Evolving quality

Sep 18, 2012

by Jennifer Stepniowski

Paul Borawski is talking about the rate of change in this month’s View from the Q post.  He’s reaching out to the quality community and soliciting ideas for how quality can evolve in today’s fast-paced environment.  More specifically, he’s asking for some ideas regarding how the practice of quality is changing to meet the needs of “faster, faster, faster”?

As I’m studying for the CQM/OE exam, I’m realizing that quality has become saturated with tools and theories.  Many are redundant and offer little variation from each other.  I’m wondering if consolidation and focus would make the management of quality in a fast-paced environment more nimble. Are organizations faced with too many choices and therefore find themselves to be less than optimally organized?  As a result, is the learning curve for organizations resulting in additional time requirements?  In my conversations with clients, I find this to be true.
The quality industry is changing by addressing this issue.  Training and development programs are focusing on organization and decision-making.  Training and development assists organizations with the ability to select the right tools quickly and implement them with top-down support.  Expediting decision making without compromising goals is a skill that’s required for success in a rapidly changing environment.
The quality community’s efforts to “raise the voice” are also helping put the right tools in the right hands. It’s supporting training and development and uncovering innovative solutions to today’s issues.  Over the past few years, I’ve seen the quality community unite and collectively work together to address issues and solve problems.

“Only the man who disciplines himself strictly can stand for long the terrific pace of modern war.” ~William Lyon Mackenzie King