Quality: A Mindset

Customers want their products delivered to them on schedule and on budget. However, receiving them on time and for the agreed upon price means little, if the products do not meet the Customer's Quality requirements. These requirements can be derived from the Customer's own Specifications or from Regulatory Requirements, Codes, Standards, etc.

If the products received don't meet these requirements, then they most likely will not be able be used with out some form of rework or deviation. This can cause severe delays for the Customer, which could in turn trigger legal actions and liquidated damages. Even worse, if a non-Quality product is not discovered and fails in service, it could have a serious effect on Health, Safety, and the Environment.

This risk creates the need for independent verification by Quality: Verifying everything from vendor qualifications, materials, processes, procedures, and personnel qualications to final dimensions, tolerances, mechanical integrity, and weld Quality to name a few.

Many times organizations place too much emphasis on product quantity and throughput and not enough emphasis on product Quality and workmanship. As a direct result of this, Quality declines and many organizations are forced into being reactive: trying to fix, or band-aid, Quality-related issues after the fact. 

Production can't be the singular focus when attempting to achieve desired throughput, because Quality cannot be audited into processes or inspected into products after they are produced. There has to be a well thought-out balance between production and Quality, which produces products that meet both the client's agreed upon schedule and Quality requirements.

Failing to build Quality into the production process will almost always result in non-Quality, in one form or another, and by the time inspectors or auditors get involved it may be too late. Quality issues that are found may lead to rework, cost overruns, schedule delays, and even damage to an organization's reputation, should a trend of non-Quality be allowed to continue.

With a collective mindset that understands the positive value of Quality and the negative cost of non-Quality, an organization will be more proactive and will endeavor to prevent Quality issues before they occur. Thus, reducing interruptions, rework, and additional material and labor costs while increasing product flow, throughput, first-time quality, customer satisfaction, and overall profit margins.

As Leaders, we need to first latch on to this Quality Mindset ourselves and then inspire others, one by one, to do the same. In doing so, we will build a Quality Culture throughout the entire organization: Top to bottom, left to right, and interwoven into the activities of all Functions. This is an enormous challenge, but it can and has been accomplished.

Many of you have congratulated me on my new position with McDermott, and it's much appreciated. One of the reasons I'm most excited about working with this "New Kind of Company" is that Quality is considered as essential and critical as Safety. In McDermott, Quality is part of the same Functional Team as Health, Safety, Environmental, and Security (QHSES). As a Quality Professional, I took note that the "Q" is first in "QHSES".

Our Company tracks the cost of non-Quality at the facility and project level. This information, gathered from all areas Globally, eventually flows up through our organization all the way to our Executive Team. Once evaluated, they then flow corrective actions and specific direction back down throughout the organization.

This is intended to prevent recurrence, capture lessons learned, refine our processes, cultivate the Quality culture, and much more. Our Leaders are willing to make investments in Quality because they have confidence it will deliver significant return on investment and contribute to the overall Operatonal Excellence of the organization.

On a more personal note, I remember when I was first learning how to mow the lawn as a young teenager. I wasn't thrilled to be working outside in the humid South Louisiana summer heat. What I really wanted, was to be inside soaking up the AC and playing video games. I would always rush and try to get it over with a quick as possible. When I would finish, my father would, without fail, come outside and do a complete lawn inspection.

He would point out all the flaws: the areas I missed, areas I trimmed to low, the general sloppiness, and he would express his disappointment that I was not taking pride in my work. But more importantly, he would take the time to show me what I was doing wrong. After the instructions, he made me go back and "rework" the lawn, over and over again, until it met his standard of Quality and workmanship.

Eventually, I became more skilled and efficient, which allowed me to complete these activities faster, with no rework. I could walk away knowing that I did my job to the best of my abilities and confident that it would pass his inspection.

I had to be taught this several times in many other arenas until I "got it" and it finally took root in my core. But once it did, I started applying this mindset to everything I set out to accomplish. Looking back, I know my father didn't teach me this by his words alone, he also taught me this by his actions every time I observed him working on a project at home: Leading me by example.

One of the most important lessons I learned from my father was, "If you don't take the time to do it right the first time, then you better have time to do it again"! For that lesson, I am forever grateful. My father cultivated in me, at that young age, a Quality Mindset. I am convinced it is what ultimately fueled my passion for Quality and my current career path.

As Quality Professionals, let's take the Lead and show others the value of Quality. Let's lead by example and show them that we are not here to just find issues which require rework and cause delays. But rather, let's show them the we are here to help them execute their projects correctly the first time through, deliver Quality products to Customers on schedule, and increase overall profit margins and Customer satisfaction. Let's remind everyone that like Safety, we are all responsible for Quality!

-Rob