1 Quality approach

 

1.1 History

The word quality, quality department history

history

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1.1.1 The word quality

Quality comes from the Latin word qualitas, "way of being", itself derived from the adjective qualis, "as it is".

There are many definitions of the word quality. Some examples:

The Petit Robert alone gives us six different meanings for the word quality.

Our choice:

Quality: aptitude to fulfill requirements

Everyone makes quality, like Monsieur Jourdain made prose. 

Everyone has a point of view on quality, often personal and interesting. 

No one is against quality and in principle everyone accepts that:

Quality is a journey, not a destination

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1.1.2 The quality department

True story 

In the code of King Hammurabi of Babylon (1730 BC), we find one of the oldest written traces of quality requirements:

  • if an architect builds a house and one of the walls falls, this architect will consolidate this wall at his own expense
  • if an architect builds a house and the house collapses and the master of the house is killed, that architect is liable to death

For centuries, quality was intrinsic to all craftsmanship (facilitated by direct contact with the customeranyone who receives a product (see also ISO 9000, 3.3.5)).

With the advent of industrialization (mass production) appeared the division of labor (design, production and inspection) and the interchangeability of parts (beginning of standardization).

In 1924, for the first time, a "quality assurance" department was created in the Bell Telephone company to better satisfy the end customeranyone who receives a product (see also ISO 9000, 3.3.5). At that time in this company, people who would become world-renowned thought leaders such as Shewhart, Deming and Juran worked on and developed the “statistical quality control” approach.

In the 1930s, excesses were reached. For example, in the same Bell Telephone company, it was noticed at one point that the inspection staff was more numerous than the workers!

Until the early 1940s, the inspection department (often called control) had the mission of verifying the conformity of finished productsany outcome of a process or activity (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.2). It was expensive (lots of checks) and not very efficient (defects were discovered at the end of the production cycle).

During the Second World War it was realized that poor quality could be very expensive – a direct link to human lives. Use of inspection at all stages of production began and certain requirementsexplicit or implicit need or expectation (see also ISO 9000, 3.1.2) became mandatory (including reception). A finished production with a lot fewer defects was obtained (they were discovered quite early).

The first American military standards for inspection by sampling were put in place.

In 1949, the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) was created.

The 1960s and 1970s saw the appearance of quality department, continual improvementpermanent process allowing the improvement of the global performance of the organization (see also ISO 9000, 3.2.13 and ISO 14 001, 3.2), prevention, the daily use of statistics in production, the involvement of all personnel and team spirit for quality. Many approaches and various tools emerged (see Chapters 9 and 10 of this module).

The first international standards related to quality (ISO 9000 family) appeared in 1987. We talk about quality assurance, zero defects, prevention, corrective and preventive actions, supplier quality assurance (SQA).

During the 1980s, the quality system encompassed all departments, all activities and all personnel.

To stand out, you have to surprise (pleasantly) the consumer with additional services, innovative and unexpected characteristics.

Since the 2000 version of the ISO 9001 standard, quality assurance has been replaced by quality management, the structure has been simplified, the mandatory procedures have reduced. Customer satisfactiontop priority objective of every quality management system (see also ISO 9000, 3.1.4), the process approachmanagement by the processes to better satisfy customers, improve the effectiveness of all processes and increase global efficiency (see also ISO 9004, Annexe B.5), efficiency and continual improvementpermanent process allowing the improvement of the global performance of the organization (see also ISO 9000, 3.2.13 and ISO 14 001, 3.2) have become priorities. Service activities have been added to (classical) industrial production.

Slowly but surely the quality department is transforming itself from a compliance expertise department into a cross-functional support department. The control of processes and the effectiveness of the management system are beginning to include new expectations related to efficiency, innovation and sustainable development. We talk less about quality but more about performance and excellence. Some stages in the history of the quality department are shown in figure 1-1.

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Figure 1-1. History of the quality department

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1.2 Principles

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1.2.1 Management principles

The quality approach is a state of mind that starts with top management as a priority strategic decision and extends to all staff. Top management defines the quality policy, in which the quality objectives are set and applicable to all activities. The tool used to achieve the objectives is the quality management systemset of processes allowing the achievement of the quality objectives (see also ISO 9000, 3.2.3). The concept of prevention is generalized.

The purpose of a management system (MS) is to increase customer satisfactiontop priority objective of every quality management system (see also ISO 9000, 3.1.4) (external and internal) by meeting their needs and expectations by continually improving processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) efficiency.

Quality costs almost nothing when customers are satisfied: they remain loyal to us. It is only when the customeranyone who receives a product (see also ISO 9000, 3.3.5) is not completely satisfied that quality becomes very expensive for us: sooner or later the customeranyone who receives a product (see also ISO 9000, 3.3.5) goes to a competitor.

