How can you prioritize quality gaps for change?

1 Define quality criteria

Before you can measure quality gaps, you need to define what quality means for your process, product, or service. Quality criteria are the standards or expectations that you and your customers have for the output or outcome. You can use various sources to define quality criteria, such as customer feedback, industry benchmarks, best practices, regulatory requirements, or internal goals. You should also consider the relative importance or weight of each criterion for your stakeholders.

2 Assess current performance

The next step is to assess how well your current process, product, or service meets the quality criteria. You can use various methods to collect and analyze data on your current performance, such as surveys, audits, tests, observations, or metrics. You should also compare your performance with your competitors or other relevant benchmarks to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You should also identify the root causes of any quality issues or defects.

3 Calculate quality gaps

Once you have data on your current performance and quality criteria, you can calculate the quality gaps for each criterion. A quality gap is the difference between the actual and desired performance level. You can use various formulas or tools to calculate quality gaps, such as gap analysis, quality function deployment, or Pareto analysis. You should also consider the impact or severity of each quality gap on your customers, processes, or outcomes.

4 Prioritize quality gaps

The final step is to prioritize the quality gaps for change. You can use various criteria or methods to prioritize quality gaps, such as urgency, feasibility, cost, benefit, risk, or alignment with strategic goals. You should also involve your stakeholders in the prioritization process to ensure their buy-in and support. You should also communicate the results of your prioritization to your team and customers to explain the rationale and expectations for change.

5 Plan and implement change

After you prioritize the quality gaps, you need to plan and implement the change actions to close them. You can use various frameworks or models to guide your change management process, such as PDCA, DMAIC, ADKAR, or Kotter's 8 steps. You should also monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your change actions and make adjustments as needed. You should also celebrate and reward your team and customers for their participation and contribution to quality improvement.

6 Review and improve quality

Quality management is not a one-time event, but a continuous process of learning and improvement. You should regularly review and update your quality criteria, performance data, and gap analysis to reflect the changing needs and expectations of your customers and stakeholders. You should also seek feedback and suggestions from your team and customers on how to improve your quality management process and practices. You should also foster a culture of quality that values excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?