| There are a number of management techniques which | | | | can also be applied to other processes. The main thing |
| have been developed to improve quality management. | | | | is to measure the critical variables in the process and |
| Quality process control is based on using statistical | | | | then to monitor them for signs of future troubles. |
| analysis to calculate and forecast the performance of | | | | Proper tracking is done by a process control chart or |
| quality processes. One must have a basic | | | | graph. The graph shows how the output varies over |
| understanding of statistics to appreciate the thinking | | | | time. The graph tells you whether the variability in |
| that goes in to quality process control. Statistics is a | | | | process output is due to normal variation or whether |
| quite threatening branch of mathematics that deals | | | | there are any special causes responsible. To improve |
| with variability. It is very complex and few people have | | | | that process you should eliminate the special causes |
| command in the subject. However some of the | | | | first, so that the variations are only due to the usual |
| thought that applies to quality process control can be | | | | random factors. |
| explained easily enough without resorting to the | | | | Once the complete process is under control and the |
| mathematics. It is used to forecast and control of the | | | | special causes have been eliminated, you can only |
| performance of a system based on measurements of | | | | make additional improvements by improving the whole |
| the output from the system. | | | | process. The improvement target will either be to |
| The point about variability is that when you take a set | | | | decrease the variation or to decrease the total value |
| of measurements will always get a bell-shaped, | | | | of the factor being measured. For a production |
| standard distribution curve. Any group of | | | | process the target will be to tighten up on the |
| measurements exhibits variability which can be | | | | tolerances so no defects are produced. These |
| described in statistical expressions. Because of this we | | | | statistical process controls will help you to increase |
| are able use statistical methods to monitor and control | | | | total quality management. Quality can be increased by |
| quality processes. We take samples from process | | | | other process controls too. |
| and measure them, plotting and interpreting the resulting | | | | I hope in this article you will get some useful information |
| chart. This step allows seeing whether the process is | | | | about how to improve quality. |
| under control or not. It provides indications about how | | | | Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you |
| problem can be fixed. Although statistical process | | | | want to use this article on your website or in your |
| control is frequently applied to production processes it | | | | ezine, make all the urls (links) active. |