Articles

Environmental Management

• Green Events Horizon p28-32. Quality World August 2011. ISO 20121 , the standard on event sustainability management systems, is due to be published before the Olympic games to be held in London in 2012. The standard will address sustainability issues associated with venue selection, operating procedures, supply chain management, procurement, communications and transport and can be used business, entertainment or sporting events. Organizations will be able to get third party certification to the standard.
• Laboratory Methods AOAC approves first methods using alternative pathway to first action status Inside laboratory Management July/Aug 2011 p25-29.
• Energy saving - Quality World June 2011-06-14, p28-32. This article looks at ISO 50001, the new energy management standard (EnMS) . A brief history of its background is outlined, as are some of the development challenges. The author points out that to gain certification to the new standard organisations need to demonstrate actual performance rather than just putting in place management practices. A case study is given.
• A touch of green - Quality World June 2011, p34-39
  This article aims to “provide a framework for quality professionals to engage in when designing new materials, products, processes and systems that do not disturb human health while maintaining and following quality principles.” Lists and explains 12 stages to be taken into account when working on green projects.
• The sustainable manufacturing challenge - Quality Global Edition October 2010 This online article looks a the trend for social and environmental externalities to be taken seriously by companies, that the argument that a business should not spend on non-core activities is being undermined by the risks involved if it does not. Looks also at the value created by sustainability programs beyond that of operational efficiencies. This article can be found online at: http://digital.bnpmedia.com/publication/?i=49508&15&19&p=27
• Counting Carbon - Quality World May 2009
  Looks at the aims of PAS 2050 and, briefly, how businesses can use the standard to identify their own carbon "Hot spots" and pass that knowledge on to consumers interested in the carbon footprint of products they purchase. Gives two case studies - Walkers crisps and Marshalls stone and concrete. Says that this standard will probably be replaced by ISO 14067.
• De-carbonizing the supply chain - ISO Focus March 2009
  The background leading up to the development of the upcoming standard ISO 14067 "Carbon footprint of products" is discussed.
• Wasting energy - Quality World Nov 2008
  Looks at the UK's own emissions trading scheme, the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), a legally binding energy-saving scheme which comes in effect 2010. Looks at proposed legislation and also at the future standard EN 16001.
• British project on measuring carbon footprint of products - ISO Management Systems Nov/Dec 2008
  Looks at the BS PAS 2050 (which is available for free on the BSI website) which is a method for measuring the embodied greenhouse gas emissions from good and services
• Next generation ISO 14001 - Future stakes for ISO's EMS standards ISO Management Systems Nov-Dec 2008
  Gives an overview of the progress made by 14001 and the process behind the standard. Most useful is a summary of the issues that need to be addressed in the future editions of 14001.
• Christchurch International Airport is carbon neutral - Q-Newz August 2008 p5-7
  Case study of Christchurch International Airport's journey to caboNZero certification and the challenges they faced.
• How to give your ISO 14001 system the climate change health check - ISO Management Systems, Nov/Dec 2007
  Looks at how an existing ISO 14001 environment system can help mitigate climate change.
• Step by step - Quality World July 2007
  Tries to answer the question what does it mean to be carbon neutral? Includes a short list of what business can do to lower their carbon footprint.
• The impact of ISO 14001 - ISO Management Systems, May-June 2007
  A special report from ISO looking at ISO 14001 in retrospect and where it may go from 2007.
• How to make ISO 14001 implementation easier for small businesses - Lennart Piper, ISO Focus, Sept 2006
• Launching of ISO 14064 for greenhouse gas accounting and verification - ISO Management Systems March/April 2006
• Man on emission - Quality World, Jan 2006
  A devastating tsunami in Asia, a range of vicious hurricanes in the U.S, and an earthquake in Pakistan - to what extent have these recent natural disasters been brought about by mankind?
• Next generation ISO 14001 - Quality Progress, Aug 2004
  How environmental management systems requirements will change with the pending revision.
• The triple top line - Quality Progress, Feb 2004 p23
  As with quality, huge waste results when sustainability is not designed into a product or service. Quality and sustainability are deeply connected and provide winning solutions for social responsibility, environmental performance and business results - the triple bottom line.
• ISO 14001 revision nears completion - Quality Progress, Feb 2004
  Lists and discusses some of the changes in the revision of ISO 14001.
• The Conscientious Council - Quality World, Nov 2002
  Bill Edrich, Kirklees Metropolitan Council's energy and water conservation coordinator, explains how the council significantly reduced its energy consumption without increasing overheads.
• Time to come clean - Quality World, Nov 2002
  Dan Green, sustainability coordinator at Wessex Water, looks at the state we're in and challenges all businesses to identify their critical environmental impact and do something about it.
• Integrating environmental aspects into Product Design and Development - ISO Management Systems, Nov / Dec 2002 . Introduces the new ISO technical report ISO/TR 14062.
• Dole reports motivation, health and safety and productivity benefits from ISO 14001 - ISO Management Systems, Dec 2001
• ISO 14001 : irrelevant or invaluable? - ISO Management Systems, Dec 2001
  Seeks to answer the question as to whether an ISO 14001 certificate is mere window-dressing, or a pointer to concrete results in environmental performance.

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Instrumentation
The Analytical Methods Committee of the Royal Society of Chemistry has created a series of articles published with the aim of assisting laboratory managers choose between a range of competing systems in order to obtain the best instrument for their analytical requirements. IANZ library does not hold a complete set but the ones listed below are held.

• Report by the analytical methods committee: evaluation of analytical instrumentation.
• Part XVI. Evaluation of general user NMR spectrometers - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v11 n3 May 2006
• Part XVII. Instrumentation for inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v10 n4 Apr2005 p155-159
• Part XVIII. Differential scanning calorimetry - Accreditation and Quality Assurance (v10 n4 Apr 2005 p160-163
• Part XIX. CHNS elemental analysers - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v11n11 Nov 2005 p569-576
• Part XX. Instrumentation for energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry - V11 n12 Dec 2006 p610-624
• Part XXI. NIR instrumentation for process control - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v11 n5 June 2006
• Part XXII. Instrumentation for liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v12 n1 Jan 2007
• Part XXIII. Instrumentation for portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v13 n8 August 2008 p453-464
  

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Integration

• Let’s get integrated - Quality World April 2011, p18-25. Five experts are asked about what integrated management means to them, if the concept is useful, are there good examples of integration being successful, PAS 99; implications for SMEs, the future of integration and the need for specialist quality personnel.
• Integrate to accumulate - Quality World April 2011, p26-29. Case study of Caledus, an oil and gas technology company, which developed a business strategy where their integrated management system served the needs of the business first. Looks at some specifics, such as how unplanned events are handled, risk assessment and their communication and information management policies.
• ISO 19011 and integrated auditing - Quality World April 2011, p14. “If internal management system processes are harmonised there should be no duplication within the audit function or compliance processes in general.”
• Integration is the future - Quality World April 2011, p10. Brief look at the advantages of integrated management systems and some strategies for integration.
• Systems, processes, differences - Quality World Feb 2010 p30-35
  This is the first of three articles. Here, the author examines the relationship between systems and processes. Says that the new ed. of ISO 9001 suggests there is a move towards recognising the properties of social systems and business processes but the intent expressed in the introduction is not reflected in the requirements. Says that the explanation of a process approach in ISO 9000 and a systems approach in ISO 9001 are inconsistent. Then goes on to discuss in detail the definitions of a system and a process before looking at the aims of having a system and the different types of systems there are. Adds a reading list.
• Down with silos : Integrated systems help management improve the bottom line - Quality Progress September 2008 p64-67
• ISO to publish book on integrated use of management system standards - ISO Management Systems M/A 2008 p14-17
  A preview of what is in the proposed book.
• On track with IMS - Quality World Sept 2007
  Roger Rees from the English Balfour Beatty Rail Track Systems describes their journey towards an integrated management system from three separate systems. He gives a brief background to the company followed by a description of what the IMS covers and how it works along with the key challenges it faced on the way.
• The question - Quality World, Dec 2004
  There are many management systems, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, capability maturity model integration (CMMI) and the excellence model, all of which appear to provide a framework on which to base an effective management system. Which system(s) would you recommend and is there any benefit in an integrated system?
• As easy as IMS - Quality World, Apr 2004
  Combining quality, environmental and safety into one IMS results in economies of scale, ease of use and reduction of certification costs. The author presents a time line and a project plan for implementation.
• Towards a generic model for integrating management systems - ISO Management Systems, Jan-Feb 2004. Organisations worldwide are looking to integrate their management systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. This article presents a generic model for doing so and applies it to the integration of ISO 14001:1994 (Environmental), ISO 9001:2000 (Quality) and non-ISO standard OHSAS 18001:1999 (Occupational Health and Safety).
• Continual Programs - Quality Progress, Mar 2003
  Explains how linking ISO 9001 to the implementation of certain business improvement programs can overcome the consistency and suitability problems which can lead to failure. Includes seven steps to avoid pitfalls.

