The Essence of TQM

I. PHILOSOPHY

 THE COSTS OF POOR QUALITY ARE FAR GREATER THAN THE COSTS OF DEVELOPING PROCESSES THAT PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

 EMPLOYEES CARE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE WORK THEY DO AND WILL TAKE INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE IT -- SO LONG AS THEY ARE PROVIDED WITH TOOLS AND TRAINING THAT ARE NEEDED FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, AND MANAGEMENT PAYS ATTENTION TO THEIR IDEAS

 ORGANIZATIONS ARE SYSTEMS OF HIGHLY INTERDEPENDENT PARTS, AND THE CENTRAL PROBLEMS THEY FACE CROSS TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONAL BOUNDARIES

 QUALITY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SENIOR MANAGEMENT

III. TQM INTERVENTIONS

 EXPLICIT IDENTIFICATION AND MEASUREMENT OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS

 CREATE SUPPLIER PARTNERSHIPS

 USE CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS TO IDENTIFY AND SOLVE QUALITY PROBLEMS

 USE STATISTICAL METHODS (SPC) TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE AND TO IDENTIFY POINTS OF HIGH LEVERAGE FOR PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT

 Pareto Analysis
 Control Charts

 USE PROCESS-MANAGEMENT HEURISTICS TO ENHANCE TEAM EFFECTIVENESS

 Flowcharts
 Brainstorming
 Cause-and-Effect (Fishbone) Diagrams
Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Circle