Quality tools for rapidly growing local industries

by Gamini T. Pandikorala

The present technological development that we enjoy is the result of a series of revolutions which indicates that the historic industrial revolution is really a trendsetter. The ideas that originate in the minds of creative people can become revolutions achieving excellence in the physical world, only if they are implemented using performance improvement quality tools. We are fortunate that we have hundreds of such tools, thanks to 'Quality Gurus'. Rapidly developing Sri Lanka can accelerate its growth if such quality tools are used by our workers at all levels from CEO to the lowest grade. It's interesting to note that the human resource was the only asset Singapore had for them to achieve their present economic excellence.

Using specialised tools can help accomplish a task better

Firstly, this message should be made available to all CEOs, teachers and heads of universities as they should get net worked for best results. There are heads of institutions who are still ready to cast sarcastic remarks no sooner the word quality is uttered by someone.

Quality targets

To clear their doubts it's pertinent to mention at the outset that a quality management system will never ridicule traditional methods. Any management system is a network of elements formed to establish the institute's policy, goals and means to achieve those objectives. Those elements can be resources, staff (can be in a university or a school teacher with their own methods of teaching and assigned responsibilities), processes (machine based or manual),procedures modern or traditional, action plans strategic or ordinary. It becomes a 'Quality Management System' when directions and controls enter to establish quality.

The term 'quality' really means the customer satisfaction. (both internal and external customers) The care of the customer cascades around all transactions and activities calmly in a quality management system.

They say that the quality is a journey. You cannot complete it as the quality targets keep moving upward the moment the targets are achieved. So, you enjoy the benefits from the moment you begin the journey. Any company before the installation of a quality system (An outward quality journey target) or any individual, e.g. Professionals can begin the Inward Quality Journey immediately and become quality conscious.

This happens with the 'Inward Quality Journey' where you keep looking inside your mind beginning from the present moment and moving backward to see the reality. The research frees you from all forces influencing adversely. (in quality language this is getting rid of non-conformities and leading to excellence.

All intellectuals, professionals, university gurus can begin this Inward Quality Journey which is a tool in its own right. Specially all educationists should welcome quality tools and get themselves engaged in such research directed continuous processes.

There was an allegation in the recent past that 'Modern day universities do not produce thinkers or philosophers. They only produce philosophy graduates who can hardly think for themselves!' (Vignettes by R. S. Karunaratne titled 'Wanted: University of Wisdom' in Sunday Observer of December 27, 2009)

Any quality conscious person who is continuously engaged in the 'Inward Quality Journey' can understand quality philosophy and begin to share the valuable experiences of quality practitioners. ('Quality Management for Personal and Organisational Growth' published in the Sunday Observer of July 21, 2013).

5 WHYS

They can select simple quality tools see how they can help their personal growth organisational growth. Robert Dirgo, an expert in quality improvement tools says, "You can choose the quality tools to suit your needs the way you select your food".

Quality tool ' 5 S' now widely used in this country to ensure that a working environment is clean and organised needs no introduction. But have you heard of '5 WHYS'? This quality tool is used to identify core issue of a problem effectively.

The repetition of the question 'why' is the technique here. By applying this tool you can get to the underlying root causes of a problem.

It can be a company or a personal problem of yours. In a company the reason for a non conformity( defect in a finished product) could be due to an error by an operator. But is that the 'root cause'?

Why did the operator make that error? It could be due to operator not having a proper training to handle that particular machine. If that is the case, can it be the root cause? Why didn't the operator have a proper training? Was it because the company did not have a procedure for the operator to receive the training before being assigned to operate the machine? Then why didn't the company formulate procedures for such a training? You can see how it progresses and imagine how much superficial solutions to problems could be avoided in a quality environment.

Efficiency of the private sector will enhance absolutely by commencing on this quality journey which they could do almost immediately and begin to receive benefits from their workers' quality consciousness and creativity. What such a developed workforce can do for the company will be amazing. Business leaders should grab the opportunity fast and make their contribution for the rapid development of the country.

Experts say, 'Finding and developing leaders at all levels is one of the greatest challenges faced by organisations throughout the world today.

Since everybody performs a leadership roles at various occasions development of human resource of a country cannot be neglected.

The good news is that state banks have now bent towards quality and productivity. If a large workforce of a state bank becomes quality conscious, their families also develop inevitably together with the institution. One developed unit in a bank gives the message to others easily. Individual success in using quality tools generate the power to spread the news through their branch network. Synergistic communication process entering such an established network will spread the quality message faster and islandwide. What an opportunity for a developing country?

Expectation

Having a fully-fledged quality system for an organisation should be a firm expectation of an organisation. If the quality tools are incorrectly handled the desired outcome could not be attained. While individuals use it for their personal growth business leaders should realise the importance of having a quality system in place and sustaining it.

Anyone who wishes to go further up in the quality ladder and become a world-class company or an outstanding personality in this country, facilities are available in abundance. We have the one and only specialised library for books on productivity, quality and international standards at Sri Lanka Standard Institute in Colombo. In a developing country these facilities should be well known to the general public specially.

Internationally famous financial management magazine in their issue of the first quarter of this year has highlighted the following on the cover page: 'How effective analysis of your data can help your organisation make better decisions and drive strategies for growth is the value of data.' The 'Editor's note' says, 'As the means to mine valuable information from data become available, so too do the strategic opportunities. But the degree to which organisations can exploit that information is determined by a management team's know-how and the tools available.'