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Measurement

• Statistical intervals. Part one. The confidence interval ASTM Standardization News July/August 2011-08-22. Statistical intervals play an important role in statistical inference. But practitioners often confuse the difference among confidence, prediction and tolerance type intervals. This article series will clarify these differences and indicate which type of interval should be used, This first article is on the confidence interval.
• Statistics: Not significant, but important? Quality Progress Aug 2011 p58-59. Explains what a p-value is, and what it means.
• Equipment verification - NATA News, June 2011-06-13. An article originally published in Quasar (Jan 2011) on how to ensure that equipment verification record provided by contract service providers are adequate to demonstrate equipment is fit for its intended purpose.
• Metrology in the balance Physics World March 2011 p39-45. The author reports from a meeting at the Royal Society in London on the proposed redefinition of the of the seven SI base units in terms of fundamental physical constants or atomic properties. The reasons given for the proposed change include “worries about the stability of the kilogram artefact, the need for greater precision in the mass standard, the availability of new technologies that seem able to provide greater long-term precision and the desire for stability and elegance in the structure of the SI”.
• The International System of units – a case for reconsideration Accreditation and Quality Assurance v16 m3 March 2011 p143-153
• What are z-scores? ASTM Standardization news M/A 2011 p18-19. What exactly are z-scores and how are these statistics used in practice?
• Keep your resolution – Remember accuracy, precision when estimating uncertainty p56-58. Looks at accuracy and resolution as defined in ISO Guide 99.
• Comments to EURACHEM/CITAC guide - "Measurement uncertainty arising from sampling" Accreditation and Quality Assurance v15 n9 Sept 2010 p529-531 - "The EURACHEM/CITAC guide "Measurement uncertainty arising from sampling" deals with the design and analysis of experiments for the evaluation of the sampling and analytical standard deviation when a defined sampling and analytical method is used for the determination of the concentration, expressed as mass fraction 9mg/kg), of an analyte in a specified material. The Guide recommends reporting the relative expanded uncertainty and using it directly, i.e. it implicitly assumes that the standard deviation is proportional to the mass fraction even in case the experimental data do not support this assumption. Example A1 (and some of the other examples of the Guide0 demonstrates that this can result in extreme levels of underestimation or overestimation of the uncertainty of measurement results. Hence, such recommendations should be avoided!"
• The meaning of measurement in metrology by Rob White - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v16 n1 2011 p32-41 - "This paper suggests an extension to the metrological definition of measurement, based on the measurement classification scheme of Stevens, to incorporate non-numerical and nominal measurements."
• Calibration evaluation - Quality Progress Sept 2010 p44-45 Looks at some ways to ways to prepare for an assessment of a calibration supplier.
• Assessing Failure - Quality Progress Sept 2010 p80 "A measuring instrument failed recalibration and you have been asked to determine the influence on previously produced products. Where do you start and what do you do?"
• Statistics: Detection decisions - Quality Progress April 2010 p58-60
  Presents options for detecting outliers.
• Out of sync - Quality Progress March 2010 p52-53
  Clarifies what calibration and traceability means.
• Back to basics: Measures that matter - Quality Progress Nov 2009 p72
  Why do you measure? The real purpose of measuring something is to drive action. Gives four tips on how to use your measurements to make things happen.
• The role of the sample standard deviation in the analysis of measurement data - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v14 n7 2009
  "This paper builds on recent letters to the editor to consider different ways in which the "sample standard deviation" of a set of repeated measurements might be used in the expression of uncertainty."
• Taking the measure - Quality World June 2009
  "The measurement and interpretation of data are specialist tasks requiring technical skills" The author explains just why this is so difficult and looks at the most common mistakes before outlining a technique - the significance histogram -to enable informed decision making which he describes as one of the most useful tools in process improvement because it is so simple to interpret.
• Controlling processes - Quality World June 2009
  A look at SPC and measurement systems analysis. Briefly explains variation and distribution and then goes on to show how to calculate control lines and their positions on a control chart.
• What are repeatability and reproducibility? - ASTM Standardization News April/May 2009
  Looks at the conceptual difference between the two terms. Gives two examples to illustrate.
• Dealing with outliers - ASTM Standardization News Nov/Dec 2008
  How do you determine if a value is truly an outlier and how do you decide whether or not to proceed with the data analysis?
• Towards a new edition of the "Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement" - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v12 n11, Nov 2007 p603-608
  "Since the "GUM" was published in 1995, it has been realised that its recommendations do not properly address an important class of measurements, namely, non-linear indirect measurements. This drawback prompted the initiation of the revision of the document, which commenced in October 2006. The upcoming revision of the GUM provides the metrological community with an opportunity to improve this important document, in particular, to reflect developments in metrology that have occurred since the first GUM publication in 1995. Thus, a discussion of the directions for this revision is important and timely. By identifying several shortcomings of the GUM and proposing directions for its improvement, we hope this article will contribute to this discussion." (Abstract)
• Calibration - the good, the bad and the ugly - Quality Progress, Nov 2007
  First looks at what calibration is, and then goes on to describe a good calibration system, a bad one and then the downright ugly.
• Evolution of philosophy and description of measurement (preliminary rationale for VIM3) - Charles Ehrlich, Rene Dybkaer and Wolfgang Woger, Accreditation and Quality Assurance, v12 n3/4 M/A 2007
  This paper examines the evolution of common philosophies and ways of describing measurement. Some of the differences between these approaches are highlighted, which provides a rationale for the entries and structure of the Aug 2006 draft of VIM.
• Measurement uncertainty in chemical analysis - P.S Ramanathan, VAM Bulletin Spring 2006
  An introduction to measurement uncertainty pointing out that a knowledge of the uncertainty implies increased confidence in the validity of a measurement result.
• The role of metrology in making chemistry sustainable - Accreditation and Quality Assurance, Jul 05
  Looks at the lack of agreement on uncertainty of measurement and how this impacts on analytical chemistry.
• Measurement uncertainty in chemical analysis - P.S Ramanathan, VAM Bulletin Spring 2006
  An introduction to measurement uncertainty pointing out that a knowledge of the uncertainty implies increased confidence in the validity of a measurement result.
• 1. Measure for measure: Supplier demand - How to select a test and calibration partner? - Quality Progress May 2010 p48-50
  Looks at clauses 7.4.1 and 7.6(A) in ISO 9001:2008 and clauses 4.6.4 and 5.6.2.1.1 in ISO 17025:2005 on calibration requirements. States that it is useful for the ISO 17025 accredited laboratory to be accredited by a body recognized by the ILAC MRA, which is briefly explained.
• 2. What do we mean by "zero defects?" - ASTM Standardization News
  Part 1. "What does the phrase "zero defects" mean and what can we say about a process for which this phrase has been applied?" ASTM Standardization News M/A,
  Part 2. "How do we handle zero defects or non-conformities when sampling a continuum?" ASTM Standardization News M/J 2010

Quality Management

• Organize how you innovate Quality Progress June 2011 p16-22. Focuses on ISO 9004:2009 and its systematic process based approach to innovation within a quality management system.
• The first step – understanding the link between starting point and process for quality improvement success Quality Progress June 2011 p36-40. This article focuses on understanding the link between a starting point and a process when trying to achieve a specific outcome. The author points out that the starting point in many assessments is the structure of the organization and that structure needs to support the process.
• The life of quality - Quality World June 2011, p40-41. A very readable history of what “quality” has done for society, from its roots in the guild system up to modern times.
• What have we learned? : Lessons organizations should take away from the disaster in Japan - Quality Progress May 2011, p18-23. Argues that “it is the responsibility of top management to takes measures, including disaster planning and preparation – to ensure the stability of the organisation and to respond proactively to emergencies with timely actions and communications to shareholders”.
• Are you a good problem solver? P30-35 - Quality Progress May 2011. Reviews some of the traditional approaches to problem solving. Argues that most problem solving strategies are people centric and subjective rather than principle based and objective and encourages people to look at a new protocol for finding effective solutions to event-type problems.
• The bright side of failure : how to turn a negative experience into a positive improvement Quality Progress Feb 2011 p24-31. Lessons can be learned from failed projects. This article lists four simple tools to help identify where things went wrong and identify areas for improvement. The four tools are: RCA – the five whys; A prioritization matrix to solve the simple problems first; A logic model; and a measuring metric.
• "We are different” – Don’t stand in the way of your own improvement efforts Quality Progress Feb 2011 p54-55. Lists and discusses some common obstacles to improvement.
• The relevance of Kaizen/Lean for Kiwi organisations Business Plus Magazine Issue 79 March 2011 p22. How does lean apply to organisations in NZ today?

• Magic eight : the final five Quality World Feb 2011 p30-35. The second of two articles looks at the remaining five principles of lean. They are: Pull, prevention, Partnering, Planet and Perfection. Each principle is explained.

• Integrating risk Quality World Feb 2011 p36-39. Argues that the managing of risk is a key part of managing the reputation of your organisation. Explains that a management system that incorporates risk can help you define and implement how risk is identified, prioritised and managed within an organisation. Points out that an IMS can be about ensuring the consequences of action (or inaction) are understood.

• Standards: ISO 9001 and corporate performance - Quality World Dec 2010 p14 - Although ISO 9001 is seen as focused on product quality, it really is concerned with the quality of the business management system. This short piece looks at the link between the qms and corporate strategy.

• In for the long haul Quality World Dec 2010 - p18-23 - Looks at the change in attitudes to sustainability in business. Argues that to be successful with sustainability organisations should look at business integrity, technical innovation, human capital and leadership. Gives examples.
• ISO 26000 - Global accountability Quality World Dec 2010 p28-31 - Describes ISO 26000, the new standard giving guidance on social responsibility, what was involved in the development of the standard, how it is expected to be used and its purpose.
• Time for action - Quality Progress Jan 2011 p24-31 - Looks a technique called "Action learning" , a problem-solving strategy that engages participants in issue analysis, reflective questioning, listening and feedback. Describes how to form and run an action learning group. Gives a table summarizing the process .
• Doomed to fail : Five mistakes that will destroy your continuous improvement project in its first year - Quality Progress p40-45 - They are: Lack of leadership engagement; Overlooking the need for change management; Inadequate communication; Unstructured resource selection (projects and people); Assuming good metrics and measurement systems. Each is explained.
• Bright ideas - Quality World Oct 2010 p18- Looks at how organisations can achieve quality and creativity at the same time. Argues that in a world where innovation beats efficiency successful organisations plan for innovation and allocate resources to it. Looks at why there should be regular reviews of products. Also, how to establish an innovation process and evaluate ideas using an innovation funnel and a process called Stage-gate.
• Four competences for quality - Quality World Oct 2010 p38-42. David Straker looks at the four connected competences (“the bundle of skills and technologies”) in the creating of quality. He lists the four - Design, Control, Assessment and Knowledge and explains their relevance.

• Warning! Warning! Five signs that quality is at risk within your organization - Quality progress Oct 2010 p10-11. Argues that many companies have sacrificed long-term quality for the short term benefits of an improved gross margin. Explains the following five signs: Repeated cost-cutting cycles; Operational signals ignored or delayed; Aging equipment or degradation of maintenance services; Direct cuts to quality personnel; Elimination or outsourcing of customer assistance resources.

