What is quality?
10 April 2008The term ‘quality’ is often used in a vague, blurred way. If someone talks about ‘working on quality’, they may simply mean activities designed to improve the organization and its services. Quality is essentially about learning what you are doing well and doing it better. It also means finding out what you may need to change to make sure you meet the needs of your service users. Quality is about:
* knowing what you want to do and how you want to do it
* learning from what you do
* using what you learn to develop your organization and its services
* seeking to achieve continuous improvement
* satisfying your stakeholders - those different people and groups with an interest in your organization.
Quality is defined by the customer. A quality product or service is one that meets customer requirements. Not all customers have the same requirements so two contrasting products may both be seen as quality products by their users. For example, one house-owner may be happy with a standard light bulb - they would see this as a quality product. Another customer may want an energy efficient light bulb with a longer life expectancy - this would be their view of quality. Quality can therefore be defined as being fit for the customer’s purpose.
In the education world, the objective is academic: Success is measured by seat time, completion and test scores. The learner is evaluated by the supplier, and the supplier (faculty member) defines the requirements for success. In the corporate world, the situation is reversed: The objective is strategic, and success is measured by performance—by individual and group achievement. The supplier of content is evaluated by the learner, and the learner (the knowledge worker) defines the requirements for success in the context of an immediate need.
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