Lesson 2 - Quality Assurance and Quality Management
This lesson looks at the management of quality both generally and in the brewery. It discusses definitions of quality and then explains and compares approaches to quality control and quality assurance. Next, it details the components of a formal quality management system as well as tools used in quality management. Finally, it explains what tools are available for the systematic management of food safety and product integrity, and considers how these apply in the brewing industry.
Point of Reflection - Reconvene
Welcome back. So, what were your thoughts?
The first three elements of the Six Sigma approach (Define, Measure, Analyse) are intelligence gathering activities which fit nicely into the Plan phase of PDCA. The Improve phase of DMAIC is obviously an action so aligns with Do. The Control phase of DMAIC is where the process is monitored and controlled in order to maintain the improvement so is a parallel of Check and Act.
Within DMAIC and DMADV other quality management tools are used to help achieve the elements.
There are several other commonly used quality-improvement tools that we have not got time to cover. If you are interested, here is a list of the more common ones for an internet search:
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Quality Function Deployment
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Cost of Quality
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Poke Yoke
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Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
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5S
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Pareto Analysis
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Ishikawa diagrams
Quality awards
There are a number of awards for quality around the globe. They are designed to recognise excellence of both organisations and individuals in the field of quality management and also to promote management of quality to all organisations. The first was the Deming Prize (named after you-know-who) which was established in Japan in 1951. The American Congress then launched The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) in 1987. Most developed countries now have a national award for quality. A Europe-wide award presented by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) is awarded on the basis of the organisation’s performance against the EFQM model of excellence which is a framework for quality management aimed at making businesses more competitive.