| Continuous Improvement |
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Quality as a dynamic, ever-changing concept. Implementing continuous quality improvement A quality system is not static. In fact, continuous improvement is an essential element of a good quality system. The market environment is ever changing and it is highly competitive, so continuous improvement is needed to keep ahead of the competition. Not making changes will allow competitors to catch up and pass you. The end result is no business. Continuous quality improvement is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle  Quality systems need to be developed to suit the individual or firm, so there is no one unique solution to developing a good quality management system. The Guide to Australian Wool Quality helps companies to create a suitable quality management system of their own by highlighting the quality areas of each step in the wool pipeline. The vital signs of a successfully implemented, results oriented quality management effort would usually include the following:  Having a commitment to quality improvement
by all employees and effective leadership to gain this
commitment. Linking quality management to a few clear
strategic goals to focus efforts on quality improvement. Using a customer focused definition of
quality which anticipates customer needs. Progressing improvement using a small number
of quality improvement teams on a limited number of
critical processes. Developing and using process measures which
track and analyse customer satisfaction indicators. Knowing the costs and benefits of quality
procedures and the appropriate use of benchmarking. Having simple and effective procedures
and/or work instructions. Using strong internal audit and corrective
action programs. Having consistent and effective
communication between all employees. Identifying and tracing products as they
flow through all parts of the production and customer
servicing process.The aim is to - over time - improve customer satisfaction by narrowing the gap between customer requirements and actual quality performance. This is done by firstly identifying the elements of the product or service which are most important to the customer and then determine which elements need to be improved. An approach is then "planned" to address the quality issues and problems, pilot ("do") these changes on a small scale and "check" that the improvements are achievable before implementing ("acting") them on a large scale. The cycle is repeated to give both small and large improvement which result from the myriad of minor changes and occasional major innovations which can be expected when continuous improvement is implemented. It is the quality management system which drives the continuous improvement cycle and the commitment to quality improvement (or quality culture) which underpins it. |
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