he meaning and benefits of quality assurance
Quality Assurance (QA)
The idea of ‘quality’ is understood less exactly in everyday life than it is in a business context. Popularly, it suggests a degree of excellence whereas it is formally defined to be ‘the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear upon its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs’ (ISO8402). Defined in this way, the assurance of quality relies on the effective management (quality management) of all those affairs of an organisation that influence the satisfaction of customer need.
QA – a phrase coined shortly after the Second World War – is a philosophy of management. It provides confidence within an organisation, and between the parties to a contract, that specific requirements for quality will be consistently met. It advocates a more formal and systematic management style and approach to work through the establishment and documentation of well-defined procedures. By enabling greater control of activity and emphasising the importance of preventive measures to eliminate causes of deficiency, the adoption of the principles of QA leads to performance improvement, reduction of waste, improvement of customer satisfaction and confidence, and enhanced profitability, efficiency and competitive status.
The concepts, disciplines and technique of QA have revolutionised industrial strategies for competitive survival worldwide, and the principles of management, necessary to assure quality, have been summarised in published standards such as ISO9001. These principles have been interpreted to apply to all kinds of manufacturing, process and service organisations, irrespective of the nature of their business. Their application, properly accompanied by a genuine commitment to quality and a desire for continuous improvement, has resulted in countless examples of business revival and success.
The establishment of a system of management based on ISO9001 is fundamental to the realisation of QA. It is the foundation for an ongoing quality improvement programme.
Benefits
The prime objective of QA is to increase the profitability of an organisation. Attention to good management practices produces an environment in which:
- the incidence of errors and defects (and material waste) is reduced;
- supplier problems diminish;
- documented procedures ensure that people know what they are supposed to do; wasteful practices and eliminated; progress is monitored systematically;
- any corrective action is implemented effectively;
- conformance to requirements can be easily demonstrated; and
- quality is accomplished at the first attempt.
Improvements to product/service quality result in improved customer satisfaction, thereby enhancing an organisation’s reputation and market share. Moreover, the establishment of a quality system invites contribution from everyone and can therefore have a motivating effect on all those involved.
Certification to ISO9001 by a Certification Body accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) can be an important marketing tool, which has international significance. Certification may assist export and/or prevent loss of business to foreign competitors certified to the same standard. It is a requirement for a firm seeking kite-marked product approval, and is looked on favourably by insurers against product liability claims. Customer organisations may decide that they need not carry out their own assessments of a firm certified to ISO9001 by a third party.