• Tools of the trade: WorkOut - an intensive problem-solving exercise - Quality World Nov 2010 p50. Introduces "WorkOut" - a problem solving method that focuses on solving a particular problem.

• Getting to know you - Quality World p28-33. Looks at the benefits of internal benchmarking, at the different approaches to the subject and then advises on where to start.
  
• Making the connection - Anew way to look at the interplay of quality tools Quality Progress July 2010 p36-44 Argues "individual quality tools can be effective as standalone methods but combined in a deliberate sequence they can build upon on e another creating a powerful problem-solving force".

• Top this - How to maintain your edge after gaining a quality advantage Quality Progress July 2010 p24-29Argues that the factors necessary to help you achieve quality superiority may be different than those that help you preserve quality superiority. Lists six factors necessary.

• Supply chains and ISO 9001 ISO Focus April 2010 looks at a document published by ISO called "ISO 9001 - What does it mean in the supply chain" which is available for free at http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/management_standards/iso_9000_iso_14000/more_resources_9000/9001supchain.htm. This document aims to generate awareness among purchasers about what ISO 9001 can and cannot achieve.

• ISO 9004:2009 sets the stage for long-term success - Quality Progress Aug 2010 p28-34Looks at the new edition of ISO 9004 and its emphasis on sustained success and long-term planning.

• Two in One - risk strategy not only manages threats but also validates ISO standards programs Quality Progress Aug 2010 p20-27. Several ISO standards require organizations to assess risks and identify courses of action to mitigate those risks. This article looks at how to create a risk management strategy (in five steps) to predict the impact of external or environmental factors if course of action is implemented.
  
• Deming's 14 principles - Quasar No. 111 April 2010 p10-13
  This article looks at how Deming's 14 principles can apply to clinical trial project management.
  
• Masaaki Imai : Kaizen guru - Management April 2010 p40-42
  Report on an interview with the founder of the business philosophy of "kaizen", the process of continuous improvement. He emphasizes the improtance of moving away from "batch production" into "lean production" and that change can only happen if it comes from the top managementment within an organization.
  
• Breaking from the pack - Quality Progress March 2010 p26-31
  This article pays tribute to Russ Ackoff, a pioneer of systems thinking. Ackoff said "A system is more than the sum of its parts; it is an indivisible whole. it loses its essential properties when it is taken apart". and "Problems that arise in organisations are almost always the products of interactions of parts of a system, never the action of a single part". Lists what Ackoff called the f-laws on the behaviour of managers.
  
• How can fault tree analysis be used to improve a root cause analysis process - Quality Progress March 2010 p8-9
  
• One hundred to one - Quality World Jan 2010 p26- 31
  Which quality model, if any, should you choose? Gives an overview of four of the most popular models - ISO 9001; The balanced scorecard; The excellence model and Total Quality Management - with a short case study for each.
• Quality and Sustainability in turbulent times - Quality Management Forum v35 n3 2010
  ?This article discusses the close relationships between quality and sustainability for systems, products and services.?
• A blueprint for lean - Quality World Sept 2009 p39-42
  Argues that an organisation must do more than just use lean tools it has to change its culture to a fully lean philosophy. Explains that senior management has to understand that lean is a growth strategy and that profitability in a lean organisation is related to the rate of flow through value streams and then the culture of the organisation can change. Lists some of the tools that can be used to change organisational behaviour to support the lean philosophy.
  
• Raising the quality profile - Quality World Sept 2009 p10
  Some brief advice on how to persuade staff to embrace quality management.
  
• Spring into action by A.V. Feigenbaum - Quality Progress Nov 2009p18-22
  "Feigenbaum points to five areas companies can focus on to help them emerge from economic turmoil and return to profitability and success." Argues that to be succesful today there must be an emphasis on management innovation. The five key areas he names are; Product development, Supply and purchasing, Training and human resources development, Economics of quality and Hands-on Management.
  
• Don't just talk the talk - Quality Progress July 2009
  Notes that many organisations talk about what is the best way for other businesses and groups to drive continuous and process improvements but do not take their own advice. This is a case study of one organization "walking the talk". The Illinois based "Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies over 16000 healthcare organizations and programs, has developed a Green belt and Black belt training program and internal improvement projects aiming to become more efficient and to lower costs as well as show their customers that they follow their own advice and really understand the concepts they espouse. One of the projects looked at was consistency of standards interpretation.
  
• A frank discussion: Business executives talk about taking quality efforts to the next level - Quality Progress July 2009
  What Pittsburgh executives think quality professionals can do to remain relevant to their organization.
• ISO 9001 - the making of a worldwide phenomenon - ISO Management Systems July-August 2009
  The authors, who are members of the ISO Technical Committee 176 responsible for the standard, discuss what makes ISO 9001 such an effective management tool.
• All ears : Use financial terms to get management to take notice of your quality message - Quality Progress July 2009
  Advises quality professionals to speak the language of management - money - when proposing improvement projects. You need to build a business case to secure funding and approval and this article gives some advice on how to go about it, looking at how to work out the costs involved, putting them into an income statement, identifying potential savings and measuring performance with ROI and then working out the payback period. Gives an example.
  
