Quality Management | Part - A

Quality Management (Part - A)

Quality:

The quality of a product or service is a consumer’s perception of the degree to which the product or service meets his or her expectations.

Simply, Quality is the ability of your product or service to satisfy your customers.

According to American Society for Quality:

The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.

According to Business Dictionary:

Product Quality is the group of features and characteristics of a saleable good which determine its desirability and which can be controlled by a manufacturer to meet certain basic requirements. Most businesses that produce goods for sale have a product quality or assurance department that monitors outgoing products for consumer acceptability.

Dimensions of Product Quality:

In 1987 David Garvin suggested that there are eight dimensions to quality. Let’s briefly look at each of Garvin's eight dimensions.

1. Performance
2. Features
3. Reliability
5. Conformance
5. Serviceability
6. Durability
7. Aesthetics
8. Perceived Quality

1. Performance:

A quality product will perform as expected by the user and as specified by the manufacturer. Performance is often a source of contention between customers and suppliers, particularly when deliverables are not adequately defined within specifications.

Simply, how well the product or service performs the customer’s intended use.

Example:
                     i) The speed of a laser printer;
                     ii) Vehicle - Horsepower; and
                     ii) Service - Processing customer requests.

2. Features:

These are characteristics that are supplemental to the basic operating characteristics.

Simply, the special characteristics that appeal to customers.

Example:
                      i) A stereo CD player would be an additional feature; and
                     ii) Automatic selfie system in mobile.

3. Reliability:

Reliability of a product is the degree of dependability and trustworthiness of the benefit of the product for a long period of time. This is a key element for users who need the product to work without fail.
Simply, the likelihood of breakdowns, malfunctions or the need for repairs.
Example:
                     i) Product - Mean time before failure; and
                     ii) Service - Variance in processing time.

4. Conformance:

Conformance is the precision with which the product or service meets the specific standards.

5. Serviceability:

Serviceability is the speed with which the product can be put into service when it breaks down, as well as the competence and the behaviour of the service person.

Example:
                      i) Product – Design; and
                     ii) Service –Accessibility, Online.

6. Durability:

Durability is the length of time or amount of use before needing to be repaired or replaced. The item will be used until it is no longer economical to operate it.

Example:
                      i) Product – Ability to repair; and
                     ii) Service – Keeping pace with industry.

7. Aesthetics:

Aesthetic aspect of a product is comparatively subjective in nature and refers to its impact on the human senses such as how it looks, feels, sounds, tastes and so on, depending upon the type of product. Design is important for many products; the colour picked indicates certain things.

Examples:
                      i) Product - Compared to others; and
                     ii) Service - Appearance of location.

8. Perceived Quality:

Perceived Quality is the quality attributed to a good or services based on direct measures.

Example:
A high quality product may get the reputation for being low quality based on poor service by installation or field technicians. If the product is not installed or maintained properly, and fails as a result, the failure is often associated with the product’s quality rather than the quality of the service it receives.

Please visit, to read: Quality Management | Part - B