UNIT 1

Quality means “Performance upon expectations” and “fit for functions.” A product is said to be of good
quality if it satisfies the customer requirements in terms of performance, grade, durability, appearance and
intended use/purpose, etc.

Quality Definitions by “QUALITY GURUS”

8 Dimensions of Quality….
The most fundamental definition of a quality product is one that meets the expectations of the customer.
However, even this definition is too high level to be considered adequate.
In order to develop a more complete definition of quality, we must consider some of the key dimensions of a
quality product or service.

Dimension 1: Performance
Does the product or service do what it is supposed to do, within its defined tolerances?

Performance is often a source of contention between customers and suppliers, particularly when
deliverables are not adequately defined within specifications.
The performance of a product often influences profitability or reputation of the end-user. As such, many
contracts or specifications include damages related to inadequate performance.

Dimension 2: Features
Does the product or services possess all of the features specified, or required for its intended purpose?

While this dimension may seem obvious, performance specifications rarely define the features required in
a product. Thus, it’s important that suppliers designing product or services from performance
specifications are familiar with its intended uses, and maintain close relationships with the end-users.

Dimension 3: Reliability
Will the product consistently perform within specifications?

Reliability may be closely related to performance. For instance, a product specification may define
parameters for up-time, or acceptable failure rates.
Reliability is a major contributor to brand or company image, and is considered a fundamental dimension
of quality by most end-users.

Dimension 4: Conformance
Does the product or service conform to the specification?

If it’s developed based on a performance specification, does it perform as specified? If it’s developed based
on a design specification, does it possess all of the features defined?

Dimension 5: Durability
How long will the product perform or last, and under what conditions?

Durability is closely related to warranty. Requirements for product durability are often included within
procurement contracts and specifications.
For instance, fighter aircraft procured to operate from aircraft carriers include design criteria intended to
improve their durability in the demanding naval environment.
Dimension 6: Serviceability
Is the product relatively easy to maintain and repair?

As end users become more focused on Total Cost of Ownership than simple procurement costs,
serviceability (as well as reliability) is becoming an increasingly important dimension of quality and criteria
for product selection.

Dimension 7: Aesthetics
The way a product looks is important to end-users. The aesthetic properties of a product contribute to a
company’s or brand’s identity. Faults or defects in a product that diminish its aesthetic properties, even
those that do not reduce or alter other dimensions of quality, are often cause for rejection.

Dimension 8: Perception
Perception is reality. The product or service may possess adequate or even superior dimensions of quality,
but still fall victim to negative customer or public perceptions.

As an example, a high quality product may get the reputation for being low quality based on poor service
by installation or field technicians. If the product is not installed or maintained properly, and fails as a
result, the failure is often associated with the product’s quality rather than the quality of the service it
receives.

What Is Quality Control?

Quality control (QC) is a process through which a business seeks to ensure that product quality is
maintained or improved. Quality control requires the company to create an environment in which both
management and employees strive for perfection. This is done by training personnel, creating benchmarks
for product quality, and testing products to check for statistically significant variations.

A significant aspect of quality control is the establishment of well-defined controls. These controls help
standardize both production and reactions to quality issues. Limiting room for error by specifying which
production activities are to be completed by which personnel reduces the chance that employees will be
involved in tasks for which they do not have adequate training.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. Quality control (QC) is a process through which a business seeks to ensure that product quality is
maintained or improved.
2. Quality control involves testing units and determining if they are within the specifications for the final
product.
3. The quality control used in a business is highly dependent on the product or industry, and several
techniques exist for measuring quality.
4. The food industry uses quality control methods to ensure customers do not get sick from their products.
5. Quality control creates safe measures that can be implemented to make sure deficient or damaged
products do not end up with customers.

Understanding Quality Control

Quality control involves testing units and determining if they are within the specifications for the final
product. The purpose of the testing is to determine any needs for corrective actions in the manufacturing
process. Good quality control helps companies meet consumer demands for better products.
Quality testing involves each step of the manufacturing process. Employees often begin with the testing of
raw materials, pull samples from along the manufacturing line, and test the finished product. Testing at the
various stages of manufacturing helps identify where a production problem is occurring and the remedial
steps it requires to prevent it in the future.