• The future of management system certification - ISO Management Systems March-April 2009
  Special Report form the ISO giving perspectives on where quality is headed from certification bodies around the world.
• Shaping the trends - Quality World May 2009
  Looks at the background to the sustainability movement and the seven trends impacting on the quality world today. The trends listed are: Innovation management; Proactive learning; Strategic partnership; Information management; Service management; Adaptive planning and Social responsibility.
• Small change big payoff - Quality Progress April 2009
  Most organisations certified to ISO 9001:2000 in a way that conforms to its intent will need to do little to conform to the 2008 edition. This article looks at the clauses that have been changed in the new edition, and also what hasn't changed. Suggests that those companies just in it for the piece of paper will be the ones needing to do some work to achieve recertification.
• Change that sticks - Quality Progress April 2009
  Process improvement methods can solve many problems, reduce costs and improve the bottom line, but, if not implemented properly, they can have the opposite effect. The author outlines and explains 9 steps that can be applied to most types of organisation seeking long term improvement.
• Energize your QMS : though minor, the change to ISO 9001:2000 should not be taken lightly - Quality Progress Oct 2008 p20-25
  The author writes that the changes in the new standard offer organizations the opportunity to improve their QMS and overall performance. Points out that the new standard aimed to address known issues but not to create new or delete existing requirements. An annex is to be included in the new edition outlining text changes to specific clauses. The article summarizes the IAF transition plan for ISO 9001:2008.
• What's really important : it's not the revision but how you implement ISO 9001 - Quality Progress p67-69
  Understanding the principles expressed in ISO 9000:2005 is important because they provide organisations a framework for developing their own principles or values. Argues organisations need to have ownership of their principles and that developing them is more important than developing the QMS or quality tools.
• ISO 9001: the next chapter - Quality World Oct 2008 p22-23
  FAQs for the new ISO 9001 standard: Why is the new standard being published now? Why is the new version an amendment and not a revision? When is it available and when will ISO 9001:2000 no longer be valid: What are the main changes; How will I be affected as a company certified to ISO 9001? How will I be affected as an ISO 9001 auditor?
• Applying ISO management system standards to enterprise risk management - ISO Management Systems Jan/Feb 2008 p 10-14
  Looks at how ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and other standards can help organizations manage operational risks.
• Quality risk management - risk assessments - Quasar Jan 2007 n98 p16-18
  This article briefly looks at the risk assessment component of risk management, why you should analyse and evaluate possible risks and then control them. Written by Technical Managers from the pharmaceutical industry.
• Role of management processes in ISO 900-based quality management systems - Quality Management Forum, v34 n1 Winter 2008
  Having a QMS in place does not necessarily mean providing defect-free products and/or services. However, an efficient QMS through leadership and participative management is more likely to address and permanently solve quality problems.
• Back to basics: An appreciation for documentation - Quality Progress, March 2008
  Why is paperwork important? This article lists six benefits of documentation that round out a quality process.
• Nine hurdles to TQM - Quality World, Feb 2008
  A review of 100 conference papers from around the world for the last ten years suggests to the author that a large number of managers find it difficult to implement or sustain TQM in their organisations. The review points to nine common organisational factors - The author looks at each of these with brief guidelines on how to overcome the problem.
• Tools of the trade: Know-what/know-how map - Quality World, Jan 2008
  Knowledge (know-what) is acquired through study and experience, Know-how through practice and experience. David Straker looks at the know-what/know-how map which can be used to explore the shape of abilities in your organisation and guide quality related activity.
• Eight steps to perfection - Quality World, Jan 2008
  It is often difficult to find the root cause of a problem - people often come up with an evident symptom of the cause as opposed to the actual cause. This article looks at the 8D methodology for product and process improvement to tackle this issue. The 8 steps are: 1. Use a team approach 2. Describe the problem 3. Containment action, 4 Root causes 5. Corrective actions 6. Permanent corrective actions 7. Prevent recurrence 8. Congratulate the team. Each of these 8 steps is explained and a case study of Electron Technical Solutions is given as an example.
• Future perfect - Quality World, Jan 2008
  Feature on what 2008 will mean for quality professionals. Gurus, Practitioners, Managers and Students give their views on quality and what changes they expect to see over the next ten years.
• Tools showcase - Quality World August 2007
  Special report on business improvement tools which looks at the following range of tools:
  (i) Time analysis:Description of a management tool devised by the author, Michael Debenham, to help project teams analyse and manage the team as a whole and pinpoint weaknesses(ii) Risk-based decision making (iii) Process definition: An approach to process definition enabling management teams to develop a clear visual picture of their processes.(iv) Kano model:The quality management technique used for measuring customer satisfaction with existing products or services is explained (v) Kanban: Short introduction to kanban and advice on how to use it.
• Quality Basics - Quality Progress, June 2007
  Describes the 10 basics of quality management - Basic principles and methods, measurement, tools, statistics, standards, vision and strategy, process management and process improvement, the economic case for quality, teamwork and empowerment, and leadership - with an explanation of what they are, how they can be used and why they are important.
• Implementing continuing improvement in the laboratory - Inside Laboratory Management, Jan/Feb 2007
  This brief article looks at the new element in ISO/IEC 17025:2005 – improvement. Discusses how the process of continual improvement works using an example.
• Standards: Consultants' style : sometimes less is more - Quality Progress, Dec 2006 p49-54
  Some organizations find documenting the process of implementing a QMS overwhelming and it is these companies who often end up hiring a consultant. This article looks at some of the difficulties in finding the right consultant for your organisation, what the role of a consultant should be. To illustrate the impact of consultant style on companies satisfaction and the effectiveness of the QMS 14 case studies were conducted and the results are discussed
• Best practices: Look for trouble - Quality Progress, Dec 2006 p56-62
  Human error remains a problem in spite continuous improvement efforts. This article discusses what human error actually is and why it happens. The role of risk influencing factors (RIFs) is examined with examples and information on how to go about identifying and minimising them with an error risk assessment is given.
• Game Plan - Quality World, November 2006
  Understanding why some projects fail is vital to ensure the same mistakes don’t happen again in your business. Adopting some fundamental quality management practices to project management could make a vital difference to projects in your organisation.
• A Second Look at Five S's - Quality Progress, October 2006
  At first glance, the Five S’s appear to be simple ideas about keeping the workplace clean, tidy and well ordered. In fact, the principles of the model are designed to be applied across all work systems to improve delivery, time and cost-effectiveness outcomes.
• How small businesses can use ISO 9001:2000 and grow - ISO Management Systems Sept/Oct 2006
  Special report from ISO on the benefits SME's can expect from using ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2000.
• Standards: big benefits for small business - ISO Focus, Sept 2006
  A special report focusing on the benefits of standards for small businesses around the world.
• Digesting complicated processes - Quality Progress, July 2006 p62-65
  Looks at how to document a complicated process “one step at a time” using inputs, outputs and also how to use the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) model from ISO 9001.
• Do consumers really care about ISO 9001 - ISO Management Systems, May-June 2006
  A recent British survey reveals just what consumers know or care about ISO 9001 certification.
• Reflections on the Future of Quality - Quality Progress, Jan 2006
  Quality, as a management system objective, is really excellence and must characterize the enterprise as a whole, not just its products and services.
• Less is more - Quality World, Mar 2005
  Looks at why companies are looking at implementing an IMS, the benefits it can bring as well as listing some of the potential pitfalls.
• Quality 2005 - Quality World, Mar 2005
  This second of six parts looks at how an organisation can improve performance by using an 'own-brand' approach rather than a known tool such as six-sigma using the experience gained by Oakland Consulting. Lists and discusses some of the requirements for success.
• Tools of the trade: Variation - part one - Quality World, Mar 2005
  Looks at natural and unnatural variation, distribution of results and the central limit thereom.
• Tools of the trade: Further Kanban - Quality World, Jan 2005
  Discusses the different types of kanban used, in particular the dual-card kanban system
• Quality 2005 - Quality World, Jan 2005 . The first of a new series, this article explores how the quality agenda is moving forward and how managers in the private and public sectors should be responding.
• Quality tools : A closer look - Quality World, Dec 2004
  David Straker takes a look at some of the less well-known quality tools and discusses the pros and cons of each. Covered are: the balanced score-card, kaizen, benchmarking and TPM.
• Drop the tools - Quality World, Oct 2004
  Many organisations ignore the basics and spend huge sums of money on quality tools and initiatives which do nothing but confuse top management, increase the workload of middle managers and alienate staff. As Simon Haas, quality improvement leader at Rolls-Royce, shows, there is an easier way.
• Use basic quality tools to manage your processes - Quality Progress, Aug 2004
  When moving towards process management, an organization should have a sound methodological approach that involves certain quality management and planning tools. This article presents and explains three diagrams: an affinity diagram, a relationship diagram and a matrix diagram. All three were used at a plastics company in Portugal.
• Quality in the first person - Quality Progress, Aug 2004
  Four quality professionals tell how knowledge and use of quality principles and tools improved their personal lives.
• Stoner: Built on a strong foundation - Quality Progress, Aug 2004
  Case study of Stoner, Inc, a manufacturer of cleaning, lubrication and coating products, which won the 2003 Baldrige Award in the small business category. Implementing the Baldrige business excellence criteria helped the company to achieve a 400% growth in sales since 1990.
• Scope projects in 10 steps - Quality Progress, Aug 2004
  To achieve the proper scope, an organization should determine where a project fits into the global picture , and it should pick the right part of the right process to improve. This article describes a 10 step methodology that may be used.
• The Power of the Mind - Quality World, Jan 2004
  ISO 9001:2000 is a great aim of any organisation that wants to improve its processes, focus on people development, customers, partnerships, leadership and much more. The author argues that auditors can streamline their checklists without losing any of the relevant information - such is the power of the mind map.
• The Question - Quality World, Feb 2004
  An organisation's management review process and reporting are increasingly required to cover a wider range of issues that are of interest to its stakeholders. What is the most systematic, efficient and effective way to organise this management activity?
• The Question - Quality World, Dec 2003
  Management systems based on ISO 9001:2000 have quality objectives as an important feature. What form should objectives take and how do third-party auditors cover them?
• The Great Transition Debate - Quality World, Feb 2004
  The deadline for transition to ISO 9001:2000 has been and gone, so how successful was it? The authors discuss how the upgrade has been used by organisations concluding that many have failed to take the opportunity to genuinely improve performance and how the organisation is managed.
• Implementing ISO 9001:2000 - U.S Survey of User Experiences - ISO Management Systems, Nov / Dec 2002.
  The results of survey quantifying the experiences of 227 U.S organisations implementing ISO 9001:2000. Customer satisfaction, quality of products and services and improved productivity were revealed as key bottom line improvements.
• Continual Improvement and the Consistent Pair - ISO Management Systems, Nov / Dec 2002
  The process approach of the "consistent pair" of ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 9004:2000 emphasizes continual improvement, this article sugggests that there could be a shift away from certification based quality assurance to continual improvement-based performance.
• 1. Standards: Prevent defence : take action to refocus your quality management system - Quality Progress Apr 2010 p62-63
  Looks at "the preventive action" concept. Briefly describes "two actions for each QMS process followed by two actions for prioritizing high-risk processes".
• 2. Quality awards: A prize worth winning? - Quality World May 2010 p18-23
  Is it worth going for one of the quality awards? This article looks briefly at the history of some of the major awards, including Deming and Baldrige, and then gives a case for and a case against their usefulness.
• 3. Managing processes effectively - Quality World March 2010 p32-36
  Organisations are influenced by the business environment, and changes to that environment, around them. The author has constructed a model that marries this observation to ISO 9001. The model is explained with diagrams from beginning to end.
• 4. Small business and ISO 9001 - ISO Focus June 2010 p35-37
  Looks at why ISO felt there was a need for a handbook on ISO 9001 especially written for small businesses.
• 5. A sense of direction - Quality World June 2010 p18-21
  When talking about strategic management, Deming's "Quality starts in the boardroom" is as relevant now as then. Looks again at the Plan-Do--Study-Act cycle.

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Quality Management - Getting Started

• The problem: I am responsible for revamping our document control system. Where should I start? Quality World March 2011 P48
• Get your ducks in a row : A step-by step guide to implementing an ISO 9001 quality management system - Quality Progress Oct 2010 p40-46. Gives a breakdown of the ins and outs of implementing an ISO 9001 Quality Management System, including what the implementation process entails, system documentation, how to make physical and administrative changes, how long it takes and what costs are involved.
• What are words for? - The proper use of terminology in ASTM standards ASTM Standardization Mews N/D 2010 p11. Looks at the difference between A definition of a term and A definition of a term specific to a standard.
  
• One hundred to one - Quality World Jan 2010 p26- 31
  Which quality model, if any, should you choose? Gives an overview of four of the most popular models - ISO 9001; The balanced scorecard; The excellence model and Total Quality Management - with a short case study for each.
  
• Tools of the trade: The four p's - using marketing to gain benefits - Quality World Sept 2009
  The four Ps (the marketing mix) is a model which highlights four key areas in which marketers often have a significant interest - Product, Price, Place and Promotion
  
• One good idea : Easy as 1,2,3 (4,5) - Quality Progress June 2009
  Describes how you can use your fingers as a visual memory aid to remember the five major sections of the ISO 9001 standard.
  
• ISO advises managers how to get the best out of the ISO 9000 family - ISO Management Systems July-August 2008 p9
  Promotion of the free online brochure put out by ISO called "Selection and use of the ISO 9000 family of standards". The brochure gives an overview of the standards, a step-by-step process to implement a quality management system and examples of typical applications of the documents. The brochure itself is available from http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_9000_selection_and_use
• Building a basic quality library - Quality Progress June 2007
  A list complied by the American Society for Quality of the top ten titles for a quality beginner.
• Quality glossary - Quality Progress June 2007
  An extensive glossary of quality terms, tools and ideas. If you have ever been baffled by quality jargon,, this is the article for you.
• The write stuff for quality - Quality Progress, Oct 2005 p45-51
  This is a practical and useful article showing how to achieve effective writing through an understanding of basic language techniques. The article was adapted from "Effective writing for the quality professional" published by ASQ.
• Design of experiments for dummies - Quality Progress, Apr 2005 p59-65
  Suggests many people are reluctant to undertake DoE because of the perceived complexity of the task. This article looks at some understandable ways to make the task more manageable.
• Taking the first steps towards a quality management system - ISO Management Systems, Jul / Aug 2004
  Having taken the decision to implement a quality management system, small and medium sized enterprises in particular are often unsure just how to get started. This feature takes SME managers through the first steps.
• How to choose a competent Quality Mangement Systems Consultant - ISO Management Systems, Dec 2001
  Introduces ISO/TS 21095 - Guidelines for the selection and utilization of quality management system consultants. Explains why it is so important for both organisation and consultant that such guidelines should exist.
• Basic Requirements of a Quality Manual - Quality Progress, Mar 2004
  This article gives some practical advice on how to write a quality manual, what you should include and how to phrase things in the most useful way. The article provides a sample of a cover page, index and revision log, introduction, definitions and quality policy that can be adapted to your organization.
  

