Quality Objectives Vs. Quality Policy - Setting Quality Objectives and Goals

B

Brian0612

Our company Quality Policy states that we will try to achieve the highest levels of Delivery and Quality Performance that meets or exceeds our customer's expectations while continually improving the QMS.

Our current company quality objectives specify that our target is 100% on-time delivery and 100% product acceptance by our customer. We average about 99 - 99.5 % for each quarter when we measure these objectives. Should we lower our objectives? Are we setting our goals too high? I would like some feedback to how other comapanies handle this. Our company president is opposed to lowering these objective targets and I am trying to decide if I should propose this at Management Review.

Thanks

Brian
 

Coury Ferguson

Moderator here to help
Trusted Information Resource
Re: Quality Objectives Vs. Quality Policy

Our company Quality Policy states that we will try to achieve the highest levels of Delivery and Quality Performance that meets or exceeds our customer's expectations while continually improving the QMS.

Our current company quality objectives specify that our target is 100% on-time delivery and 100% product acceptance by our customer. We average about 99 - 99.5 % for each quarter when we measure these objectives. Should we lower our objectives? Are we setting our goals too high? I would like some feedback to how other comapanies handle this. Our company president is opposed to lowering these objective targets and I am trying to decide if I should propose this at Management Review.

Thanks

Brian


What action is the organization taking for NOT meeting the goals?
 
S

someshvar

Our company Quality Policy states that we will try to achieve the highest levels of Delivery and Quality Performance that meets or exceeds our customer's expectations while continually improving the QMS.

Our current company quality objectives specify that our target is 100% on-time delivery and 100% product acceptance by our customer. We average about 99 - 99.5 % for each quarter when we measure these objectives. Should we lower our objectives? Are we setting our goals too high? I would like some feedback to how other comapanies handle this. Our company president is opposed to lowering these objective targets and I am trying to decide if I should propose this at Management Review.

Thanks

Brian

First and foremost having 100% Goal is the mist foolish thing one could do. It may be possible in theory but it is just impossible that you have the same in practice.And in case, you are getting such results, I am sure you would know how much you play around with your data. It is not just about meeting the goals that have been set. Ask your president to justify the reasoning behind 100% Goals on OTD and Acceptance.Present him the data which would tell that even if you are achieving 99% it is after lot of twists and turns with the data. Does he want to capture the real data or just wanna leave in dreams of 100% ? If he isn't capturing, don't expect any improvements. You measurement system itself has serious issues. Any guy with common sense would tell that.

Bottom line is do the base lining on historical data ( not the tweaked ) and then set the realistic goals. The entire exercise would serve the purpose only then.

Regards,
Hardik Someshvar
 

RoxaneB

Change Agent and Data Storyteller
Super Moderator
Re: Quality Objectives Vs. Quality Policy

Corrective Action is issued at Quarterly Management Reviews.

One could argue then that your corrective action process is ineffective if you continually fail to meet your goal of 100%. :cool: Just playing devil's advocate here.

We've talked about quality objectives here before. While there are many ways on how to set them up, what they should be, etc., the overall theme is for the objectives to be S.M.A.R.T. Try a search on SMART Objectives and see what comes up! :D

At the end of the day, though, you want objectives that will demonstrate control over your processes and improvement initiatives. You also want something that is achieveable...to set goals that are unrealistics is simply setting yourself up for failure. No one wants to continually be beaten over the head. You want to achieve, recognize and celebrate your successes...what could better improve team morale? :)
 

julsbear

Involved In Discussions
You may want to say that 100% is the ultimate goal, with one of these qualifiers:

- improve over historical average
- maintain at least 9x %

I agree that 100% is the goal, but you are setting yourselfup for failure, especiallyin the eyes of an auditor.
 
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J

Joy

So every year you are missing an oppertunity to celebrate! Do you want to celebrate after achievement? If yes, set achievable targets and achieve those.As my friend has suggested SMART, please try that.

Objectives are for achievement and organisational improvement.Slowly, it will become a habit of not meeting objectives if you follow the principle of "objectives are for auditors".

During audit I find such situations and I try to convince my auditee (without raising NC) that objective is for them.

Joydeb

Our company Quality Policy states that we will try to achieve the highest levels of Delivery and Quality Performance that meets or exceeds our customer's expectations while continually improving the QMS.

Our current company quality objectives specify that our target is 100% on-time delivery and 100% product acceptance by our customer. We average about 99 - 99.5 % for each quarter when we measure these objectives. Should we lower our objectives? Are we setting our goals too high? I would like some feedback to how other comapanies handle this. Our company president is opposed to lowering these objective targets and I am trying to decide if I should propose this at Management Review.

Thanks

Brian
 

julsbear

Involved In Discussions
This looks like a case for SMARTER objectives. Where E stands for Evaluate and R for Refine.
 
T

tahashamim

1- The President might be under the impression that his team needs this target to achieve 99 or 99.5% mark. If that is true, he would not bring it down.

2- Lowering targets from President is usually not a good sign from customer point of view.

3- If the team can achieve 99 ~ 99.5%, why not 100%?

4- May be set a target of the frequency of achieving 100%...

5- I guess there is a saying something like, target for the moon and you may hit a star...

6- Reality is the team may never achieve 100% all the time, but knowing this target, the effort will always be there... and that is the essence of this goal.

7- Going against every one on this post so far, I support your President for his thinking and approach. After all, your team is not too far from the set target...

8- All the above is true if your data is true in showing 99 ~ 99.5%...

Regards,
Taha.
 
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