Quality remains long after the price has been forgotten

The seven principles of quality management (see figure 1-2) will help us achieve sustainable performance (see ISO 9001: 2015, § 0.2):

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Figure 1-2. The cost iceberg

1.2.2 PDCA cycle

The PDCA cycle, also called Deming cycle, applies to the control of any processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1). PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycles are a universal basis for continual improvementpermanent process allowing the improvement of the global performance of the organization (see also ISO 9000, 3.2.13 and ISO 14 001, 3.2) (see figure 1-3).

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Figure 1-3. The Deming cycle

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1.3 Process approach

Process types, management, realization, support processes, process mapping, process approach 

1.3

If you cannot describe what you are doing as a process, you do not know what you're doing. Edwards Deming

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1.3.1 Process types

The word processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) comes from the Latin root procedere = go, development, progress (Pro = forward, cedere = go). Each processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) transforms inputs into outputs, creating added value and potential nuisances.

A processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) has three basic elements: inputs, activities and outputs. 

A processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) can be very complex (launch a rocket) or relatively simple (audit a productany outcome of a process or activity (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.2)). A processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) is:

A processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) is, among other things, determined by its:

A processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) review is carried out periodically by the processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) owner (cf. annex 01).record 

The components of a processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) are shown in figure 1-4:process

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Figure 1-4. Components of a process

Figure 1-5 shows an example that helps answer the questions:process

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Figure 1-5. Some elements of a process

Often the output of a processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) is the input of the next processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1).

You can find some examples of process forms in the document pack D 02 and annex 02.record

Any organizationa structure that satisfies a need (see also ISO 9000, 3.3.1) (company) can be considered as a macro processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1), with its purpose, its inputs (customeranyone who receives a product (see also ISO 9000, 3.3.5) needs and expectations) and its outputs (products/services to satisfy customeranyone who receives a product (see also ISO 9000, 3.3.5) requirementsexplicit or implicit need or expectation (see also ISO 9000, 3.1.2)).

Our preference is to identify a processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) using a verb (buy, produce, sell) instead of a noun (purchases, production, sales) to differentiate the processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) from the company’s department or procedure to maintain and recall the purpose of the processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1).

The processes are (as we will see in the following paragraphs) of management, realization and support types. Do not attach too much importance to processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) categorizing (sometimes it is very relative) but ensure that all the company’s activities at least fall into one processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1)

 

1.3.1.1 Management processes

Management processes are also known as piloting, decision, key or major processes. They take part in the overall organization and include development of the policy, deployment of the objectives and all needed checks. They are the glue of all realization and support processes.

The following processes can be part of this family:

 

1.3.1.2 Realization processes

The realization (operational) processes are related to the productany outcome of a process or activity (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.2), increase the added value and contribute directly to customer satisfactiontop priority objective of every quality management system (see also ISO 9000, 3.1.4). 

They are mainly:

 

1.3.1.3 Support processes

The support processes provide the resources necessary for the proper functioning of all other processes. They are not directly related to a contribution of the productany outcome of a process or activity (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.2)'s added value but are still essential.

The support processes are often:

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1.3.2 Process mapping

Par excellence processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) “mapping” is a multidisciplinary work with the quality manager as the natural owner. This is not a formal requirementexplicit or implicit need or expectation (see also ISO 9000, 3.1.2) of the ISO 9001 standard but is always welcome. 

The three types of processes and some interactions are shown in figure 1-6 and annex 02.record 

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Figure 1-6. Process house

Mapping, among other things, allows you to:

To obtain a clearer picture, you can simplify by using a total of about 15 core processes. A core processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) can contain several sub-processes: for example, the processactivities which transform inputs into outputs (see also ISO 9000, 3.4.1) "develop the QMS" can involve:  

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1.3.3 Process approach

Simple solutions for now, perfection for later

The fourth principle of quality management is “Process approach” (see § 1.2.1). Some benefits:

Process approach: management by the processes to better satisfy customers, improve the effectiveness of all processes and increase global efficiency

When the process approachmanagement by the processes to better satisfy customers, improve the effectiveness of all processes and increase global efficiency (see also ISO 9004, Annexe B.5) is integrated during the development, implementation and continual improvementpermanent process allowing the improvement of the global performance of the organization (see also ISO 9000, 3.2.13 and ISO 14 001, 3.2) of a quality management systemset of processes allowing the achievement of the quality objectives (see also ISO 9000, 3.2.3), it allows one to achieve objectives that are related to customer satisfactiontop priority objective of every quality management system (see also ISO 9000, 3.1.4), as is shown in figure 1-7 (cf. ISO 9001, 0.2).

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Figure 1-7. Model of a QMS based on the process approach and continual improvement

The process approachmanagement by the processes to better satisfy customers, improve the effectiveness of all processes and increase global efficiency (see also ISO 9004, Annexe B.5) (cf. annex 03):record

For a consulting, support or repair business identifying and defining processes and mapping may not be very useful. More important is to establish and describe for example:

The process approachmanagement by the processes to better satisfy customers, improve the effectiveness of all processes and increase global efficiency (see also ISO 9004, Annexe B.5) is not:

gameMinute of relaxation. Cf. game: Process

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