The field of quality assurance (QA) has evolved significantly over the past century, thanks to the work of many dedicated authors and thought leaders. These individuals have helped to shape the way we think about quality and have led to significant improvements in the quality of products and services.
This post will provide a brief overview of some of the most prominent quality assurance minds of the last century. It will discuss their contributions to the field and their influence on how companies currently manage quality assurance:
- Walter A. Shewhart (1891-1967): Shewhart is considered the father of statistical quality control. He developed the Shewhart control chart, which is still used today to monitor and control processes. Shewhart’s work has had a major impact on how companies manage quality assurance. His control charts are used to identify when a process is out of control and needs to be adjusted. This helps companies to prevent defects from occurring and to improve the quality of their products and services.
- W. Edwards Deming (1900-1993): Deming is considered one of the most influential figures in the quality movement. He developed the Deming cycle, which is a systematic approach to continuous improvement. Deming’s work has had a major impact on how companies manage quality assurance. His Deming cycle is a four-step process that helps companies to identify problems, develop solutions, implement those solutions, and measure the results. This helps companies to continuously improve the quality of their products and services.
- Joseph M. Juran (1904-2008): Juran is known for his work on quality planning and improvement. He developed the Juran trilogy, which consists of quality planning, quality control, and quality improvement. Juran’s work has had a major impact on how companies manage quality assurance. His Juran trilogy provides a comprehensive framework for managing quality. It helps companies to set quality goals, to monitor and control processes, and to make continuous improvements to products and services.
- Philip B. Crosby (1926-2001): Crosby is known for his focus on zero defects. He developed the “do it right the first time” philosophy. Crosby’s work has had a major impact on how companies manage quality assurance. His “do it right the first time” philosophy emphasizes the importance of preventing defects from occurring in the first place. This helps companies to save money and to improve customer satisfaction.
- Kaoru Ishikawa (1915-1989): Ishikawa is known for his development of the cause-and-effect diagram, also known as the fishbone diagram. Ishikawa’s work has had a major impact on how companies manage quality assurance. His cause-and-effect diagram is a useful tool for identifying the root causes of problems. This helps companies to take corrective action and to prevent problems from occurring in the future.
Today, most companies have a formal quality assurance program in place. This program typically includes a number of elements, such as:
- Quality planning: This involves setting quality goals and developing plans to achieve those goals.
- Quality control: This involves monitoring and controlling processes to ensure that they meet quality standards.
- Quality improvement: This involves making continuous improvements to products and services.
The work of the authors and thought leaders listed above has helped to shape all of these elements of quality assurance programs. Their ideas have helped companies to develop more effective quality assurance programs that lead to higher quality products and services.