Quality
Quality in business, engineering, and manufacturing has a pragmatic interpretation as the non-inferiority or superiority of something; it is also defined as fitness for purpose. Product quality can vary depending on perception and is considered somewhat subjective since it may be understood differently by different people. When it comes to quality in product design, manufacturers might measure how well products conform to certain requirements or the level of accuracy in products and services following production. Consumers may focus on product features and how well the product compares to competing brands in the marketplace. Support personnel may measure quality in the degree that a product is reliable, maintainable, or sustainable.
Improving Product Quality
Improving product quality in businesses can lead to better productivity and more innovation.
Quality is considered a non-functional requirement in engineering, affecting the execution and evolution of a product. Product qualities can be divided into two main categories:
- Execution qualities, such as security and usability.
- Evolution qualities, such as testability, maintainability, extensibility, portability, and scalability.
Product Quality in Business
During the 1960s, the U.S. military, aerospace, and nuclear industries developed the original versions of the Quality Management System Standards (eventually merged to ISO 9001). These standards were established to produce better products on a consistent basis, while focusing on production, conformance, and quality control mechanisms. Within areas such as product design and manufacturing, five main aspects of quality fall under this scheme. They include:
- Producing - providing a product or service.
- Checking - confirming that a product or service has been produced correctly.
- Quality Control - controlling a process to ensure that the outcomes are predictable.
- Quality Management – directing an organization so that it improves its performance through analysis and innovation.
- Quality Assurance – obtaining confirmation (usually from the purchaser or a third-party) that a product or service will be satisfactory.
Managing quality is fundamental to any activity, particularly in the design and manufacturing of consumer and industrial goods. For manufacturers of products, it is commonly stated that "quality drives productivity." Better productivity is viewed in direct correlation to increased revenues, employee opportunities, and technological advances. Thus, businesses must have a clear understanding of all aspects of product quality, measure product performance, and adapt their market strategy for longevity and growth.