The quality control used in a business is highly dependent on the product or industry. In food and drug
manufacturing, quality control includes ensuring the product does not make a consumer sick, so the
company performs chemical and microbiological testing of samples from the production line. Because the
appearance of prepared food affects consumer perception, the manufacturers may prepare the product
according to its package directions for visual inspection.

In automobile manufacturing, quality control focuses on how parts fit together and interact and ensure
engines operate smoothly and efficiently. In electronics, testing might involve using meters that measure
the flow of electricity.

Quality Control Methods

There are several methods of measuring the performance of quality control. A quality control chart is a
graphic that depicts whether sampled products or processes are meeting their intended specifications—
and, if not, the degree by which they vary from those specifications. When each chart analyzes a specific
attribute of the product, it is called a univariate chart. When a chart measures variances in several product
attributes, it is called a multivariate chart.

X-Bar Chart
Randomly selected products are tested for the given attribute or attributes the chart is tracking. A common
form of a quality control chart is the X-Bar Chart, where the y-axis on the chart tracks the degree to which
the variance of the tested attribute is acceptable. The x-axis tracks the samples tested. Analyzing the
pattern of variance depicted by a quality control chart can help determine if defects are occurring
randomly or systematically.

Taguchi Method
The Taguchi Method of quality control is another approach that emphasizes the roles of research and
development, product design, and product development in reducing the occurrence of defects and failures
in products. The Taguchi Method considers design to be more important than the manufacturing process
in quality control and tries to eliminate variances in production before they can occur.

100% Inspection Method

This 100% inspection method is a quality control process that involves looking at and assessing all parts of
a product. This type of quality control is done to rule out flaws in products. This method is often used to
evaluate valuable metals and produce. When conducting the 100% inspection method calls for data about
the manufacturing process and software to analyze inventory.

The challenge for using this method is that looking at every single item that makes up a product is
expensive, and it could destabilize or render the product unusable. For example, if you use this method to
examine organic strawberries, you would risk the delicate berries being bruised or mushed, rendering
them unsellable to customers.
What is Assurance?
Assurance is nothing but a positive declaration on a product or service, which gives confidence. It is
certainty of a product or a service, which it will work well. It provides a guarantee that the product will
work without any problems as per the expectations or requirements.

How to do Quality Assurance: Complete Process

Quality Assurance methodology has a defined cycle called PDCA cycle or Deming cycle. The phases of this
cycle are:

 Plan
 Do
 Check
 Act

Quality Assurance Process

These above steps are repeated to ensure that processes followed in the organization are evaluated and
improved on a periodic basis. Let’s look into the above QA Process steps in detail –

 Plan – Organization should plan and establish the process related objectives and determine the
processes that are required to deliver a high-Quality end product.
 Do – Development and testing of Processes and also “do” changes in the processes.
 Check – Monitoring of processes, modify the processes, and check whether it meets the
predetermined objectives.
 Act – A Quality Assurance tester should implement actions that are necessary to achieve
improvements in the processes.

What’s the Difference Between Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control?

Quality assurance is a broad process for preventing quality failures. The QA team is involved in all stages of
a product’s development: production, testing, packaging, and delivery. In contrast, quality control (QC) is a
narrower process. QC focuses on detecting mistakes, errors, or missed requirements in a product.
The two key differences between QA and QC are:

1. QA is proactive vs. QC is reactive.

The QA team operates proactively. They seek to uncover and address the sources of quality problems, such
as human error or a business using the wrong materials. Whereas the QC team is reactive, checking the
product for mistakes or components not built to specification.

Here is another way to understand this distinction: QC seeks to catch quality errors, while QA seeks to
uncover and fix the issues that lead to quality errors.

2. QC takes place after development, while QA is ongoing.

The QC team performs their tests after the product team has built the product. So they are looking only to
catch errors and bugs before the company makes the product available to customers. On the other hand,
the QA team is working throughout the development process, making sure each aspect of the product is on
track to deliver a high-quality customer experience.
Why Is Quality Important…..
Or
Quality as wining strategy..

