Quality articles

What is Quality? -- Quality has many definitions and a sometimes perplexing reputation. This article goes back basics and takes a bigger picture to frame quality into the fuller business context.

Three Pillars of Quality -- Modern quality started in the factory but soon spread out to the rest of the business. This legacy is still dominant. The further from the factory you are, the more quality benefits from new and different thinking.

The Three Es of Process Excellence -- We often focus on Efficiency and Effectiveness in processes, but there is a missing 'third E' that, if ignored, can lead to process failure.

Breaking the Fad-Failure Cycle -- Around 80% of improvement and change programmes fail, largely due to a focus on quick results that overwhelms the longer-term sustainable value-creation.

The Social Success of Six Sigma -- A paradox about Six Sigma is that despite its 'hard' image, it succeeds by managing the 'soft' social aspects that have led to the failure of other improvement methodologies.

Beyond Six Sigma -- Six Sigma is not the final solution and maybe not the right solution for you. It can, however, be adjusted, extended and improved to suit most situations.