Quality Management, with a Holistic Approach
If quality is what we are looking for as the end point then quality management is the process to get there. Consequently, an adequate understanding of what this idea means needs to be developed. In this context, there is no simple definition that encapsulates this whole concept; instead we must take into account the key principles for quality management and accept them holistically, as part of a whole.
If we are interested in providing value to customers, we must consider how we can improve it, for this there are a number of approaches that are fundamental to the practice of Quality Management.
7 fundamental approaches to Quality Management:
1. Customer focus
If we want to create value for our clients, we have to be obsessive about understanding our clients, their needs and expectations.
2. Strategic approach
Quality management must be a strategic task. If companies want to survive and advance through the delivery of value to their customers, then they must treat this as a key strategic objective. To do this, they must create a strategic vision and implement it throughout the company through objectives and associated actions involving a long-term commitment and focus.
3. Focused Leadership
Nothing happens in any organization without the commitment of leaders, their active leadership of the strategy and a constant positive commitment to its implementation.
4. Focus on processes
Organizations have been obsessed with results too long. The results are driven by the effective application of the corresponding processes. The emphasis should go from evaluating the result to developing and controlling processes to deliver value to the customer. We must guard departmental boundaries that often have a detrimental effect on the global business process.
5. People orientation
Quality Management is fundamentally about people. Processes are only effective in delivering value to the customer if they are associated with appropriate behaviors of the individuals involved. An excellent process can be damaged by an unmotivated or poorly trained team member. An important aspect of quality management is the creation of a motivated workforce with the ability to work with and in processes to maximize customer value.
6. Scientific approach
Quality management is fundamentally based on the scientific method: Plan, Do, Verify and Act. Where evidence-based and data-based decisions are evaluated, those evaluations are, in turn, used to drive new iterations of action. This is supported by the appropriate use of analytical tools to take full advantage of the information from the available data.
7. Continuous Improvement, Innovation and Learning
At the heart of Quality Management is dissatisfaction with the status quo. Process improvement in an organization is not just about responding to problems (although this is necessary) it is about proactively seeking solutions, learning about processes, customers and their behaviors to improve existing practices or to innovate in the development of new markets, processes and practices.
We can manage or administer quality and for this we must understand their approaches: customer focus, strategic focus, focused leadership, knowledge of processes, people orientation, scientific focus, innovation and learning as a result of improvement of processes in their entirety. Thus, Quality Management is best viewed with a holistic approach that involves the sum of all these parts.