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Quality Management - Human Resources

• Being human Quality World Aug 2011 p36-40. Service led organisations often find it difficult to identify processes that can be easily measured. This article argues that a new objective and structured approach is required, one such as the Human Sigma approach which aims to improve overall business performance and growth by measuring the effectiveness of employee engagement. This approach is explained.
• Pushback prevention Quality Progress August 2011 p32. Looks at why well-conceived projects frequently fall short when put into practice. Finds that not taking the time to consider the impact of changes on stakeholders is a common problem – the social changes rather than the technical changes. Discusses some of the reasons for the resistance to change and what can be done to help. Presents tables listing steps that can help the transition from idea in to practice, behaviours displayed during change and some methods for managing resistance.
• The secret to sustainment Quality Progress August 2011 p40-45. Case study of Fairbanks Morse Engine, a company which has managed to sustain the quality management changes it made after three previous attempts had more or less failed. The company identified three challenges (underestimation of psychological needs of the workforce, the tools and methods needed to sustain change and lack of management follow through) and worked out a formula that addressed each of those factors.
• The right stuff : use deployment checks to verify things are being done correctly p25-31. Points out that leaders and managers often don’t know whether the decisions they have made are being implemented as intended, they don’t know how well they being deployed or achieving the goals intended. The Nevada Medical Centre developed an information tool to try and understand the effectiveness of processes. This article looks at how they collected information and went on to address gaps discovered in the system.
• Managing assumptions – recognizing uncertainty - Quality World July 2011, p50. Explains the assumption loop where, when faced with new or uncertain situations, we make assumptions. We then move on and assume that those assumptions are true and are then confused when this proves to be incorrect. We try to cope with the new situation and so the loop goes on.
• Are you a good problem solver? Quality Progress May 2011, p30-35. Reviews some of the traditional approaches to problem solving. Argues that most problem solving strategies are people centric and subjective rather than principle based and objective and encourages people to look at a new protocol for finding effective solutions to event-type problems.
• Happiness helps - Quality Progress Jan 2011 p14 - In the light of a study of organisational effectiveness this articles looks at what organisations can do to prevent workforce disengagement weakening company performance. Argues having a career development programme can help, that "aligning employee's skills and capabilities with the organisation's business strategy satisfies the employee's need to make a difference and invest in the organisations success".
• Know more, do more : An effective learning program is key to organizational success - Quality Progress Jan 2011 p32-39 - Argues that companies wanting to take advantage of new opportunities and products need to make an investment in educating and retaining a competent work force.
• People first - Quality World Jan 2011 p18-21 - Quality gurus such as Crosby have long argued that to be successful a company need to ensure its people do things right routinely. However the current approach of auditing against a standard has meant that the human aspect of quality has been overlooked and that a return to basic quality principles is needed.
• It's good to talk - Quality World Nov 2010 p38-42. Looks at the importance of effective internal communication when a company is attempting to change. The article explains why communication is so important and gives some useful approaches. Nycomed, an international pharmaceutical company, is used as a case study.
• Time to align : Success comes when culture, vision, leadership and quality are in sync - Quality Progress July 2010 p18-23 looks at how to assess an organization's culture by looking at what leaders within the company pay attention to, how they react to critical events, how they allocate scarce resources, how they behave and how they are hired, fired and promoted. Emphasises that it is important for an organisation's culture to be aligned with its leadership and that quality should be recognised as a strategic choice rather than just a program.
• Tools of the trade: Seven eyes : developing a new kind of vision - Quality World Sept 2010 p50. When looking for risks and quality problems it pays to look beyond the superficial. This article describes an approach used by Panasonic called "seven eyes for risk awareness" and looks at the seven different perspectives needed to develop a fuller understanding of the situation. Worth reading.3. The problem: "I've started my own consultancy. What is the best way to start networking for contacts?" Quality World Sept 2020 p48.
• Power to the people - Quality Progress Apr 2010 p24-31
  This article looks at the results of a survey on the effects of tactical responses to the recession on people equity. People equity is a framework used to measure human capital; it consists of three elements - alignment (the extent employees are connected to the business strategy), capability ( the extent to which the organization effectively deploys talent and resources) and engagement ( commitment, discretionary effort and advocacy on behalf of the organisation).
• Pulling together - Quality World Jan 2010 p36-40
  What do you have to do to get people to give their best? The author believes that 'organisations that meet people's needs on an individual basis in the context of the organisation's goals in a way that is affordable and fair will reap rewards for years to come
• Tools of the Trade: RACI - the right people on the right job - Quality World Jan 2010 p48
  Explains RACI, an acronym for the four roles of Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed when looking at who does what on a piece of work.
• Career climb : Five experts give the lowdown on moving up - Quality Progress Jan 2010 p20-27
  Five of ASQ's columnists "discuss the challenges related to moving to a new job, moving up from your current status; or moving to a different position"
• Editorial: Your career guide : tips to succeed in an unstable job market - Quality Progress Jan 2010 p6
  The last in the series of three articles is concerned with what goes on inside people's minds. Looks at what is happening to cause misunderstandings, misinterpretations, misbeliefs, misdecisions and misjudgements and how you can work to avoid them.
• Quality Management and Job Quality: How the ISO 9001 Standard for Quality Management Systems Affects Employees and Employers
  David I. Levine ; Michael W. Toffel
  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1237730
  This large-scale study explores how employee outcomes such as employment, earnings, and health and safety change when employers adopt ISO 9001. The sample was nearly 1,000 companies in California. ISO adopters had higher growth rates for sales, employment, payroll, and average annual earnings. Injury rates declined slightly for ISO 9001 adopters, although total injury costs did not.
• What lies beneath - Quality World July 2009
  The last in the series of three articles is concerned with what goes on inside people's minds. Looks at what is happening to cause misunderstandings, misinterpretations, misbeliefs, misdecisions and misjudgements and how you can work to avoid them.
• Waste not, want not - Quality World May 2009
  The first of a series of three articles on the nine dimensions of 'people wastes' looks at waste on the organisation level. Argues that people are the most important asset in a company and the most expensive but they are often wasted. The three areas falling under the label of organisational waste are: Misuse of capability, Mis-design of the organisation and Mis-motivation of people. Gives problem areas - e.g. Unused talent - in each category and then goes on to give solutions to the problem. Useful article.
• Getting personal - Quality World June 2009
  This second article on the three groups of wastes is on miscommunication. David Straker lists common communication problems and then outlines solutions to those problems.
• Turning the crowd - Quality World Jan 2009
  The author recognises that not many people are excited about new quality projects at first. This article shows ways of persuading people that the change is a good thing and to get them to want the change to happen.
• Breaching the gap - Quality World Jan 2009
  Notes that sometimes a leadership team can create negative outcomes and that it takes a chief executive at the top to resolve problems. Lists 8 drivers of effective team leadership.
• Achieving organizational excellence through performance measurement - The Quality Management Forum v34 n3 Summer 2008
  Looks at some key principles of measurement, including: Measuring the right things, Measuring things right, leverage measures to drive outcomes, using measures as a starting point in the planning process and using measures in communication.
• Facilitating productive project meetings - The Quality Management Forum v34 n3 Summer 2008
  This article aims to deliver practical techniques and practices that will help you facilitate meetings more effectively. Looks at what a facilitator is, what they should be doing and at techniques that can keep a meeting on track.
• Mind your meetings : Improve your organization's effectiveness one meeting at a time - Quality Progress April 2008 p48-53
  Presents a three step process for more effective meeting management
• Education and training of laboratory staff as a part of laboratory competence - Accreditation and Quality Assurance v13 p267-270
  Aims to give some practical advice and solutions on how to organize and manage staff competence.
• The problem: I need help with my presentation skills. I often suffer from nerves and find it difficult to keep calm when faced with questions. Can you give me some advice on how to improve? - Quality World June 2007
• Change management: Ringing the changes - Quality Wo rld, Nov 2007
  Argues that before any long-lasting change or improvement can be made in a company, changes must be made to the way employees think. Looks at the theory of organisational culture and uses it to develop a "change checklist" for those attempting to implement a new way of working.
• Leading lights - Quality World, Nov 2007
  Looks at what makes a 'creative leader' and compares the qualities of a leader with those of a manager. Argues leaders link creative ideas with effective action and focus on bringing out creative qualities in those around them. Also, makes the point that these skills can be learned.
• Slipping over - Quality World, Jan 2007
  What is the cost to business of human error? The author explains how to assess an organisation's vulnerability and then follow up and tackle root causes of error. Looks at risk influencing factors and how to organise them into categories before doing an error risk assessment followed by error risk reduction.
• The good, the bad and the ugly - Quality World, Dec 2006
  Both positive and negative change represents the loss of what came before - and humans cope with change in a predictable cycle. This article looks at the difference in the way people cope with both positive and negative organisational change and looks at what happens when these changes turn "ugly". Offers some suggestions on how management can help make change work.
• The human side of change leadership - Quality Progress, Apr 2005 p39-43
  Two important aspects of human behaviour that should be considered when planning a change involve identifying potential resistance to the planned changes and designing motivation into the new process. The author explains both aspects
• Training: It's not always the answer - Quality Progress, Mar 2005
  The first step in any training needs analysis is to differentiate between training wants and true training needs by examining the current state of performance and defining the desired state of performance.
• A cut above - Quality World, March 2005
  Case study of Vestas Blades UK Ltd, a company which increased its numbers of employees from 120 to 450 in 3 years and which chose to use self-directed learning.
• A Deming Inspired Management Code of Ethics - Quality Progress, Feb 2005
  The purpose of ethical standards is to reduce the frequency of unethical behaviour by reducing its acceptability. Argues that it is possible to derive a secular basis for ethical behaviour from the tenets of quality and starts with the 14 points of W. Edwards Deming.
• The Stress Matrix - Quality World, Jan 2005
  Stress is a multi-million dollar problem which affects individuals, society and industry. This article discusses who most commonly suffers and why, what happens when the stress response kicks in and some ways employers can deal with it.
• Pass the biscuits - Quality World, Jan 2005
  Tips on how to make meetings work, such as: Principles of behaviour, preparation actions, running the meeting, staying focused on the purpose and follow-up and next steps. A useful article.
• Recognise me - Quality World, Dec 2004
  Quality managers are aware of the value they bring to their organisation, but how can they prove it? How can they be recognised for what are largely intangible benefits? The answer could be found in the external consultant's approach.
• Effective white-collar teams: the new quality imperative - Quality Progress, Jun 2004
  Argues that consistently high performance among white collar teams require taking a hard look at the second element of the quality equation - the process component or the way people interact.
• Get Staff involved in Quality Initiatives - Quality Progress, Feb 2004
  ATC, a public transportation services company, decided on a workout approach - a belief that the people closest to the work can make big improvements in business performance when provided with simple tools, accountability for action and fast decision making by management.
• Small business; Three C's + Q=Success - Quality Progress, Jun 2004
  Case study of Bills Khakis, which has grown 260% in five years, growth which is attributed to the company's philosophy and commitment to including the entire staff in the evolution of the strategic plan.
• Careers : Outsourcing and Jobs - Quality Progress - Mar 2004
  The outsourcing phenomenon has had major impact on quality professionals. You should be always selling, promoting and positioning yourself in order to prevent your position from being outsourced.
• Train & Gain - Quality World, Jul 2003
  Training consultant Dave Underwood highlights some of the concerns that are commonly raised over training issues and offers suggestions to get the most out of your training.
• Best is Best - Quality World, Dec 2003
  Best (building excellence skills today) is a practical training programme designed by London Excellence which aims to help managers to raise their business performance and develop leadership skills in the workplace. QW caught up with a few of them to see what they learned and if it was worth it.
• Learning from Columbia - Quality Progress, Mar 2004
  Lessons learned from the loss of the space shuttle Columbia - it was concluded that a NASA culture which put deadlines before safety and let a sense of infallibility permeate decision making processes was the root cause of the accident.
• Use Symbols Instead of Words - Quality Progess, Nov 2002
  Gain control of the workplace with visual operations management, the process of effectively using visual aids to communicate messages to and between workers.
• NLP - How to Move Management - Quality World, Jul 2002
  There are all sorts of reasons why quality initiatives fail, but one of the most common is lack of support from middle managers. Larry Reynolds, senior consultant of Kaizen Training, explains how neuro lingusitic programming (NLP) can make the critical difference to the success of a quality initiative.
• David Straker's Tools of the Trade - Quality World
  Discusses the five S's: the simple, yet very powerful set of principles on which an effective, efficient workplace can be based.
  The Five S's: Introduction - Jan 2002
  Part 1: Seiri / Organisation - Mar 2002
  Part 2: Seiton / Neatness - May 2002
  Part 3: Seiso / Cleanliness - Jul 2002
  Part 4: Seiketsu / Standardisation - Sept 2002
  Part 5: Shitsuke / Discipline - Nov 2002
• Succeeding as a Standards Professional - ASTM Standardization News
  Part 1: Get it in Writing - Aug 2002
  Part 2: Building a Business Case for Standards Participation - Sep 2002
  Part 3: The Art of the Trip Report - Oct 2002
  Part 4: Tools and Tricks for the Standards Professional - Nov 2002
  
