Understanding Quality Management Systems
Understanding Quality Management Systems
Setting organization-wide direction Control and measurement are two areas of establishing a QMS that
are largely accomplished through routine, systematic audits of the
Communicating a readiness to produce consistent results quality management system. The specifics vary greatly from
organization to organization depending on size, potential risk, and
Elements and requirements of a QMS environmental impact.
Each element of a quality management system helps achieve the Review and Improve
overall goals of meeting the customers’ and organization’s
requirements. Quality management systems should address an Review and improve detail how the results of an audit are handled.
organization’s unique needs; however, the elements all systems have The goals are to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of each
in common include: process toward its objectives, to communicate these findings to the
employees, and to develop new best practices and processes based on
The organization’s quality policy and quality objectives the data collected during the audit.
Quality manual QMS REQUIREMENTS - HANDWRITTEN
Procedures, instructions, and records The seven principles of quality management
Data management Developed and updated by ISO/TC 176, ISO’s dedicated group of
quality experts, the following core principles of quality management
Internal processes
are designed to be used as a guiding foundation to support
Customer satisfaction from product quality performance improvement for all organizations.
Improvement opportunities It is important to note that there is no priority order to the following
list. The relevance of each quality principle will vary from one
Quality analysis organization to another and can be expected to change or adjust over
time, as the journey of an organization evolves.
Establishing and implementing a QMS
Customer focus: At the heart of quality management is the
Before establishing a quality management system, your organization core aim of meeting customer requirements and striving to
must identify and manage various connected, multi-functional exceed the public’s expectations.
processes to help ensure customer satisfaction. The QMS design
Leadership: Successful leaders establish a unified sense of
purpose and direction. They continuously create the optimal
conditions in which employees flourish, gaining motivation
and professional satisfaction in the pursuit of quality
objectives.
Eli Whitney: Invented the cotton gin, which greatly increased the Elon Musk: Known for his work with Tesla and SpaceX, he is a
efficiency of cotton processing. pioneer in electric vehicles and space exploration, pushing the
boundaries of technology.
2. Second Industrial Revolution (Late 19th to Early 20th
Century) Jeff Bezos: Founder of Amazon, he revolutionized e-commerce and
cloud computing, impacting retail and logistics industries.
Key Features: Also known as the Technological
Revolution, this phase saw the expansion of electricity, Mark Zuckerberg: Co-founder of Facebook, he has significantly
steel production, and the introduction of assembly lines. influenced social media and digital communication.
Tangible; physical Intangible; cannot be 2. Capacity Planning: Determining the production capacity
Tangibility
items touched needed to meet changing demands for products and
services.
Cannot be stored; produced
Can be stored in
Storage and consumed 3. Inventory Management: Managing inventory levels to
inventory
simultaneously balance supply and demand while minimizing costs.
Produced before Produced and consumed 4. Quality Management: Ensuring that products and services
Production meet quality standards and customer expectations through
consumption simultaneously
quality control and improvement practices.
Easier to measure and Quality is often subjective
Quality Control 5. Supply Chain Management: Overseeing the flow of
control quality and harder to measure
materials, information, and finances as products move from
Limited customer suppliers to manufacturers to customers.
Customer High customer involvement
involvement in
Involvement in service delivery 6. Production Planning and Control: Scheduling production
production
activities, managing resources, and ensuring that
production targets are met.
Standardized; less Highly variable; can differ
Variability
variability from one service to another 7. Facility Management: Managing the physical facilities
where production occurs, including maintenance and layout
Ownership is No ownership transfer;
Ownership optimization.
transferred upon sale service is experienced
8. Process Improvement: Continuously seeking ways to
3. Goods vs. Services - Similarities in Management improve processes, reduce waste, and enhance efficiency.
Despite their differences, goods and services share several similarities Key Metrics
in management:
Operations management relies on various key metrics to assess
1. Customer Focus: Both require a strong focus on customer performance and drive improvements. Some common metrics
needs and preferences. Understanding customer include:
expectations is crucial for both goods and services to ensure
satisfaction and loyalty. 1. Efficiency: Measures how well resources are utilized in the
production process (e.g., output per labor hour).
2. Quality Management: Both require quality management
practices to ensure that the final product (goods) or service 2. Quality: Assesses the number of defects or errors in
meets established standards and customer expectations. products or services (e.g., defect rate, customer
complaints).
3. Supply Chain Management: Both involve supply chain
management to ensure that resources, whether materials for 3. Lead Time: The time taken from the initiation of a process
goods or personnel for services, are available when needed. to its completion (e.g., order fulfillment time).
4. Process Improvement: Continuous improvement 4. Inventory Turnover: Indicates how often inventory is sold
methodologies, such as Lean and Six Sigma, can be applied and replaced over a period (e.g., cost of goods sold /
to both goods and services to enhance efficiency and reduce average inventory).
waste.
5. Capacity Utilization: Measures the extent to which an
5. Marketing Strategies: Both require effective marketing organization uses its production capacity (e.g., actual output
strategies to promote and sell the offerings. Understanding / maximum possible output).
the target market and positioning the product or service
effectively is essential. 6. Customer Satisfaction: Assesses how well products or
services meet customer expectations (e.g., customer
6. Resource Management: Both require effective feedback scores).
management of resources, including human resources,
technology, and finances, to achieve operational goals. Roles of Operations Management
7. Innovation: Both goods and services benefit from Operations management plays several critical roles within an
innovation to meet changing customer demands and stay organization:
competitive in the market.
1. Strategic Role: Aligning operations strategy with overall
Scope of Operations Management business strategy to achieve competitive advantage.
Operations management encompasses a wide range of activities and 2. Tactical Role: Implementing plans and policies to optimize
responsibilities aimed at efficiently producing goods and services. operations and improve efficiency.
The scope includes:
3. Operational Role: Managing day-to-day operations to 4. Inability to Adapt: Companies that cannot adapt to
ensure smooth production and service delivery. changes in the market or technology may fall behind
competitors.
4. Cross-Functional Role: Collaborating with other
departments (e.g., marketing, finance, HR) to ensure that 5. Financial Mismanagement: Poor financial planning and
operations support overall business objectives. management can lead to cash flow issues and insolvency.
5. Change Management: Leading initiatives for process 6. Weak Leadership: Ineffective leadership can result in poor
improvements and adapting to changes in the market or decision-making and a lack of employee motivation.
technology.
7. Neglecting Innovation: Companies that do not invest in
Production Supervisor: innovation may struggle to keep up with competitors who
do.
Manages daily production operations and oversees
production workers. Mission and Strategies
Ensures quality control and meets production targets. Mission Statement: A clear mission statement defines a
company's purpose and guides its strategic decisions. It
Develops production schedules and addresses operational serves as a foundation for setting goals and aligning
issues. resources.
Reports on production metrics to upper management. Strategic Planning: Companies must develop strategies
that align with their mission and respond to market
Supply Chain Manager:
conditions. This includes identifying competitive
Develops and implements supply chain strategies for advantages, setting objectives, and determining the best
sourcing, procurement, and logistics. course of action to achieve those objectives.
Manages supplier relationships and monitors inventory Mission The reason for the existence of an organization.
levels.
Mission statement States the purpose of an organization.
Oversees transportation and distribution of goods.
Goals Provide detail and scope of the mission.
Analyzes costs and collaborates with other departments to
Strategies Plans for achieving organizational goals.
align supply chain activities with business goals.