Discussion: Importance of a QMS (Quality Management System)

[Donald Duck]

If I ask: What is the importance of a Quality System?

What is the best answer?

My answer is: a Quality System is the most effective Poka-Yoka. agree?

[Marc]

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking.

[Wes Bucey]

Originally Posted by Marc

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking.

"Importance of QMS" does not equate grammatically or philosophically with
poka-yoke -- poka is Japanese for "inadvertent mistake". Yokeru is Japanese for "to avoid." It is often used as a synonym for ZQC, error-proofing, or mistake-proofing.

poka-yoke devices -- mechanisms that either prevent a mistake from being made or make the mistake obvious at a glance.

since it doesn't take into effect "customer satisfaction."
(e.g. Some suppliers may have excellent poka yoke, but don't pass the inherent saving on to customers and thereby do not use it as an effective marketing tool. Poka yoke may be invisible to a customer - how the supplier creates an error-free product is unimportant to most buyers if they get it error-free at a competitive price.)

Also, since poka yoke can be present even when no other QMS components are present (purchasing, sales, marketing, Contract review, Supplier approval, etc.), it seems to have no relation to the IMPORTANCE of a QMS.

A QMS can exist and be important to an organization WITHOUT the implementation of a conscious poka yoke program.

I'd certainly be interested in seeing the trail between your premise and your conclusion, Donald Duck.

[nancy chen]

What is the importance of a Quality System?

My answer is: the importance of a quality system is to assure the quality of a product.

[Wes Bucey]

Originally Posted by nancy chen

What is the importance of a Quality System?

My answer is: the importance of a quality system is to assure the quality of a product.

If we are to accept ISO 9k2k, it is to assure customer satisfaction, plus employee and investor satisfaction, as well.

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Originally Posted by Wes Bucey

If we are to accept ISO 9k2k, it is to assure customer satisfaction, plus employee and investor satisfaction, as well.

Yes. And let's not forget that even though the QMS standards we see today are something relatively new, Quality Management Systems are not. All through history we have always needed guidance of some kind.

Why it is important to have a QMS? To systematically support and facilitate the cooperation between customer and supplier.

/Claes

[Al Dyer]

A quality system is to give a business the methodology and tools to operate the business in a manner that promotes ongoing growth and stability, which ultimately involves customer and supplier support of the system.

Hate to use the word synergy, slap me please!

Al...

[SteelMaiden]

IMHO...

The importance of a quality system is a method for communication throughout an organization to facilitate doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.