Introduction:
The purpose of TQM is to instigate a culture based on establishing Zero Defect and therefore Zero Inspection. This can only take place by prevention through the utilisation of Ishikawa techniques or Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques.
Quality policy statement:
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It is important that quality is clearly stated as part of the overall organisational mission. A quality policy statement has got to be drafted and communicated to employees at all levels within the organisation:
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Quality is initiated by management. The process of trying to make quality succeed is not through sterile statements but total commitment by senior management, the design of realistic objectives and the allocation of time and resources to implement TQM;
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Quality has therefore got to be accepted as the means by which organisational superiority can be achieved and maintained and not as a bolt on activity to inefficient and rudimentary systems.
Quality procedures and systems:
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Quality has to be documented at every level of the organisation. Procedures have got to specify clearly how each task is to be conducted to meet customer requirements both internally and externally;
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If prevention is the desired objective, standards have to be set based on a good understanding of process capability and the impact of variation and how to control it;
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Quality requirements change. This could lead to changes in conformance. Internal auditing is an essential activity in making sure that conformance exists all the time regardless of changes in customer requirements.
Training on the use of SPC:
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Train everyone in the organisation on the utilisation of SPC techniques;
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Convey the message that processes have to be well understood so that they can
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Train people on the importance of data collection and its processing for providing
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Delegate process ownership to those who operate the process;
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Authorize action for ensuring process stability towards the achievement of
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Encourage creativity and continuous improvement through the wide spread use be controlled; useful information; customer requirements; of statistical techniques.
Quality culture:
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Establish customer-supplier dependability/accountability both internally and externally;
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Educate every employee that prevention is the order of the day and inspection will not be tolerated;
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Convey the message that the price of poor quality does not stop at the specific individual/process but has a far reaching effect on the whole organisation;
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Convey the message that the achievement of superior performance can only come through continuous improvement activity and that everyone’s contribution is therefore valuable to the organisation.
