Part Four TQM – The Organizational, Communication and Teamwork Requirements

1. Part FourTQM – The Organizational, Communication and Teamwork Requirements Chapter # 10 Organization for quality

2. Chapter Outline • 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • 10.2 Councils, Committees and teams • 10.3 Quality Improvement teams • 10.4 Quality circles or Kaizen teams

3. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • In many organizations management systems are viewed in terms of the internal dynamics between marketing, design, sales, production/operations, distribution, accounting, etc. • A change is required from this to a larger system that encompasses and integrates the business interests of customers and suppliers. • Management needs to develop an in depth understanding of these relationships and how they may be used to cement the partnership concept.

4. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • The quality function should be the organization’s focal point in this respect, and should be equipped to gauge internal and external customers’ expectations and degree of satisfaction. It should also identify quality deficiencies in all business functions, and promote improvements. • The role of the quality function is to make quality an inseparable aspect of every employee’s performance and responsibility.

5. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • The first objectives for many ‘quality managers’ will be to gradually disengage themselves from line activities, which will then need to be dispersed throughout the appropriate operating departments. • This should allow quality to evolve into a ‘staff’ department at a senior level, and to be concerned with the following throughout the organization: • Encouraging and facilitating quality improvement. • Monitoring and evaluating the progress of quality improvement. • Promoting the ‘partnership’ in quality, in relations with customers and suppliers.

6. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • Planning, managing, auditing, and reviewing quality systems. • Planning and providing quality training and counseling or consultancy. • Giving advice to management on: • Establishment of quality systems and process control. • Relevant statutory/legislation requirements with respect to quality. • Quality improvement programs necessary. • Inclusion of quality elements in all job instructions and procedures.

7. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • Quality directors and managers have an initial task, however, to help those who control the means to implement this concept – the leaders of industry and commerce – to really believe that quality must become an integral part of all the organization’s operations. • The shift in ‘philosophy’ will require considerable staff education in many organizations. • Not only must people in other functions acquire quality related skills, but quality personnel must change old functions acquire new skills.

8. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • The challenge for many quality professionals is not so much making changes in their organization as recognizing the changes required in themselves. • It is more than an overnight job to change the attitudes of an inspection police force into those of a consultative, team-oriented improvement force. This emphasis on prevention and improvement-based systems elevates the role of quality professionals from a technical one to that of general management.

9. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager TQM appointments • Many organizations have realized the importance of the contribution a senior, qualified director of quality can make to the prevention strategy. • Smaller organizations may well feel that the cost of employing a full-time quality manager is not justified, other than in certain very high risk areas. • In these cases a member of the management team should be appointed to operate on a part-time basis, performing the quality management function in addition to his/her other duties.

10. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • To obtain the best results from a quality director/manager, he should be given sufficient authority to take necessary action to secure the implementation of the organization’s quality policy, and must have the personality to be able to communicate the message to all employees, including staff, management and directors. • Occasionally the quality director/manager may require some guidance and help on specific technical quality matters, and one of the major attributes required is the knowledge and wherewithal to acquire the necessary information and assistance.

11. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager Assign a TQM director, manager or co-ordinator • This person will be responsible for the planning and implementation of TQM. • He will be chosen first for project management ability rather than detailed knowledge of quality assurance matters. • Depending on the size and complexity of the organization, and its previous activities in quality management, the position may be either full or part-time, but it must report directly to the Chief Executive.

12. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager Appoint a quality management advisor • A professional expert on quality management will be required to advise on the ‘technical’ aspects of planning and implementing TQM. • This is a consultancy role, and may be provided from within or without the organization, full or part-time. • This person needs to be a persuader, philosopher, teacher, adviser, facilitator, reporter and motivator.

13. 10.1 The quality function and the quality director or manager • He must clearly understand the organization, its processes and interfaces, be conversant with the key functional languages used in the business, and be comfortable operating at many organizational levels. • On a more general level this person must fully understand and be an effective advocate and teacher of TQM, be flexible and become an efficient agent of change.

14. 10.2 Councils, Committees and teams • The creation of cost effective quality improvement is difficult, because of the need for full integration with the organization’s strategy, operating philosophy and management systems. • It may require an extensive review and substantial revision of existing systems of management and ways of operating. • Authority must be given to those charged with following TQM through with actions that they consider necessary to achieve the goals.

15. 10.2 Councils, Committees and teams • The following steps are suggested in general terms. Clearly, different types of organization will have need to make adjustments to the detail, but the component parts are the basic requirements. • A disciplined and systematic approach to continuous improvement may be established in a quality council. • The council should meet at least monthly to review strategy, implementation progress, and improvement. • It should be chaired by the Chief Executive, who must attend every meeting.

16. 10.2 Councils, Committees and teams • The council members should include the top management team and the chairmen of any ‘site’ TQM steering committees or process quality teams, depending on the size of the organization. • The objectives of the council are to: • Provide strategic direction on TQM for the organization. • Establish plans for TQM on each ‘site’. • Set up and review the process quality teams that will own the key or critical business processes. • Review and revise quality plans for implementation.

17. 10.2 Councils, Committees and teams • The process quality teams (PQTs) and any site TQM steering committees should also meet monthly, shortly before the council meetings. • Every senior manager should be a member of at least one PQT. • This system provides the “top-down” support for employee participation in process management and development, through either a quality improvement team or a quality circle program. • It also ensures that the commitment to TQM at the top is communicated effectively through the organization.

18. 10.2 Councils, Committees and teams • The three-tier approach of quality council, process quality teams (PQTs) and quality improvements teams (QITs) allows the first to concentrate on quality strategy, rather than become a senior problem solving group. • Progress is assured if the PQT chairmen are required to present a status report at each meeting. • The PQTs or steering committees all control the QITs and have responsibility for: • The selection of projects for the QITs. • Providing an outline and scope for each project to give to the QITs.

19. 10.2 Councils, Committees and teams • The appointment of team members and leaders. • Monitoring and reviewing the progress and results from each QIT project. • The PQT members must be given the responsibility and authority to represent their part of the organization in the process. • The members must also feel that they represent the team to the rest of the organization. • In this way the PQT will gain knowledge and respect and be seen to have the authority to act in the best interests of the organization, with respect to their process.

20. 10.3 Quality Improvement teams • A quality improvement team (QIT) is a group of people with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience who are brought together specifically by management to tackle and solve a particular problem, usually on a project basis. Team selection and leadership • People with knowledge and experience relevant to solving the problem are clearly required. • There should be a limit of five to ten members to keep the team small enough to be manageable but allow a good exchange of ideas

21. 10.3 Quality Improvement teams • The team leader need not be the highest ranking person in the team, but must be concerned about accomplishing the team objectives and the needs of the members. Team objectives • At the beginning of any QIT project and at the start of every meeting the objectives should be stated as clearly as possible by the leader. • Project and/or meeting objectives enable the team members to focus thoughts and efforts on the aims, which may need to be restated if the team become distracted by other issues.

22. Adding the teams to the TQM model Tools Culture Process Customer Supplier Communication Teams Systems Commitment