• What's the big idea? - Quality Progress June 2010 p39-43
  Argues that innovation is not the result of luck or genius but rather a skill that can be developed, that unskilled minds have a psychological inertia and adopt a trial-and-error approach to problem solving as compared to skilled innovators who can find a contradiction in a problem and generate bold ideas to solve it. Types of psychological inertia are listed and an example is given.
  

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Quality Management - Financial

• ISO 9001 and the bottom line - Quality World May 2011, p30-34. This article describes the research available on the financial benefits of certification and introduces a new tool to estimate return on investment. Includes a bibliography.
• Seven steps to success Quality World July 2010 p36-40 - Two authors present the findings of a 22 year study into the relationship between seven key concepts of quality management and business success.
• The Bottom Line - Quality progress Sept 2010 p46-49Looks at how linking a QMS and an EMS can benefit an organisation financially by helping top management identify and control business risks.
• Make the case rest - Quality World Jan 2010 p32-35
  A useful article that gives a four step guide to creating a business case for quality. The steps listed and explained are: Gather your facts, Developing your proposal, Implementing the plan and Lessons learned.
• Brave new financial world - Quality World Nov 2009 p18-21
  The author looks at the implications of the economic crisis and the role quality could play. Lists some of the key questions business should ask in the wake of the downturn. Comments on the way many businesses are shifting focus on to the environment and also society and notes that these changes could be seen as an opportunity
• Climbing the quality mountain - Quality World Oct 2008 p24-28
  Looks at what quality professionals can do to better engage with colleagues from other professions and so be able to sell quality to tem and contribute to an organisation at a strategic level.
• All ears : Use financial terms to get management to take notice of your quality message - Quality Progress July 2009
  Advises quality professionals to speak the language of management - money - when proposing improvement projects. You need to build a business case to secure funding and approval and this article gives some advice on how to go about it, looking at how to work out the costs involved, putting them into an income statement, identifying potential savings and measuring performance with ROI and then working out the payback period. Gives an example.
• ISO 9001 and advantage in the marketplace - Quality Progress Apr 2008 p73-76
  Looks at some of the "do's and don'ts" for promoting your ISO 9001 certification and how to get the most advantage out of the certification process.
• Measuring the cost of quality for management - Quality Progress, September 2006 p45-51
  Because the avoidance of reduced profits from quality initiatives is not widely measured or reported organizations cannot easily quantify the magnitude of benefits in financial terms. This article looks at how costs of quality can be tracked using an activity based cost/management system in the invoicing/accounting process.
• Selling quality ideas to management - Quality progress, May 2006 p27-34
  Looks at the reasons worthy ideas may fail to be accepted and how to best communicate with management. Starts with the development of an idea, selling that idea to management, engaging partners, measuring and mitigating resistance and presenting a business case.
• Economic case for quality: What are quality reputations worth? - Quality Progress, Feb 2006 p35-40
  Using the Firestone case as an example, the author looks at what can happen when reputation losses are caused by a quality problem combined with negative publicity. Argues that a quality maintenance system works better and costs less than an inspection based system.
• The House that Fraud Built - Quality Progress, Jan 2006
  Quality function deployment, traditionally used to analyze customer needs, was used to identify and prioritize warning signs an organisation may be guilty of financial statement fraud.
• Improve profits with standards - Quality Progress, Aug 2005 p72-76
  A report on ISO/TR 10014 'Guidelines for managing the economics of quality.
• Learn to Talk Money - Quality Progress, May 2004
  Management is driven by financial performance. Understanding and accepting this fact will increase an initiative's chance of success if the quality professional can express the benefits of the initiative in terms of its monetary impact.
  

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Quality Management - Customer Service

• Asking the right questions - Quality World July 2011-07-05, p34-37. How to design a customer survey to get the right kind of feedback to drive improvement.
• Loud and clear Quality Progress Feb 2011 p32-38. How does a company know when it is working on the right improvement projects? This article advocates listening to the voice of the customer and linking feedback to the system for process governance. The author uses the financial institution “The Depository Trust & Clearance Corp” and its excellence program as an example.
• Lessons in loyalty Quality Progress March 2011-04-12 p24-31. States that business growth depends on improving customer loyalty behaviour – defined as : “the degree to which customers experience positive feelings for, possess allegiance to and exhibit positive behaviours toward a company”. The article goes on to describe an approach that can be used to identify and assess three customer loyalty components – retention, advocacy and purchasing – with the aim of being able to better understand their customers and so formulate better business strategies.
• Integrating inputs - A system to capture and react to Voice of the Customer (VOC) can pay dividends. Quality Progress p64-66 -How to use the information supplied by customers to the organisation to improve client retention and loyalty
• Staying ahead of the curve - Quality World Nov 2010 p34-37. How do you know that your customer service is good or even exceptional? This article looks at three potential ways of benchmarking customer service.
• The customer alarm : using SPC to prevent a customer crisis - Quality management Forum v35 n3 2010
  This article aims to show how to use SPC to identify those customers who have not received good service from you and whose problems need to be sorted out before they take their business to a competitor.
• One size won't fit all - Quality World Sept 2009 p32-37
  Looks at the challenges involved for quality professionals when implementing a standard solution in a new context.
• Value is priceless - Quality World Nov 2009 p28-31
  Assessing how customers value your product is the key to producing profit. Looks at what customer value is, and how to find out what it is that the customer does value.
• Engagement and empathy - Quality World Feb 2010 p18-21
  The author looks at some factors that characterise companies that are good at customer relationship management. To effectively implement a customer management strategy the "entire organisation needs to be aligned in terms of end objectives". Describes the use of a tool called Talengene UK which aims to help CEOs objectively evaluate their strategy and see how others involved in the process understand the strategy. Lists how the purpose of a strategy can be established and how this sense of purpose can be influenced by effective leadership, and explains the role of customer-facing employees.
• Divide profits and conquer - Quality World Feb 2010 p22-25
  Case study of how "John Lewis" department stores - voted Britain's favourite retailer in 2009 by Which? magazine - builds good customer relationships.
• The ultimate question - Quality World Feb 2010 p26-29
  Looks at a tool called the "Net promoter score" which is a key metric that helps companies measure and improve customer experience. It is based on the single question: "How likely are you to recommend (Company or Product X) to a friend or colleague?".Looks at the aims and challenges for the tool and presents two case studies of companies who have used it - Symantec and Virgin media.
• Focussing on customers - Quality World March 2008 p22-27
  Looks at how the concept of customer focus is now supported by the three standards ISO 10001, ISO 10002 and 10003. These three standards are briefly discussed and a case study of VGZ in the Netherlands which uses the standards is presented.
• Customer loyalty: Your customers are talking, but are you listening? - Quality Progress, Feb 2006 p22-27
  Most companies have no process to actively listen to their customers, record what they've heard, analyse and then act on it. This article recommends a process where you follow steps entitled: listen, collect, analyze, improve and then explains how the process works in practice. Includes a sample customer contact form.
• Manage complaints to enhance loyalty - Quality Progress, Feb 2006 p28-34
  This article aims to give the necessary facts and high level calculations to establish complaint handling as a priority at your company and part of its ongoing strategy to improve loyalty and, ultimately, to increase profits.
• Link satisfaction to market share and profitability - Quality Progress, Feb 2006 p50-57
  Looks at how increased customer satisfaction can lead to increased profitability, and looks at how organizations can link satisfaction data to financial performance.
• 6 ways to benefit from customer complaints - Quality Progress, Sept 2005 p49-54
  This article presents 6 ideas which could help an organization’s business performance through effective handling of customer complaints.
• Standards: As easy as 10001,2,3 - Quality Progress, Jun 2004
  Reports on the new ISO standards 10001, 10002 and 10003 on customer satisfaction. Gives an overview of how the three relate to each other, the structure of the standards, the benefits they are aiming for and then compares them to ISO 9001:2000.
• The Question - Quality World, Apr 2004
  There has always been criticism of ISO 9001 and its certification regime. It has been called a bureaucracy without benefit to customers. What performance-based aspects of a company's management system should potential customers enquire about before signing a contract?
• The Problem with Surveys - Quality World, Apr 2004
  With the arrival of ISO 9001 even small organisations are required to monitor customer satisfaction. But how feasible is this and can it be monitored cost effectively? Martin Gosling examines the problem with surveys.
• Just ask the customer: some tips on surveys - The Business Improver, Aug 2002
  

