Definition Quality - What is Quality?

The word quality means many things to many people and in my opinion, we can't really discuss quality until we have a common understanding of what is meant by the word "quality"

Many quality policies and discussions about objectives gravitate around products and services but my research indicates that quality is much more than that, it?s a much more holistic thing as I will seek to show by the following.

What is Quality?

Quality is defined in ISO 9000 (definitions and vocabulary) as the ?Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements?

This of itself is somewhat cryptic and does not say much but as I read through ISO 9001 I realised that Sections 7.2 & 8.2 of ISO 9001 provide illumination on the above definition.
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]7.2 Customer-related processes
7.2.1 Determination of requirements related to the product

The organization shall determine:
a) ...........,
b) requirements not stated by the customer but necessary for specified or intended use, where known,
c) statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the product, and
d) any additional requirements considered necessary by the organization.

8.2.1 Customer satisfaction

As one of the measurements of the performance of the quality management system, the organization shall monitor information relating to customer perception.

Applying 7.2 and 8.2 of ISO 9001 indicates that quality can be defined as ?the degree to which customer and other requirements pleases the customer when fulfilled?

From this we can say something like:

?quality is the degree of customer satisfaction with our company?
or,
?quality is everything we do to please the client?
or,
?quality is how we are perceived by our customers?

These brief summaries of how quality can be described indicates that our quality system is everything we do related to the most important business process of all which is getting the work, doing the work and getting paid. It also includes the processes that support this one key process. Processes such as safety, competency management, administration, money management etc.

Of key importance, is that the business leadership settle on a one line sentence that defines what quality is in that business because without that definition, how can anyone define what is meant by the phrase 'quality objectives' and how can the staff in that business know what is meant when the word 'quality' is used.

Might it be that an operational definition of quality, similar to the ones above, actually be the starting point for all discussions about quality?

I hope this helps someone.

Re: What is quality

Conformity to requirements.

My favorite definition of "quality," attributed to Stanley Marcus of Nieman Marcus department stores: Quality is selling products that don't come back to customers who do.

Jim,

I like that one from Stanley Marcus too.

Another favorite of mine is: "creating customers who create customers". I'm not sure who first said this though.

John

Great Question and logical breakdown, but IMHO their is no definitive definition.

http://www.qualitydigest.com/magazine/2001/nov/article/definition-quality.html

My favorite working option is "The Customer defines Quality" is scare me at times to think about it that way, but it has a lot of truth

Jim Wynne said:

My favorite definition of "quality," attributed to Stanley Marcus of Nieman Marcus department stores: Quality is selling products that don't come back to customers who do.

Click to expand...

My definition is similar to Jim's (just different words):
"When your customer returns and your product doesn't".

I fell that Quality starts with a minimum of following the requirements (Regulatory Authority and/or standards), and from there it is largely determined by the customer.

That said, defining Quality is a much more complicated term than it appears. It seems that every quality expert defines quality in a somewhat different way depending on numerous factors, like: industry, company, and their role. Does that mean that someone definition is incorrect and others are correct? I don't believe so.

When talking to people about quality I like to use a modified version of 6.2.2 a). “Quality is conformity to the customer’s product requirements”. If it does not meet the customer contract, technical specification, drawing requirements etc. at time of delivery, it then is a poor quality product because it does not conform.

Quality is defined in ISO 9000 (definitions and vocabulary) as the ?Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements?

Yea, Saan4, that's the definition from ISO9000.
I have yet to come across anyone who likes it, understands it immediately and thinks it is a really good, clear and useful one.
Strongly prefer the Stanley Marcus one and always have.
Something understood easily by the 'average person in the street' (rather than a mouthful of somewhat obtuse words that need a lot of explaining) does it for me.