There’s no denying that there are overlaps and inherent functional relationships between each of the five fundamental quality transformations – which will be presented here – moving chronologically to the most recent doesn’t mean closing the chapter on what came before! Let’s briefly present these five fundamental quality transformations:
Quality Inspection
This stage dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Frederick Taylor, known as the pioneer of scientific management, emphasized the importance of quality inspection as a measurement method to detect production errors. The focus was on discovering and correcting defects after they occurred – rather than preventing them!
Quality Control
This stage emerged between 1920-1950 when statistical methods were introduced to monitor and control variation in production processes. The focus of quality shifted from inspection concepts and mechanisms to prevention concepts for the first time in the world of quality! Quality became the responsibility of specialized engineers and technicians. During this period, Walter Shewhart, known as the pioneer of Statistical Process Control (SPC), developed the Control Chart as a tool for analyzing and improving process performance, although the focus was still naturally on product quality.
Quality Assurance
This stage developed between 1950-1970 when quality became a factor in enhancing competitiveness and achieving customer satisfaction. The focus expanded from product quality to process quality. Edwards Deming, Joseph Juran, and Philip Crosby were among the pioneers of this stage. The focus continued on methodically planning processes to prevent errors and deviations, and statistical control methodologies evolved into comprehensive statistical control methodologies at the organizational operational level.
Quality Management
This stage emerged between 1970-2000 when quality became a crucial enabler for organizations. The focus expanded from just production process quality to the quality of the entire system and continuous improvement of all its elements. Consequently, quality became the responsibility of leaders and managers. During the same period, there was a call to adopt Total Quality Management as a culture and philosophy focusing on people as assets that can be invested in, working on engaging all organization members in continuous improvement processes, customer satisfaction, employee empowerment, teamwork, and leadership. The Japanese quality management model, based on concepts like Kaizen, Gemba, Hoshin Kanri, and other supporting tools, greatly influenced this stage. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) announced its international standard (ISO 9001), the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was launched in the United States, and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) launched its model for organizational change management as general frameworks that drive the maturity of practice and excellence towards achieving distinction.
There’s no doubt that quality management practitioners and experts will play an increasingly important role
Strategic Context of Quality Management
This stage unfolds at the beginning of the 21st century and continues to this day when quality becomes an active driver of change. This wouldn’t have happened until the scope of quality management focus rose from operational to the strategic level of organizations. ISO launched the High-Level Structure (HLS) for management system standards in 2012 for the first time, signaling that the organizational context should be studied first, which concerns understanding and studying the internal and external scopes affecting quality management in the organization and its strategic directions. It also concerns understanding and analyzing the needs and expectations of stakeholders, based on which the scope and processes are determined, then leadership requirements are defined before planning, operation, performance evaluation, and improvement requirements. This raised the focus level of quality management to the strategic level. Consequently, all management system standards were updated, including the Quality Management System in 2015, according to the unified structure with a strategic dimension. This was followed by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) issuing its latest version of the organizational change management support model (EFQM 2020) according to three axes starting with direction, then execution, and finally results. The direction includes that strategic dimension of understanding and extensively studying the organization’s ecosystem with its internal, surrounding, external, and global scopes. The emergence of digital transformation in this stage also helped quality management to leverage emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing, Internet of Things, blockchain, and others, to enhance performance quality, customer experience, innovation, and sustainability.
There’s no doubt that quality management practitioners and experts will play an increasingly important role in this latest stage by engaging and educating people and often leading transformation processes, especially since it’s not without challenges nor opportunities for quality management in this stage, including:
- Aligning quality objectives with organizational strategy and vision to create real value for all stakeholders
- Adapting to changing customer expectations and needs in a dynamic and complex environment.
- Promoting a quality improvement culture that embraces change, learning, and collaboration.
- Integrating appropriate digital technologies into quality strategy, systems, and processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility.
- Developing new skills and competencies for quality professionals and specialists to deal with digital transformation mechanisms and innovation tools.
To face these challenges and seize opportunities, quality management experts and practitioners need to rely on a comprehensive and proactive approach that takes into account not only the technical aspects of product, service, process, system, and asset quality but also the human aspects and creating a value-based organizational culture supportive of change. Transformation cannot happen without a parallel shift in people’s mindset, relationships, and culture of continuous improvement.