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Quality Management - Six Sigma

• Is 6 still the magic number? Quality World Aug 2011 p18-21.Explains what six sigma is and what it can be used for, how it is implemented and some of the things that can go wrong when using the method.
• The evolution of six sigma Quality World Aug 2011 p22-26. Looks at some of the reasons why emphasis has shifted in some big companies away from using six sigma towards lean thinking and methods that give rapid results.
• Sigma in context : a view from Scottish businesses Quality World Aug 2011 p32-35. Reports on a study on the use of quality management techniques and tools used in Scottish manufacturing. Lists the top 8 reasons for using QI tools and techniques, the success factors for the application of quality improvement tools and techniques and also the fundamental barriers when applying quality improvement tools and techniques.
• Six sigma on a small scale - Quality World Sept 2010 p26- Looks at the results of research which suggests that many SME's would benefit from undertaking initiatives such as six sigma and lean.
• Introducing Kai Sigma - Quality World June 2008 p29-32
  Six sigma can seem a bit daunting to many organisations. The author argues that an easier approach is kai sigma, which brings together the concepts of kaizen (involving people in continuously improving performance) within the framework of the DMAIC tool used in six sigma. Gives 2 case studies.
• The case for six sigma - Quality World June 2008 p16-20
  Five experts give their opinion on six sigma, both for and against.
• Six-Sigma and lean in action - Q-Newz Jan/Feb 2008
  Mel Thornley looks at the use of six-sigma and lead approaches to business processes in New Zealand.
• An introduction to six sigma - Q-Ne wz
  Introduced as an easy to read overview of six sigma
• Six sigma in a service organisation - Quasar no. 101, Oct 2007
  Case study of Covance Laboratories (US) giving a brief outline of what six sigma is and how its implementation at Covance led to streamlined processes, removal of waste from systems, financial benefits and a different approach to quality.
• Deployment : Start off on the right foot - Robin Gates, Quality Progress August 2007
  If a six sigma project is to deliver anticipated benefits it is important to do the groundwork first. Explains what you should do before even deciding to deploy six sigma and then describes how the project could be approached.
• Does six sigma work in service industries? - Quality Progress, Sept 2005 p55-60
  There is a perception that six sigma only works for manufacturing companies. This article argues against that and looks at how six sigma can add value throughout the customer service and delivery process.
• Lean six sigma reduces medication errors - Quality Progress, Apr 2005 p51
  Case study of an anonymous mid sized hospital which used lean six sigma to determine what changes in policy and practices might be necessary to significantly reduce medication errors.
• Back to the Future at Ford  - Quality Progress, Mar 2005
  By making the decision to move forward by going back to basics, Ford saw a 27% decrease in warranty spending and saved more than $2 billion with six sigma.
• DOE and Six Sigma - Quality Progress, Mar 2004
  Use approximate techniques to convert discrete data for use in traditional design of experiments.
• Golf and Six Sigma - Quality Progress, Nov 2002
  Use Six Sigma metrics to drive proper process behaviour
• The Seagate Story - Quality World
  Storage technology provider Seagate Technology is reaping the benefits from the toughest goal achieved through six sigma - cultural integation.
  

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Quality Management - Tools

• 1. Added traction - Quality Progress June 2010 p44-51
  Looks at what the balanced scorecard is and how it can be used as "a cycle of improvement
• 2. Becoming the best of the best - Quality World June 2010 p26-29
  Looks at the organisational philosophy of hoshin kanri which says that it is "the task of every employer to draw out and effectively use the infinite capabilities of every employee". The author says that sometimes it happens by accident but it can happen by design and describes how you could put the hoshin process into practice.
• 3. The picture of a problem - Quality World June 2010 p30-35
  Argues that when managing and implementing management systems, systems managers come across points of concern. The author gives a method of expressing these concerns as a series of matrices. Each matrix can look at an issue from two dimensions and after each matrix there is a list of possible actions that can be taken. How to create and use the matrices is explained. The paper is a shortened version of one that can be downloaded from www.bsigroup.co.uk/matrices or I have a copy in the library.

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Quality Management - Public Sector

• More with less - Quality World Apr 2011, p40-43. Private companies in the UK such as Tesco collect relevant information to inform day-to-day decision making but public bodies waste time and effort collecting information that is rarely if ever used or useable. The author argues that public sector leaders need to take ownership of management information and analysis to ensure they turn data into better decision-making and insights that lead to actual performance improvements. Gives Christchurch City Council (NZ) as an example of one of the most advanced public sector organizations in the strategic use of lean.
• Providing wise council - Quality World July 2010 p22-26 Case study of Stratford District Council which was rated as a "weak performer" in 2005 by the UK Audit Council. The management team at the Council developed a model which used 5 principles of behaviour and 5 rules for talking to each other to develop a culture of improvement. Looks at the improvements achieved in the Council and what they hope to do next.
• Going local - Quality World July 2010 p18-21 How quality management can help UK local councils cope with the spending cuts and changes to funding announced in the UK in May of this year.
• Shifting systems thinking - Quality World April 2008 p34-38
  Looks at the way the public sector in the UK has changed since the mid 1970s from an emphasis on investment in infrastructure to being treated as a market. Although monetarists claim that the reforms have not gone far enough, the author argues that the evidence shows that the experiment in ideology is now in trouble. Housing benefits are used as an illustration to show how much of the demands on the system are actually caused by a failure to do something or something right for the customer. Problems are compared with Demings theories. The author would like the regime to change its philosophy from one of compliance and target to one of innovation and service.
• Public sector - so what? - Quality World, Jul 2004
  The public sector is "different" to its private and voluntary counterparts, e.g. They cannot simply change direction for commercial reasons and can be arbitrarily reorganised, reformed or closed down even when performing brilliantly. The author gives examples of different approaches making a management system work in this context.
• Better service : lower cost - Quality World, Jul 2004
  West Sussex County Council has achieved improved quality of service with lower costs using 'systems thinking' , sometimes referred to as 'lean thinking'. This approach, which is described as not about people but about the design of the system, uses the check, plan do process. WSCC tried out the approach in its recruitment and education departments first.
• Quality in the fast lane - Quality Progress, Jun 2004
  Case study of The Federal Highway Administration in Utah, which has created a streamlined model for assessing its field offices. Based on the Baldrige criteria, this new method allows assessments to be completed in five days with proper preparation

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Quality Management - Healthcare

• Healthcare: Get the whole picture - Quality Progress Feb 2010 p32-38
  Looks at the quality method called "Systems thinking" and how it applies to hospitals. Systems thinking means focusing on the hospital as a whole rather than on individual parts or departments with the primary emphasis on the care of the patient. The author says that generally speaking most failures occur because of problems with the process - inadequate methods and procedures, a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities. A key tool used in systems thinking is the process map showing links between different groups.
• Supply and demand join forces - Quality World Dec 2009 p26-31
  Looks at the development of a free guide by the CQI's Pharmaceutical Quality Group which aims to provide guidance on reducing supply chain risk in the pharmaceutical industry. The guide, ICH 09, is due to be published on 23 Feb 2010 and then will be available at www.pqg.org
• Dare to care : hospitals must rethink incentives to emphasise quality of care - Quality Progress June 2009
  Argues that here are two characteristics to consider when measuring quality in healthcare - quality of service and quality of care. Looks at the difference between the two and at three models for the measurement of quality of care.
• Getting productive - Quality World Dec 2008
  Looks at the role and work of the NHS Institute of Innovation and Improvement which was formed in 2005. The Institute has developed a "Productive series" which uses a body of knowledge that has been developed into clinical systems improvement (CSI) methods and philosophies. The article explains the use of The Productive Ward programme which uses CSI techniques to reduce time nurses spend on activities other than patient care and gives some examples of its successes.
• Failing the English patient - Quality Word Dec 2008
  Looks at the reforms in the NHS and just how successful - or not - they have been. Argues that the cost savings achieved by privatisation have caused the decline in the quality of the service and that the ideology behind the changes is faulty.
• Something to lean on - Quality World Dec 2008
  Looks at the application of "lean" in hospitals and other community based health services. Explains some of the risks and complexities involved in using the tool before outlaying 5 keys to using it properly.
• In the final analysis - Quality World Dec 2008
  Case study of LGC Forensics, accredited to ISO 17025, which is the largest privately owned forensic science provider in the UK. The laboratory follows ILAC G19 which UKAS uses as an appropriate criteria for assessment. Looks briefly at their management system and the accreditation process.
• Making healthcare lean - Quality Progress, July 2006 p24-30
  Argues that lean processes could contribute as much to the healthcare sector as they have to the auto industry. Points out the eight wastes in manufacturing also apply to healthcare - Overproduction, inventory, motion, transportation, overprocessing, defects, waiting and underutilizing staff. Then looks at the lean tools and techniques and how they could be applied to healthcare, with examples.
• Change healthcare organizations from good to great - Quality Progress, Nov 2005 p22-29
  It is estimated that 98 000 people die in US hospitals each year as a result of medical errors, and that for every person who dies from a hospital error or an infection, 5 to 10 others suffer a non-fatal infection. The article argues that medical science knows what to do but there is a knowing-doing gap. The solution to closing the gap lies with three primary drivers - leadership, culture and systems. Each of these topics is discussed.
• Beyond Standards - Quality Progress - Mar 2004
  In healthcare, where accreditations are critical for financial, regulatory and customer related reason, one organization has used ISO 9000 to take its QMS above what was required for accreditation. This article describes how SAORS did it.
• FMEA - the cure for Medical errors - Quality Progress, Aug 2003
  St Joseph's Community Hospital in West Bend WI, will close in the next few years to make room for a new hospital. This replacement facility will represent a breakthrough in hospital design.
  

