Thoroughly tested and used by students and proven to help students taking the American Society for Quality’s Certified Quality Improvement Associate exam, Essentials of Quality is highly accessible, experiential, and unique in its coverage of current quality management topics, from creative and innovative improvements and approaches to today’s economic environment to ways of developing metrics for measuring and evaluating programs. With non-academic, reader-friendly writing, the text features many chapter exercise and cases that provide students with hands-on experience.

Table of Contents:
Preface xi Acknowledgments xv About the Author xix SECTION I QUALITY BASICS 1 Chapter 1 Introduction to Quality 3 Chapter Objectives 3 Why Study Quality? 4 History of Quality 4 The Definition of Quality 4 Modern Definitions of Quality 5 Product Quality 7 Service Quality 8 Different Approaches to Defining Quality 9 Five Approaches to Defining Quality 10 Major Contributors to Our Understanding of Quality 11 Summary 19 Quality Definitions 20 Discussion Questions 20 Case Study 1.1: The Battle of the Gurus 21 Exercises and Activities 22 Supplementary Readings 23 References 23 Chapter 2 Strategic Quality Management and Operationalizing Quality 25 Chapter Objectives 25 Strategic Quality Management 26 The Strategic Planning Process 28 Strategic Deployment 31 Evaluation and Control 31 Approaches to Monitoring Progress toward Strategic Goals 33 Dimensions, Measures, and Metrics 34 Methods of Obtaining Input from Customers 39 Focus Groups 40 Surveys 42 Focus Groups and Surveys in Combination 43 Summary 43 Discussion Questions 43 Problems 44 Case Study 2.1: Second National Bank 47 Exercises and Activities 48 Supplementary Readings 49 References 49 SECTION II QUALITY OF DESIGN 51 Chapter 3 Designing Quality into Products and Services 53 Chapter Objectives 53 The Seven Management Tools 54 Quality Function Deployment 57 Design for Six Sigma 59 Taguchi Robustness Concepts 60 Reliability 60 Types of Reliability Systems 61 Reliability Life Characteristic Concepts (e.g., Bathtub Curve) 67 Mean Time Between Failures 69 Modeling Product Life with Normal Distribution 71 Risk Assessment Tools and Risk Prevention 72 Failure Mode and Effects Analysis 73 Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) 76 Error Proofing 77 Summary 78 Discussion Questions 78 Problems 79 Case Study 3.1: Building the Better Mouse 82 Exercises and Activities 82 Supplementary Readings 83 References 83 Chapter 4 Innovation and Creativity in Quality 85 Chapter Objectives 85 Breakthrough (Radical) Improvement versus Incremental Improvement 86 Increasing Creativity 88 Organizational versus Individual Creativity 91 Designing the Innovative Organization 91 Elements of a Creative Organization 92 Tools and Techniques for Increasing Organizational Creativity 95 Increasing Individual Creativity 95 Myths about Individual Creativity 95 The Importance of Technological Forecasting 96 Summary 99 Discussion Questions 99 Case Study 4.1: Smallburg Community Bank 100 Exercises and Activities 100 Supplementary Readings 102 References 102 SECTION III QUALITY SYSTEMS TO ASSURE CONFORMANCE TO DESIGN 105 Chapter 5 Quality Systems and Quality Systems Auditing 107 Chapter Objectives 107 Quality Management Systems 108 Elements of a Quality Management System 108 ISO 9000 109 IS0/TS 16949 and QS-9000 111 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) 117 Other Approaches 118 Six Sigma 119 Quality Auditing 120 Specific Types of Quality Audits 120 Performing a Quality System Audit 122 Quality Information Systems 123 Data Accuracy and Security 124 Quality Documentation Systems 126 Making Data Useful—Information Flows 128 Summary 129 Discussion Questions 129 Case Study 5.1: The First Audit 130 Exercises and Activities 131 Supplementary Readings 132 References 132 Chapter 6 Product, Process, and Materials Control 135 Chapter Objectives 135 Work Instructions 136 Classification of Quality Characteristics and Defects 138 Identification of Materials and Status 140 Lot Traceability 141 Materials Segregation Practices 142 Materials Review Board Criteria and Procedures 143 Supplier Management 145 Supplier Selection 146 Supplier Evaluation 147 Summary 148 Discussion Questions 148 Case Study 6.1: The Case of the Missing Lot 149 Exercises and Activities 150 Supplementary Readings 150 References 150 Chapter 7 Experimental Design 