What is Quality I Quality

What is Quality

Various Definitions of Quality

The word “Quality” has different meanings for different people. Some of them are listed below. All are right as they each contain a key element of what Quality means.

> A degree of excellence of a product or service

> A degree of customer satisfaction

> Fitness for use or Fitness for purpose

> Conformance to requirements

> Freedom from defects or deficiencies

> Totality of characteristics which act to satisfy a need

Quality

Quality as per Quality “Gurus”

Philips B Crosby

  Quality is Conformance to requirements

W. Edwards Deming

  A predictable degree of uniformity and dependability at

  low cost and suited to market

Bill Conway

  Development, manufacture, administration and

  distribution of consistently low cost and products and 

  services that customers need and want

Quality

Definition as per ISO 8402 : 1994 (Previous)

Quality is defined as  “the totality of characteristics of an 

entity that bear on its ability to satisfy stated and implied 

needs”

Stated Needs: Needs which are specified.

Example: I need a Cell Phone of 4GB ram and 64 GB 

internal memory.

Implied Needs: Needs which are not specified but 

understood

Example: I should be able to make calls and message

with the cell phone

Definition as per ISO 9000 : 2015 (Latest)

Quality is the degree to which a set of inherent 

characteristics of an object fulfills requirements.

Degree: It is the measure of fulfillment.

Inherent: means existing in the object.

Characteristics: It is a distinguishing feature of the object.

Requirements:  it is the demands, necessities, needs or

parameters that must me met or satisfied. 

Eight Dimensions of Quality

1. Performance: How well a product perform specific 

    functions?

2. Reliability: How often the product fails? (Less fails is

    more reliable)

3. Durability:  How long the product lasts?

4. Serviceability: How easy is to repair the product?

5. Aesthetics: How the product look like?

6. Features: What characteristics the product has?

7. Perceived Quality: What kind of reputation the product

    has?

8. Conformance to Standards: How well the product 

    conforms to the standards?

Quality at different stages of Product Cycle

1. Quality of Design

2. Quality of Process

3. Quality of Product

4. Quality of Service

5. Quality of Performance

Measurement of Quality

Product Quality at different stages can be measured or

compared by following ways;

1. Rejection Levels

2. Rework Levels

3. Control Charts

4. Cost of Poor Quality Levels

5. Customer Satisfaction Index

6. Market surveys

7. Feedback surveys

8. History and Analysis of Warranty returns

9. History and Analysis of Field Failures

Some Clarifications with respect to Quality

> Quality does not mean Product quality only.

> Quality does not mean checking the product before

   packaging.

> ISO 9001 certificate does not guarantee quality of

   product, it is a certificate which provides

   conformance of framework for management system.

> Quality and Class / Grade are different.