Can everyone in the company be responsible for quality?

[QCAce]

Re: Responsibility for quality

Can everyone in the company be responsible for quality? We are tossing around having this phrase added to our quality manual. It doesn't mean a darn thing to me. Opinions?

Yes, everyone is responsible for quality.
We do not see the need to have the phrase in our quality manual, however. I agree that having that statement in there would likely be meaningless.

Much more important, (IMO), is the development of the processes and metrics that make it such that it is implied that it is not only the 'Quality Department' that is responsible for quality.

 

[Bill Pflanz]

Re: Responsibility for quality

The only problem with saying that everyone is responsible for quality is that it has come to mean that the worker must produce quality product and service regardless of the system or process in place. Any worker is responsible for learning how to do the job as defined by the process and then actually implementing what they learned. In a quality progressive company, they would also be responsible for identifying failures in quality. Ultimately, the systems define quality and we all know who is responsible for systems.

Bill Pflanz

 

[chaosweary]

Re: Responsibility for quality

The only problem with saying that everyone is responsible for quality is that it has come to mean that the worker must produce quality product and service regardless of the system or process in place. Any worker is responsible for learning how to do the job as defined by the process and then actually implementing what they learned. In a quality progressive company, they would also be responsible for identifying failures in quality. Ultimately, the systems define quality and we all know who is responsible for systems.

Bill Pflanz

I tend to agree with Bill's post. Realizing everyone is responsible for what they can control, but beyond that one cannot be responsible for all of quality. I think I can make a successful argument to have it not put in the quality manual.

 

[Teri - 2011]

Re: Responsibility for quality

I tend to agree with Bill's post. Realizing everyone is responsible for what they can control, but beyond that one cannot be responsible for all of quality. I think I can make a successful argument to have it not put in the quality manual.

Uh-oh,, figured this would open a can of worms. BUT, I disagree. I don't think you are defining EACH person as responsible for ALL of quality, just their part in it.
Even if the process isn't perfect (and what is), you still expect the person doing the job to do the job. Period. That makes them responsible.

P.S. I wouldn't put it in the manual either, it's pointless, how many employees actually read the manual?

 

[Jen Kirley]

All can be responsible, but all deserve--indeed, require--specifics, and the power to influence them. Hence the Responsibility and Authority clauses.

To say in the manual that "All are responsible for quality" is a slogan. You can say this same thing without the slogan by describing the methods and means by which all are responsible.

 

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"All are responsible for quality" may be placed in a better place than your quality manual, like in an employee's paycheck every week.

 

[Jen Kirley]

"All are responsible for quality" may be placed in a better place than your quality manual, like in an employee's paycheck every week.

That would get better traction than only the top executives getting the bonuses for favorable results!

 

[jerzki]

hello to all!

Good discussion.I believe everyone is responsible for quality, I always input this correlation " ... remember we have two types of customers - the internal customers and the external customers" . In this view , everyone should satisfy his next customers. That tends up to build and satisfy our external customers.

Thnks,

Jerzki

 

[Andy_80]

I feel everyone is responsible for quality in a company. There are three stages of quality in a company, the base level is the quality control where every operator, developer, coder, programmer ect .. are responsible, the next is the Quality assurance where every manager and QA group are responsible in assuring the customers about their quality concerns and their strategy in maintaining the quality and the final is the Quality models or the business models like the BSC, BEM which creates a break through and a niche for the company in the market and the people who would take these initiatives are the top level management including the CEO.
So don’t everybody think that everyone in the company are involved in Quality?

Cheers
Anand.M

 

[Jen Kirley]

So don’t everybody think that everyone in the company are involved in Quality?

I do. However, the key question is whether management does, and if so, how (and how well) they support the concept.