Quality Management Tools

To support, develop and advance a process of continuous improvement it is necessary for an organization to use a selection of tools and techniques. This chapter provides an overview of the tools likely to be used in an organization's improvement process. It is recommended that the more simple tools and techniques, such as the seven quality control tools, are used in the beginning. The use of tools and techniques should be employed within a problem-solving approach for maximum effectiveness and efficiency. The ways in which the tool or technique is applied and how its results are interpreted are critical to its successful use. Probably the best-known problem-solving cycle is PDCA (‘plan, do, check, act’). Management teams that are ‘technique reactive’ tend to be unclear on the concept of total quality management (TQM) and strategic process improvement. The CEO and senior managers have a key role to play in the effective use of tools and techniques.