153 Chapter Objectives 153 Basic Concepts and Definitions 155 Experimental Design Characteristics 158 Types of Design 159 Single-Factor Design 159 One-Factor-at-a-Time Design 159 Full-Factorial Design 161 Fractional Factorial Design 163 Analysis of Results 164 Taguchi Methods of Experimental Design 167 Summary 170 Discussion Questions 170 Problems 171 Case Study 7.1: The Case of the Variable Laminates 173 Exercises and Activities 174 Supplementary Readings 176 References 176 SECTION IV CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY 177 Chapter 8 Quality Improvement Tools 179 Chapter Objectives 179 The Problem-Solving Process 180 The Seven Tools of Quality 182 Approaches to Continuous Quality Improvement 193 PDSA 194 DMAIC 194 Benchmarking 195 Summary 197 Discussion Questions 197 Problems 198 Case Study 8.1: Sour Grape Ice Cream 201 Case Study 8.2: The Westover Wire Works 202 Exercises and Activities 206 Supplementary Readings 209 References 209 Chapter 9 Metrology, Inspection, and Testing 211 Chapter Objectives 211 Metrology 212 Types of Gauges 213 Accuracy and Precision 216 Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation 223 Summary 223 Discussion Questions 224 Problems 224 Case Study 9.1: Somebody’s Got a Problem 227 Exercises and Activities 227 Supplementary Readings 228 References 228 Chapter 10 Statistical Process Control 229 Chapter Objectives 229 SPC and Variation 230 Types of Data 231 Variables Control Charts 231 Concept of the Control Chart 232 Out of Control Signals 233 Patterns Leading to Modifying Control Limits 234 Constructing Variables Control Charts 236 x-Bar and Range Charts 237 x-Bar and s-Charts 241 Individual/Moving Range Charts 244 A Special Form of the x-bar Control Chart for Short Production Runs 246 Attributes Control Charts 249 Control Charts for Nonconforming Units 250 Control Charts for Nonconformities (Defects) 253 Process Capability 257 Summary 262 Discussion Questions 262 Problems 263 Case Study 10.1: Middle County Hospital 270 Case Study 10.2: Precise Molded Products, Inc. 274 Exercises and Activities 278 Supplementary Readings 279 References 279 Chapter 11 Acceptance Sampling 281 Chapter Objectives 281 When Acceptance Sampling is Appropriate 281 Fundamentals of Sampling Theory 283 Assessing Risk in Sampling Plans 284 Methods of Sampling 289 Sampling Types 291 Sampling Plans 292 Sampling Inspection by Attributes 292 Sampling Inspection by Variables 301 Dodge-Romig Sampling Plans 304 Summary 306 Discussion Questions 306 Problems 307 Case Study 11.1: The Turkell Stud Mill 308 Exercises and Activities 309 Supplementary Readings 310 References 310 Chapter 12 Quality Costs 311 Chapter Objectives 311 The Categories of Quality Costs 312 The Goal of a COQ System 315 COQ Data Collection, Interpretation, and Reporting 318 Integrating Quality Costs into the Quality Improvement System 321 Summary 324 Discussion Questions 324 Problems 325 Case Study 12.1: HI-HO YO-YO, Inc. 327 Case Study 12.2: Acme, Ltd. 330 Exercises and Activities 330 Supplementary Readings 330 References 331 SECTION V QUALITY MANAGEMENT 333 Chapter 13 Human Factors in Quality 335 Chapter Objectives 335 Barriers to Quality Improvement Efforts 336 Human Resource Management 336 Motivation Theories 337 Integration of the Classic Motivational Theories 339 Process Theories of Motivation 340 Employee Involvement and Teams 340 The Care and Feeding of Teams 341 Organization and Implementation of Quality Teams 341 Principles of Team Leadership and Facilitation 342 What is a Team? 342 Who Makes up a Team? 342 Roles and Responsibilities of the Team Leader 343 Selecting Team Members 346 Roles and Responsibilities of the Team Members 346 Roles and Responsibilities of the Facilitator 347 Critical Action Items in the Team Life Cycle 347 What Is a Team Charter? 347 General Information and Guidelines for Teams 351 Team Dynamics Management and Conflict Resolution 352 Stages of Group Development 354 Forming 354 Storming 355 Norming 356 Performing 357 Creating a Win-Win Situation 358 Consensus 358 Professional and Ethical Standards 361 Summary 362 Discussion Questions 363 Case Study 13.1: Tom’s Team 363 Case Study 13.2: Self Directed Work Teams at BHI 364 Exercises and Activities 368 Supplementary Readings 368 References 369 Appendix A Table of Four-Digit Random Numbers 371 Appendix B Standard Normal Distribution Table 373 Bibliography 375 Index 385