Understanding the term “Quality”
The term "Quality" has deeper meaning.
Whenever ISO 9001:2015 standard
talks about “quality”, it refers to the “quality of the product or service”
provided by the organization. This scope is very clearly mentioned in the
chapter 1 of ISO 9001:2015.
ISO 9000:2015 is most
useful standard to understand the concept called “Quality”. ISO 9000 is the dictionary or guideline document to understand the term "quality".
Quality is a
characteristic. Both external (tangible) and internal (in-tangible) characteristics
are the quality characteristics of a product or service.
Normally “product”
can be seen physical form (visible or tangible) and “service” is a non-physical
form (non-visible or intangible).
Characteristics like
functional, physical, chemical, sensory, biological, safety, aesthetic,
electrical, magnetic, ergonomic, etc., are the examples of quality
characteristics of a “product”.
Characteristics like
behavior, temporal (punctuality, honesty, respect), ergonomic, etc., are the
examples of quality characteristics of a “service”.
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Example of “quality characteristics”
of a smart-phone…
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Quality
characteristics are the inherent properties of a product/service to fulfill
the “requirements”. Here the “requirements” include ‘safety to the users’,
‘legal requirements’, ‘functional requirements’, ‘intended purpose’ and
‘customer expectations’, etc. Inherent
means, characteristic which “exists” in the product/service.
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The organization has
to identify the safety requirements applicable for the product/service
supplied. Example; “Non-availability of sharp edges” is one of the safety
requirements for many products. These requirements are given in the customer
drawing or organization has to choose these requirements from the national or
international standards.
The organization has
to identify the legal requirements applicable for the product/service it
supplies. Example; environmental emission norms prescribed by the regulatory
body are to be identified and fulfilled by the car manufacturers.
Functional
requirements may be applicable for the organizations providing product with
design or with installation or post sales service activities (For example: Fuel
economy of diesel generator-units of power generated Vs liters of diesel used).
The product has to
fulfill the “Intended use”. Indented use varies vary product to product (For
example: the characteristics for the cloth used for summer is different from the
characteristics for the cloth used in winter). Fulfilling intended use is the
quality requirement. The organization has to understand and fulfill the
“intended use” requirements of the product/service it supplies.
Customer expectations
are the Quality characteristics: Some of the expectations are expressed by the
customer in the form of written communication (For example; drawing). Some of
the expectations are communicated verbally (over phone/during personal
interactions). Some of the expectations are untold by the customer, but if it
is not taken care, then the organization has to face with quality problems (For
example: type of packing to be done to prevent damage during the transit of the
product). If product characteristic is not up to the expectations of a customer
for the cost paid, and then the customer is dissatisfied with the product, thus
the “Quality” of the product is graded by the customer as “poor”. If product characteristics
are meeting the expectations for the cost paid, then the product is graded as
“good” by the customer. If product characteristics go beyond the expectations
of a customer for the cost paid, then the product is graded as “excellent” by
the customer. This is applicable for service also.
In the organizations
manufacturing products as per the customer’s drawing, the quality of the
products is measured in terms of material properties, dimensions, visual
aspects specified by the customer drawing. To test the material properties,
testing equipment like a spectrometer is used. To measure the dimensional
characteristics, measuring instrument like a micrometer or vernier is used. Visual
aspects are checked through visual inspection. If the material properties, dimensional
characteristics and visual aspects meet customer drawing requirements, then the
product is accepted as a quality product by the customer during their inward
inspection and is released to the further production line at customer end.
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Definition for Quality (as per ISO
9000:2015):
Note 1: The term “quality” can be used
with adjectives such as poor, good or excellent.
Note 2: “Inherent” means existing in the
object.
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Contact
S.GIRIDHARA
Chief Consultant/CEO
Mobile : +919442248124, +916381889582
Gravity Standards
No-5, Kutralam Nagar, Kovaipudur, Coimbatore 641042, Tamilnadu, India.email : 607014@gmail.com
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