Development of any material, whether the research content, product, service or any other entity, is a tedious process requiring a perfectly designed pathway. But, the procedure does not end here. Regardless of the aim for perfection, chances of error and faulty deliveries always persist.
Delivering efficient and top-quality material while rejecting failed procedures requires quality checks. Top-notch quality check tools not only aid in the process but significantly mitigate the hurdles encountered along the way.
Benefits of Quality Tools
Quality control tools, when implemented accurately, can provide numerous benefits to enhance productivity and achieve the desired goals. Here are some of the well-known advantages of quality tools in diverse sectors.
- Cost-effective options
- Aid in enhancing end-user satisfaction
- Improve the efficiency of the process or product
- Remove the chance of errors and save time for other task management
- Help save human resources, physical assets and energy
- Optimize the process of productivity with no errors
- An increase in productivity is guaranteed when quality control tools are correctly implemented.
Best Quality Control Tools
Here are some top-notch quality tools that benefit overall productivity:
Check List
The checklist was introduced by Boeing in 1935. Individuals and companies use a checklist to collect information in an organized way. It is a list of identified problems that need to be acknowledged. Once acknowledged and resolved, a tick corresponding to that problem should be marked.
Checklists aid in delivering quality products and services, meeting the customer’s expectations. Furthermore, it helps employees to understand if the change incorporated in the checklist has resulted in a permanent and qualitative solution.
Pareto Chart
The Pareto chart incorporates bars and line graphs. Bars are used to represent the values. However, line graphs portray the total impact. The Pareto chart aids in finding the problems and discovering their frequency.
Furthermore, it also tells the industrial employees to prioritize the most significant problem and identify its causes. It is a crucial step to implement quality measures to eliminate the problem. According to Vilfredo Pareto, the Pareto law, also refers to the 80/20 rule, determines that 20% of causes can result in 80% of the effects in most of the events.
Histogram
Karl Pearson introduced a quality control tool called histogram. It is a graphical representation of frequency distribution. A histogram indicates how significantly the values occur in a dataset. It helps professionals to evaluate distinct types of information and problems in different groups of datasets.
Areas with low performance portray low frequency in histogram and vice versa. After identifying and calculating the frequencies, professionals acknowledge the areas of improvement and the root cause to design quality control to overcome the problem.
Scatter Diagram
One of the top quality control tools that aids in evaluating the relationship between the two variables. It works as a correlation chart that depicts the cause of effect on one variable due to another. The scatter chart was first introduced by John F. W. Herschel in 1833.
Through a scatter chart, all possibilities of defects can be visualized and acknowledged to eliminate the cause and improve the overall quality of the process or product. On identifying the accurate issue, professionals can implement the focused solution and get the desired result in quality enhancement.
Graphs
The graph is one of the common quality control tools and is known as the simplest form than others. It helps to find if the current process, product or system is meeting the estimated level. In case the quality doesn't reach the expectations, the graph evaluates and records the deviation level from the standard guidelines. Professionals use graphs to visually illustrate the dataset's relationship when the data's descriptive form (text format) is more complex.
Control chart
Professionals use the control chart to evaluate and observe how the process changes with time. The data is plotted on a chart with respect to the time graph. The lower line portrays the lower control limit. However, the upper line represents the upper control limit. In contrast, there is a central line showcasing the average limit. Each line is calculated by the historical data.
Walter A has introduced the concept of control charts. Through the control chart, we can observe that the process is stable and is in control or requires certain adjustments to take in the control. Furthermore, the control chart does not overreact to minor fluctuations in the normal process. However, it typically provides a quick response to major or unusual variations.
The Fishbone Diagram
Ishikawa, or fishbone diagram, is named for its resemblance to the bone of the fish. Invented by Kaoru Ishikawa in 1968, it is a powerful quality control tool to help break complex problems and focus on a specific problem from various perspectives. Through the fishbone diagram, all the possible problems can be identified systematically.
The components of any fishbone diagram are the elements whose usage varies according to the industries. For instance, companies use 6 M’s in manufacturing, i.e., six elements in the fishbone diagram that may include manpower, methods, materials, machines, measurements and the mother nature or environment. There are other variations of the fishbone diagram. In product marketing, 6 M's are replaced by 8P’s, and in service industries, 6M’s are replaced by 4S.
Conclusion
Quality management tools help identify defects or errors during the process, eliminate the faults and improve the quality. It aids in consistent monitoring and enhances goods or services' production rate and quality. Learning these tools and gaining proficiency in them helps uncover multiple aspects of career growth and new job opportunities.
A full-fledged course on PGP Digital Supply Chain Management covers more of such quality control tools and techniques to let the candidates contribute to the quality delivery of the industry. The course is designed by experts with years of experience in the field. Awarding the certificate of Purdue University, Simplilearn also offers hands-on experience on real-world projects to help you become interview and job-ready.
FAQs
1. What are quality management tools?
Quality management tools are utilized by organizations to identify problems and eliminate them to boost the productivity rates of goods or services. It helps to deliver high-quality products across many industries.
2. What are some basic tools used for quality management?
Some of the basic tools used for quality management include the Ishikawa diagram, histogram, control chart, check sheet (tally sheet), Flowchart, etc.
