Quality Planning and Assurance

8 Quality Management Tools

Many tools, methods, and techniques can be used in quality management. Most of them are general, and can be used for almost all types of quality work, while some of them may be more applicable to just one of the three areas (quality planning, quality control, and continuous improvement) of a quality management system (QMS). In this chapter, from a problem-solving standpoint, the commonly used quality tools are discussed based on their unique principles and applications.

8.1 Problem-solving Process

Problem solving is a process, comprising a series of actions, including defining a problem, analyzing its root causes, finding and implementing a solution, and verifying the result. During the development and operations of a product, service, or process, various types of problems and issues can occur. Following a structured process and using appropriate tools are key to effective problem solving.

8.1.1 Plan–Do–Check–Act Approach

Principle of Continuous Improvement

Routine quality work can be seen as a problem-solving process. Conventional problem solving is normally reactive in nature. A traditional mindset is “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” (Martin n.d.), meaning if something is working well, leave it alone. However, such a mindset may not work anymore in today’s competitive, rapidly evolving business environment. A concordant mindset and practice is continuous improvement (CI), which is similar to “if it ain’t broke, make it better.” That is, never ...