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We begin the discussion with our definition of the five major components of a quality objective:
General statement;
Metric;
Target (goal);
Presentation by champion;
Flow downs.
The definitions are illustrated by example in Table 15.1. In the table, we indicate how three different-sized sites might respond to three different quality objective statements. The key difference for site size is exemplified in the form of presentation. As the sites increase in size, it is necessary to increase both the number of categories and the frequency of review periods to effectively track the larger set of data. For example, for a small site, all the shipments are counted, independent of product type, because the number of customers is limited—it could be just one—whereas for the mid-sized site, the graphs are plotted for each product line.
Site Size | Statement | Metric | Target | Presentation by Champion | Flow Downs |
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Small (<50) | Minimize company's late deliveries | Late shipments divided by all shipments | <1% Late shipments | Production manager graphs percentage by month over all shipments | Impacts purchasing |
Midsize (>50 but <500) | Maximize corporate production throughput | First pass yields for each product line | >85% First pass yields | Operations manager graphs percentage by month by product lines | Impacts production assembly and test and purchasing |
Large (>500) | Maximize divisional proposal wins | Bids won divided by total bids (by division) | >40% Winning proposals. | Vice president of sales graphs percentage by week by division | Impacts divisional marketing and sales |
For each quality objective statement, there is a clearly defined metric, target, form of presentation, and a statement with regard to flow down. For each impact, a subsidiary quality objective statement is required. Table 15.2 illustrates typical flow-down impacts.
Manufacturing Primary and Supporting Quality Objective(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Primary objective: ship product as specified by the customer-agreed-to shipping date | |||
| Target | Champion | Intranet location |
| >95% | Vice president of manufacturing | Shipping.xls |
First support objective: reduce NCMRs in assembly | |||
| Target | Champion | Intranet location |
| Zero | Assembly supervisors | NCMRs.xls |
Second Support objective: optimize first pass yields | |||
| Target | Champion | Intranet location |
| 80% | Vice president of manufacturing | Product Yields.xls |
Third support objective: optimize vendor/subcontractor evaluation on-time deliveries | |||
| Target | Champion | Intranet location |
| >98% | Purchasing supervisor | VendorsOT.xls |
Fourth support objective: optimize response to nonconformities | |||
| Target | Champion | Intranet location |
| Minimize | Vice president of quality assurance | NCRTime.xls |
In Table 15.2, we indicate how each primary objective that has been established by top management is assigned a metric, target, champion, method of presentation (on an intranet), and what the flow-down objectives could look like [2]. The exact number of flow-down levels is highly dependent on the site size. The flow-down objectives fulfill the Standard's requirements to do the following:
Meet requirements for product;
Be established at relevant functions and levels within the organization;
Be measurable.
The table considers manufacturing's primary quality objective: "Ship product as specified by the customer-agreed-to shipping date." Then, the impact of other departments that are essential to the successful achievement of this objective are considered, and objectives are established for those departments in a way that supplements manufacturing's efforts. The flow down carries through four stages and involves the participation of assembly supervisors, the purchasing supervisor, and the vice president of quality assurance in support of the vice president of manufacturing.
The quality objectives must also be consistent with the quality policy. If we assume that the quality policy statement is, for example, "Quality within the Excellent Corporation means never being satisfied with anything less than a delighted customer," we easily meet this consideration. You will need to make sure that your quality objectives are in harmony with your quality policy statement.
It is important to keep in mind that to create an effective QMS, the quality objectives must be written in language that is meaningful to the users and defined by a metric that is uniquely measurable. This does not imply that the metric is easy to measure.
For example, if the on-time-delivery metric is determined by the delivery date to a customer (e.g., less than 30 days from receipt of order), you are subject to traffic and docking issues that are beyond your control. By contrast, if the shipping date determines the delivery time, you have total control of the measurement. In addition, for this metric, it is necessary to have at least two distinct categories: (1) shipping dates for product that the customer has not revised the schedule, either verbally or by written notice; and (2) a category in that numerous revisions have been allowed. Otherwise, the measurement will be meaningless.
The application of the appropriate statistics requires a careful evaluation of what makes sense for the site. Do not be afraid to change the measurement method as often as necessary until you have found a truly meaningful metric.
[2]Online quality management systems have become common, especially for tier I and tier II documentation. See, for example, Accardi, Valeri, "ISO 9000 Without a Paper Manual," Quality Progress, November 2001, p. 86, at http://www.asq.org.
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