How can you use risk-based quality management to improve your process?

1 What is RBQM?

RBQM is a systematic way of identifying, assessing, and managing the risks that may affect the quality of your process or its outputs. RBQM helps you to prioritize your quality activities and resources based on the potential impact and likelihood of the risks. RBQM also helps you to monitor and control the risks throughout the process life cycle, and to take corrective and preventive actions when needed. RBQM is not a separate method, but rather a mindset and a principle that can be integrated with any quality management system or framework.

2 Why use RBQM?

RBQM can help you to improve your process in several ways. First, RBQM can help you to align your quality objectives with your business goals and customer needs, by focusing on the most critical aspects of your process. Second, RBQM can help you to optimize your quality costs and efforts, by avoiding over- or under-control of your process. Third, RBQM can help you to enhance your quality performance and outcomes, by reducing the variability and errors in your process. Fourth, RBQM can help you to foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning, by encouraging proactive risk management and feedback.

3 How to use RBQM?

RBQM is a flexible and adaptable approach that can be tailored to specific contexts and needs. To implement RBQM, it’s important to define the process scope and boundaries, identify stakeholders and their expectations , and identify potential risks that may affect the quality of the process or its outputs. Assessing the impact and likelihood of each risk is also necessary, as well as prioritizing them based on severity and probability. Risk mitigation strategies should be planned and implemented, then monitored and reviewed for effectiveness. Lastly, adjustments should be made to the risk management plan based on feedback from monitoring and review activities.

4 What are the challenges of RBQM?

RBQM is not a one-size-fits-all solution to ensure the success of your process. It comes with its own set of challenges that must be addressed, such as having a clear and shared understanding of goals, risks, and responsibilities among all stakeholders. Furthermore, it requires a commitment from the top management and leadership team to ensure that risk management is part of the organizational culture and strategy. Additionally, to avoid over- or under-investing in quality activities and resources, there must be a balance between the benefits and costs of risk management. Lastly, RBQM necessitates a continuous and dynamic process of risk identification, assessment, and management to accommodate changes and uncertainties in the internal and external environment.

5 What are the best practices of RBQM?

RBQM is not a one-time or isolated activity, but rather an ongoing and integrated process that involves the whole organization and its stakeholders. To make the most of RBQM, it's important to involve and communicate with your stakeholders throughout the risk management process, use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods and tools to identify, assess, and manage your risks, document and document your risk management process and outcomes, and learn and improve from your risk management experience and results. RBQM is a powerful way of improving process quality by focusing on the most important risks. It can help you achieve quality objectives, optimize quality costs and efforts, enhance quality performance and outcomes, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and learning. With RBQM, you can make your process more efficient, effective, and adaptable to changing needs.

6 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?