11 Insights about the Future of Quality
A study on the future of quality is published by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) every three years. The 2015 edition was a compilation of 11 essays by experts, interestingly, from outside of the quality profession/field. Because I found the information from ASQ a bit too academic, I have provided my own abbreviated synopsis and interpretation of the insights (and even this sounds academic to me, so you can imagine how the rest of it reads). For ASQ’s version of the insights (much more directly based upon quotes from the 11 actual articles), with the names of the authors and a link to the actual 2015 study, please visit the ASQ website at www.asq.org.
The 2015 ASQ insights about the future of quality (as synopsized and interpreted by D. Kulisek):
- Adaptable leaders will need to be rewarded for self-awareness and constant learning
- The multidimensionality of quality in the information space will require better understanding about the vast array of choices and trade offs
- Interconnectedness will increase the need for quality at the component and the system level, to eliminate errors and failures before their effects propagate through the system
- Smart manufacturing will need to grow from the interoperation of physical, cyber, and workforce elements
- Continuous improvement will be crucial to consolidating a new culture of public administration
- The advent of digital technology, big data, and customization will impact education at all levels and of all types
- The nature of energy will be shifting from being focused on acquiring and distributing commodity resources toward being centered on knowledge-driven and technology-based renewable energy
- Customers will perceive their needs based upon their unique psychological experiments
- There will be an increase in larger, more complex, unstructured problems and they will require statistical engineering to be solved
- There will be a need to develop a concept of quality for sales in addition to more traditional concepts about quality.
- Less than 20 percent of the world’s population can afford surgeries of the heart or brain, joint replacement, or surgeries for cancer treatment. If access to health technology is to be improved, it will require expanding and efficiently utilizing resources.
Again, to view ASQ’s version of the insights or a link to the actual 2015 Future of Quality Report, visit the ASQ website at www.asq.org.
Principal at Ian Cannon and Associates LLC
9 年Rocketdyne spawns another thought leader!
ASQ Certified Individual/Professional Engineer seeking new opportunity
9 年Great information Diane! It takes some reflection about how the "future of quality" will impact the "future of the quality professional." However, the discussion here also shows the gap that still exists between ASQ and its membership even after implementing a new model to improve member "value." ASQ Certification is just one product offering, but it has also served to define ASQ. Memorization is not required to pass any of the ASQ exams today as they are almost exclusively open-book. However, time constraints to solve each question place a limit on how much reference a candidate can do during the exam. In the first point, "self-awareness and constant learning" are promoted as a motivation for quality practitioners. The problem is that industry hasn't always been sold on why to hire a quality manager vs. quality engineer vs. quality technician or analyst. Obviously, the discussion needs to continue from here. For example, by raising the price of ASQ products (e.g., recertification), is more value being offered? Thanks again for your efforts.
Senior Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs (QA/RA) Consultant
9 年Thank you for your kind words, Dave. I understand the disappointment in ASQ with regard to development of professionals. Life was so much simpler when ASQ offered only 4 certifications (CQM, CQT, CQE and CRE). The advent of the internet seems to have both complicated and simplified our lives. I feel as though some of the complication has been the tendency to over-specialize. This seems evident with the proliferation of industry-specific and interest-specific ASQ credentials. At the same time, the broad and deep information now at our fingertips with regard to quality-related disciplines almost demands simplification. While memorization is never a preferred path toward achieving objective outcomes in relation to a body of knowledge, it is the way I started with most of the more complex information I now apply often to my work... and I feel as though I'm a pretty objective professional, but that required the learning that comes only through experience. I don't think we're going to get away from buzzwords, acronyms or any other form of rhetoric anytime soon. People seem to eat it up, as a general rule of thumb. While I don't want to bash those in upper management positions, and I don't think this challenge is limited to those in upper management, I agree that discerning ability from appearances is a challenge. An ASQ certification does no more to ensure that a quality professional is competent than an ISO certification does to ensure that a company has an effective approach to quality assurance. I think the simple outcome of this type of observation is that buyers need to beware. When it comes to hiring a quality assurance professional, requiring an ASQ certification ensures that, as a minimum, they have seen the body of knowledge with which they are expected to be proficient and, at least once, were able to demonstrate some level of comprehension in that regard. It does not say that they are objective. Their work history will need to attest to that. A similar thing is true of ISO certifications. It is a starting point. It says that, at one time, the organization at least understood that they were supposed to comply with a standard for management of quality and was able to convey that it did at a point in time. The acceptance rate of product received will need to attest to the adequacy of continuous compliance and quality management effectiveness. So, I'd rather not toss out the babies with the bathwater with regard to the value of certification, but I agree that both the ASQ and ISO certification systems could benefit from improvement. Some of what needs to happen, however, is for us to improve awareness of what certifications do and don't represent for those who value them.
Consultant at Self
9 年Thanks for the synopses Diane. I agree that these elements are necessary, but, the ASQ still refuses to put any burden on developing people with some objectivity. It is still focused on buzzwords, acronyms and the memorization of same. Development is geared toward getting certifications rather than experience. Upper management can't tell the difference between real ability and superficial certification. Stay out there and keep them honest.
Senior Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs (QA/RA) Consultant
9 年Glad you found it of value, Lisa. :)