With so many options available to customers, you may be wondering whether or not quality still matters.
The answer is a resounding “yes,” and quality isn’t just about offering a product or service that exceeds the
standard, but it’s also about the reputation you gain for consistently delivering a customer experience that
is “above and beyond.” Managing quality is crucial for small businesses.

Meet Customer Expectations

Regardless of what industry you’re involved in, your customers aren’t going to choose you solely based on
price, but often on quality. In fact, studies have shown that customers will pay more for a product or
service that they think is made well or exceeds the standard. Your customers expect you to deliver quality
products.

Quality is Critical to Satisfied Customers

If you fail to meet customers' expectation, they will quickly look for alternatives. Quality is critical to
satisfying your customers and retaining their loyalty so they continue to buy from you in the future. Quality
products make an important contribution to long-term revenue and profitability. They also enable you to
charge and maintain higher prices.

Quality is a key differentiator in a crowded market. It’s the reason that Apple can price its iPhone higher
than any other mobile phone in the industry – because the company has established a long history of
delivering superior products.

Establish Your Reputation

Quality reflects on your company’s reputation. The growing importance of social media means that
customers and prospects can easily share both favorable opinions and criticism of your product quality on
forums, product review sites and social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. A strong
reputation for quality can be an important differentiator in markets that are very competitive. Poor quality
or product failure that results in a product recall campaign can lead to negative publicity and damage your
reputation.

If your business consistently delivers what it promises, your customers are much more likely to sing your
praises on social media platforms. This not only helps drive your brand awareness, but it also creates the
much-desired FOMO effect, which stands for “Fear of Missing Out.” Social-media users that see your
company’s strong reputation will want to become part of the product or service you’re offering, which can
boost your sales.

Meet or Exceed Industry Standards

Adherence to a recognized quality standard may be essential for dealing with certain customers or
complying with legislation. Public-sector companies, for example, may insist that their suppliers achieve
accreditation with quality standards. If you sell products in regulated markets, such as health care, food or
electrical goods, you must be able to comply with health and safety standards designed to protect
consumers.
Accredited quality control systems play a crucial role in complying with those standards. Accreditation can
also help you win new customers or enter new markets by giving prospects independent confirmation of
your company’s ability to supply quality products.

Manage Costs Effectively

Poor quality increases costs. If you do not have an effective quality-control system in place, you may incur
the cost of analyzing nonconforming goods or services to determine the root causes and retesting products
after reworking them.

In some cases, you may have to scrap defective products and pay additional production costs to replace
them. If defective products reach customers, you will have to pay for returns and replacements and, in
serious cases, you could incur legal costs for failure to comply with customer or industry standards.

Cost of Quality
Cost of quality is a method for calculating the costs companies incur ensuring that products meet quality
standards, as well as the costs of producing goods that fail to meet quality standards.

The goal of calculating cost of quality is to create an understanding of how quality impacts the bottom line.
Whether it’s the cost of scrap and rework associated with poor quality, or the expense of audits and
maintenance associated with good quality, both count. Cost of quality gives manufacturers an opportunity
to analyze, and thus improve their quality operations.

This two-pronged approach to quality can be categorized as “control” (good quality) vs. “failure of control”
(bad quality).

Cost of Good Quality vs. Poor Quality

Cost of quality has four main components between the two buckets of “good” and “bad” quality.
Taken together, the four main costs of quality add up to make up the total cost of quality.

CoQ = Appraisal + Prevention + Internal Failure + External Failure

Four Types of Cost of Quality

Appraisal Costs:

Measurement and inspection activities during operations to determine conformance to quality

requirements.
Examples include inspection, testing, process or service audits, calibration of measuring and test
equipment.

Prevention Costs:

Activities planned and designed before operations to guarantee good quality and prevent bad quality
products or services.
Examples include new product review, quality planning, supplier surveys, process reviews, quality
improvement teams, education and training.
Internal Failure Costs:

Expenses incurred to remedy defects discovered before the delivery of a product or service.
Examples include scrap, rework, re-inspection, re-testing, material review, material downgrades.

External Failure Costs:

Expenses incurred to remedy defects discovered by customers after the customer receives the product or
service.
Examples include processing customer complaints, customer returns, warranty claims, product recalls.

Views of different quality Gurus……