Page 33 - The Handbook for Quality Management a Complete Guide to Operational Excellence

20 B u s i n e s s - I n t e g r a t e d Q u a l i t y S y s t e m s T h e Q u a l i t y F u n c t i o n 21

Quality control is the process used by operational personnel to ensure
that their processes meet the product and service requirements (defined
during the planning stage). It is based on the feedback loop and con sists
of the following steps:

• Evaluate actual operating performance.
• Compare actual performance with goals.
• Act on the difference.

Quality improvement aims to attain levels of performance that are
unprecedented—levels that are significantly better than any past level.
The methodologies recommended for quality improvement efforts utilize
Six Sigma project teams, as described in Part IV. Notably, whereas earlier
version of Juran’s Quality Handbook did not specifically advocate cross-
functional project-based teams for quality improvement efforts, the most
recent sixth edition (2010) clearly prescribes their use.
The mission of the quality function is company-wide quality manage-
ment. Quality management is the process of identifying and administer-
ing the activ ities necessary to achieve the organization’s quality objectives.
These activities will fall into one of the three categories in Juran’s trilogy.
Since the quality function transcends any specialized quality depart-
ment, extending to all of the activities throughout the company that affect
quality, the primary role in managing the quality function is exercised by
senior leadership. Only senior leadership can effectively manage the nec-
essary cross-functional activities.
As the importance of quality has increased, the quality func tion has
gained prominence within the organizational hierarchy. Figure 2.2 presents

President

VP VP VP VP VP
marketing finance quality engineering production

Supplier
Reliability QC Quality Inspection
engineering engineering assurance and test quality
control
Figure 2.2 Quality within a traditional organization chart.

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