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Quality Assurance - a brief history
The development of Quality Assurance traces back to the aftermath of the first world war and the high death rate through accidents during munitions manufacture.
Techniques developed in the UK and the States but sprang to prominence in the 1950's with the birth of Japanese manufacturing skills.
The purpose of the concept is to manufacture the product or produce the service "Right First Time" and to maintain the cost of quality within budgets whilst achieving substantial manufacturing savings.
Dr W. Edward Deming an American statistical academic became the 'father' of the quality movement when invited to 'invigorate the Japanese manufacturing sector in the early 1950'. He was also renowned for his famous 14 principles. A summary of which is worth while at this point.
- Seek constancy of purpose for continual improvement of products and service
- Adopt the new philosophy created in Japan
- Eliminate the need for mass inspection
- End the practice of awarding business solely on the basis of price
- Improve constantly and forever every process for planning, production, and service
- Institute modern methods of training on the job for all
- Adopt and institute leadership aimed at helping people do a better job
- Encourage effective two way communication
- Break down barriers between departments and staff
- Eliminate the use of slogans without providing methods
- Eliminate work standards that prescribe quotas - substitute aids and helpful leadership
- Remove the barriers that rob workers and management of their right to pride of workmanship
- Institute a vigorous program of education, and encourage self improvement for everyone
- Clearly define top management's permanent commitment to ever improving quality and productivity
Many analytical tools and methods have been evolved to achieve these principles in practice including FMEA and Pareto analysis, Ishikawa, 8D, 5 whys and DOE. Widespread use of SPC, Six Sigma fault prevention and its Master Black Belts concept, quality improvement, lean manufacturing and manual charting APQP processes also arose.
To aid the adaptation of these principles by any business organisation management procedures and systems have been continuously codified over the year to now result in the all embracing general purpose international standard ISO9000 as well as specialist codes such as TS16949 and Q1in the automotive sector, ISO 15504 for software project modelling, versioning and control - previously known as Tickit, ISO 13485 (Medical Devices), ISO 17025 (Calibration and test laboratories)- and Qualifas, UL/CSA, QS9000, and many more.
Peripheral tools include best practice, planning and achieving continuous improvement (KAIZEN), Total Quality & Change Management, the EFQM Excellence Model and Investors in people.
However, after so much endeavour it is sad to relate that so often the principles and tools of 'quality' and 'business excellence' are often inefficiently and ineffectively, applied. The promised benefits are lost in a fog of jargon and empty phrases and are made difficult to attain by an emphasis on models and badges rather than on straightforward good practice.
Quality Management Appointments Ltd., registered in Cardiff, number 02093737,
Tanyard, Calver Road,
Baslow,
Derbyshire,
DE45 1RR.