1. LEAN PRODUCTION AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT

2. WHAT IS QUALITY?
The ability of a product or service to meet customer needs

3. IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY Improved Reputation/Image
Increased Profitability
Helps Gain a Competitive Edge

4. DIMENSIONS OF QUALITY Dimensions of Quality Performance Feature
Reliability
Conformance
Durability
Serviceability
Aesthetics
Perceived Quality

5. TECHNIQUES FOR IMPROVING QUALITY
Quality Control and Quality Assurance
Benchmarking
ISO Quality Standards
Outsourcing
Quality Circles
Total Quality Management

6. PERFORMANCE
Refers to the primary operating characteristics of a product. Eg. Clarity of a cell phone call.
Involves the use of measureable performance attributes so that different brands can be ranked objectively on individual aspects of performance.

7. FEATURES
These are the characteristics and add ons to a product’s basic function. Eg. The camera on a phone.
The features can also be measured on an objective basis

8. RELIABILITY
Reflects the chances of a product malfunctioning or failing within a certain time period.
Normally measured by the average length of time before a product fails or the average failure rate per item

9. CONFORMANCE
The degree to which a product’s design and performance meet established standards.
Normally measured by the defect rates in the factory and the number of service calls once the product is being used by customers.

10. DURABILITY Measure of product’s life in economic and technical terms.
Can be measured by the amount of use a consumer gets from the product before it deteriorates.

11. SERVICEABILITY
Speed, courtesy, effectiveness and ease of repair.

12. AESTHETICS This is a subjective dimension of quality.
How a product looks, feels, tastes or smells is based on consumer judgement and is therefore based on their personal preference.

13. PERCEIVED QUALITY
Many times, customers judge the quality of a product based on the firm’s brand image, reputation and advertising. These can have a direct impact on consumer buying behaviour.

14. QUALITY CONTROL VS QUALITY ASSURANCE
The difference is that QA is process oriented and QC is product oriented. Testing, therefore is product oriented and thus is in the QC domain. Testing for quality isn't assuring quality, it's controlling it. This can ensure or lead to zero defects. Quality Assurance makes sure you are doing the right things, the right way. Setting quality standards can assist with quality assurance.

15. BENCHMARKS
Selecting a demonstrated standard of performance that represents the very best performance for a process or activity.
Identify the aspects of the business to be benchmarked
Measure performance in these areas
Identify the firms in the industry that are considered to be the best
Use comparative data from the best firms to establish the main weaknesses in the business
Set standards for improvement
Change processes to achieve the standards set
Re-measurement

16. ISO QUALITY STANDARDS
ISO creates documents that provide requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. 

17. OUTSOURCING
Outsourcing is the business practice of hiring a party outside a company to perform services and create goods that traditionally were performed in house by the company's own employees and staff. 

18. QUALITY CIRCLES
A group of employees meeting regularly with a facilitator to solve work related problems.

19. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Management of an entire organization so that it excels in all aspects of products and services that are important to the customer.
Kaizen- a Japanese philosophy that every aspect of an operation can be improved. The end goal is perfection which is never achieved but always sought. It therefore emphasizes continuous improvement.

20. DEMINGS 14 POINTS FOR IMPLEMENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Create consistency of purpose
Lead to promote change
Build quality into the product, stop depending on inspections to catch the problem
Build long term relationships based on performance instead of awarding business based on price
Continuously improve product quality and service
Start training
Emphasize leadership
Drive out fear
Break down barriers between departments
Stop criticizing workers and ordering workers
Support, help and improve
Remove barriers to pride in work
Institute a vigorous program of education and self improvement
Put everybody in the company to work on the transformation

21. LEAN PRODUCTION
An approach to management that focuses on cutting out waste, whilst ensuring quality. This approach can be applied to all aspects of a business – from design, through production to distribution. Quality will therefore have to be improved.

22. THE END