosters a sense of ownership and
commitment to improvement.
6) Customer Feedback: Continuous Improvement considers customer feedback as a vital source of
information. Adapting products or services based on customer needs and preferences is integral to
maintaining and improving quality.
7) Cultural Integration: For effective Continuous Improvement, organizations must embed the concept
in their culture. This involves leadership commitment, employee empowerment, and a shared
understanding of the importance of ongoing enhancement.
8) Flexibility and Adaptability: Continuous Improvement recognizes that change is inevitable.
Organizations that embrace flexibility and adaptability can respond effectively to evolving
circumstances, ensuring relevance and competitiveness.
9) Strategic Significance: From a strategic perspective, Continuous Improvement contributes to
maintaining a competitive edge in the market. Organizations that consistently enhance their
processes are better positioned for long-term success.
8) Impact of Standards and Compliance on Pneumatic Tire Manufacturing in the Rubber
Industry:
1. Quality Assurance in Tire Production:
Effect: Adhering to industry standards ensures consistent quality in tire manufacturing, reducing defects
and enhancing overall performance.
Example: Compliance with ISO 9001 standards for quality management in the tire production process.
2. Product Safety and Performance:
Effect: Compliance with safety and performance standards ensures that tires meet regulatory
requirements, enhancing road safety and customer satisfaction.
Example: Adhering to safety standards like the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standards.
3. Global Market Access:
Effect: Meeting international standards facilitates global market access, allowing tire manufacturers to
export their products and compete on a larger scale.
Example: ISO certifications being recognized worldwide, easing trade barriers.
4. Environmental Compliance:
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Effect: Compliance with environmental standards promotes sustainable practices in tire manufacturing,
minimizing the environmental impact.
Example: Adherence to ISO 14001 standards for environmental management in the rubber industry.
5. Risk Mitigation:
Effect: Ensuring compliance helps mitigate legal and regulatory risks associated with product recalls or
liability issues.
Example: Compliance with safety standards to minimize the risk of legal actions due to faulty tires.
6. Innovation and Technology Adoption:
Effect: Standards drive innovation by setting benchmarks for technology adoption in tire manufacturing,
encouraging continuous improvement.
Example: Adoption of new materials and manufacturing processes in line with industry standards.
7. Customer Trust and Brand Reputation:
Effect: Meeting or exceeding standards builds customer trust, enhances brand reputation, and establishes
the manufacturer as a reliable source of high-quality tires.
Example: Tire manufacturers displaying ISO certification on their products.
8. Efficiency and Process Optimization:
Effect: Compliance with quality management standards promotes efficient processes, reducing waste and
optimizing production.
Example: Following Six Sigma principles to enhance efficiency in the manufacturing process.
9. Supply Chain Integration:
Effect: Compliance requirements often extend to suppliers, promoting integration and collaboration
across the entire supply chain.
Example: Ensuring raw material suppliers meet quality and safety standards.
10. Continuous Improvement Culture:
Effect: Standards foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging tire manufacturers to adapt
to new technologies and methodologies.
Example: Implementing the PDCA cycle to enhance tire manufacturing processes over time.
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