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Quality Management - Manufacturing

• Not your normal SOP Quality Progress June 2011 p24-28. Looks at some new ways to capture and disseminate knowledge so standard operating procedures can be understood and followed correctly. The author comes from Roche Carolina and he briefly describes some of the methods they used in their “Enlightenment Knowledge Tree” – videos, photos, flowcharts, wikis, a knowledge management structure and an online evaluation form among them.
• Root cause analysis - Quasar No. 115 April 2011. Four articles published together in the April edition on root cause analysis. The first, “Surviving root cause analysis” argues that the key is making sure it is “controlled by a robust process and creating a positive action plan to prevent recurrence”. The second article “Facilitating effective root cause analysis” argues you should look at “what happened”, not “who did it”. The third looks at root cause analysis from a manufacturing perspective and the fourth talks about the common mistake of dealing with the symptoms – how the problem appears – rather than with the root cause.
• Know your limits : avoid misunderstandings and mismanagement of statistical limits in manufacturing settings - Quality Progress May 2011, p36-41. How to understand the various types of statistical limits and know how to apply them.
• Righting the wrongs : why it’s important to find the root cause – and how to do it. Quality Progress Feb 2011 P64-66. Looks at what an effective corrective and preventive action system needs and gives an eight step process that can be used to identify and eliminate a root cause of a problem.
• Tools of the Trade: Basic risk analysis Quality World March 2011 p50. How to establish risk severity through the analysis of probability and impact.
• Magic Eight - Quality World Jan 2011 p30-35 - The author looks at some limitations of the classic lean principles - primarily the lack of attention to people and being too focused inside the organisation. He then goes on to describe eight new principles of lean which he calls the 8Ps. This article, the first of two, explains the first three principles - Purpose, Process and People.
• Fire fighting with DMAIC - Quality Progress Oct 2010 p48-51 How to contain short term problems and develop long-term improvements.
• The relevance of Kaizin/Lean, here now! by Danie Vermeulen Business Plus Magazine Issue 76 Nov 2010. - This is the first of a four part series that aims to explain how Lean can make NZ organisations more efficient, productive, flexible and profitable.
• The age old question - does "lean" apply to our industry? - NZ Manufacturer Oct 2010 p26. Vishnu Rayapeddi explains how "Lean thinking" can be applied in any industry. Looks briefly at the three 'M's often used together in the Toyota Production System that describes wasteful practice and gives some examples of such activities.
• Resources for root cause analysis - Inside Laboratory management May/June 2010 This article gives some basic information on Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and some of the resources available for developing RCA in a laboratory setting. Provides a table listing some tools, techniques and models for RCA, some of which can be found online.
• Keep it simple - Quality Progress Sept 2010 p24-28 looks at the three fundamentals needed for success when using lean technology with an explanation for each. They are: Lean is about people, not techniques; Lean is a mind-set, not a toolset; Lean is a journey, not a destination.
• Under scrutiny : New approach to root cause analysis can help clear up misconceptions - Quality Progress April 2010 p32-37
  Looks at some of the limitations of the cause and effect model - confirmation bias, researchers unable to go beyond their current knowledge, lack of training on human performance issues, looking for and identifying a single root cause. He presents an alternative definition - "the absence of a best practice and the failure to apply knowledge that would have prevented the problem" and briefly explains a new method.
• Total recall - Quality World Dec 2009 p32-35
  A useful article for companies which gives advice on how to manage a product recall from the first notification of a problem, evaluating the extent of the problem and initiating the recall through to reviewing the cause of the product failure after the crisis.
• The forecast looks bright - Quality World Feb 2010 p36-39
  Looks at the processes involved in trend forecasting, particularly the identification of trends, looking at the potential impact of a trend and then how to turn the analysis into a practical business strategy. Discusses the benefits and challenges involved.
• Using Design of Experiments (DoE) to develop or improve a process - Quality Management Forum v35 n3 Fall 2009
  This article outlines a study performed in order to develop parameters for a new step in a manufacturing process.
• Prepared for battle - Quality Progress June 2009
  Argues that with sound quality management a company should be able to operate in a bad economic climate as well as in a good one; that if an organization is competitive and prepared to follow the needs of the market it will prosper. If you are better than the competition they will go bust and leave you with their share of the market. The exception to this rule is where a competing technology makes your product obsolete. The author lists examples of where the neglect of well-known QM practices led to drastic consequences. Says that whatever is done to cut costs, it must not have a visible effect on the customer. Rather effort should be put into reducing waste and inefficiencies and adding value.
• Project performance measurement - Quality World June 2009
  How to measure progress in projects - progress in active work, cost of the investment and benefits delivered.
• Waste elimination? The central theme of lean - NZ Engineering News June 2009
  A brief summary of the basic concepts of the Toyota production System.
• Constructive envy - Quality World Jan 2009
  The more complacent the organisation, the less effective it is in delivering service. The more benchmarking you do, the better your performance. Briefly looks at processes involved.
• Flip the switch - Quality Progress Oct 2008
  Looks at what root cause analysis is and how it can be used. Gives two case studies.
• Putting it all together: continuous improvement is better than postponed perfection - Quality Progress p56-59
  To achieve even more improvement the answer lies in developing a comprehensive process management system that integrate the three critical components of Process design, process monitoring or control and process improvement.
• More is not always better - Quality Progress Oct 2008 p63-66
  Having the right data is more important than having a large sample size.
• Blurred vision Quality Progress - July 2008 p29-33
  Looks at why some people in business see quality and business improvement as separate topics. Lists and debunks eight myths surrounding quality improvement which are commonly quoted by managers.
• Upon further review - Quality Progress Apr 2008 p88
  Looks at the importance of performing a product release readiness review and how to go about it.
• Root cause analysis for beginners - Quality Progress, July 2004
  Root cause analysis helps identify what, how and why something happened, thus preventing recurrence. This article looks at how to do do root cause analysis using a four-step process. Includes an example problem.
• Eight steps to sustain change - Quality Progress, Nov 2007
  Another article on change management, this one briefly looking at what can go wrong and why before listing eight steps which a company can follow to implement and secure process improvements successfully. They are: 1. Define the need and necessity for making improvements 2. Create and communicate a unifying purpose 3. identify formal and informal work alliances and ensure their participation 4. Create a plan of action 5. Empower people to take action 6. Create opportunities for small, meaningful accomplishments 7. Expand the accomplishments and complete the unfinished change activities 8. Reinforce the new approach.
• Time to measure up - Q uality World Sept 2007
  Looks at Key Performance Indicators and the common problems companies face when using the tool and then offers some solutions. The key points offered are: develop a measurement process driven by the voice of the customer, minimise the number of strategic objectives, validate the measure and the measurement systems through the eyes of stakeholders, consider the use of a balanced scorecard and strategy map, invest time in understanding the drivers that contribute to each KPI, perform sense check on the measures and use weighted criteria to prioritise the measures and KPIs.
• Plan experiments to prevent problems - Quality Progress Sept 2007
• Linking the supply chain to TQM - Quality Progress, Nov 2006 p29-35
  Managing the quality of suppliers must go beyond simply measuring contract compliance to gathering knowledge, managing risk and executing program management.
• How to perform root cause analysis - Dawn Miller, Inside Laboratory Management, Jul/Aug 2006
  The author aims to provide an approach to performing root cause analysis which corrects the problem with the process which caused the problem.
• Process management: Beyond PDCA - A new process management model - Quality Progress, July 2006 p45-52
  The author questions the need for the "Check" action in the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and instead proposes a new management model called the 4P's cycle. The 4 Ps are listed as being Prepare, Perform, Perfect and Progress. The article explains why he feels the change is needed, how the 4Ps will work and compares then to the PDCA cycle.
• Supplier chain management: Seven steps to measure supplier performance - Quality Progress, Aug 2005 p20-25
  Explains why you should measure supplier performance and then lists and expands on 7 steps which comprise a process for developing and deploying supplier assessment.
• Tools of the trade: Kobayashi's 20 keys - Quality World, Jul 2004
  Presents Kobayashi's 20 keys, which is practically a list of 20 of the top manufacturing improvement processes.
  
• 1. Supply chains and ISO 9001 ISO Focus+ April 2010 p37-39
  The IAF are placing a much greater emphasis of the effectiveness of a QMS in achieving the objective of "consistent, conforming products". ISO has published a brochure "ISO 9001 - What does it mean in the supply chain?", which can be found online at: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/management_standards/iso_9000_iso_14000/more_resources_9000/9001supchain.htm . This article summarizes the advice which aims to tell purchasers about what ISO 9001 can and cannot achieve.
  
• 2. Be prepared: What every company should do to weather a product recall - Quality Progress May 2010 p16-21
  
  

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