One of the most widely discussed models in the area of quality improvement is Crosby’s 14 steps for improvement. The model was developed by the quality guru Philip Crosby and promises process improvement over the long term. The 14 Steps to Quality Improvement are as follows:
Step 1: Management Commitment
First of all, management must be committed and dedicated to process improvement and this culture should be passed on to the whole company workforce.
Step 2: Quality Improvement Team
Secondly, a team specialized in total quality management should be formulated. This team should be solely responsible for process quality.
Step 3: Quality Measurement
Before you start implement any action plan, you need to measure and assess process quality and identify the areas that need improvement.
Step 4: Cost of Quality Evaluation
Next, you need to assess the cost that comes along. What is the cost of quality and how does it fall into your company’s overall plan? You can model this as a new business scenario with multiple costs and benefits using our scenario building capabilities.
Step 5: Quality Awareness
At this point you need to spread the importance of quality throughout your entire workforce and embrace it within your business culture.
Step 6: Corrective Action
Having identified what needs to be improved, you will then need to start implementing a plan so that corrective actions start to roll out.
Step 7: Plan for Zero Defects Program
It goes without saying that this step is all about eliminating defects. This step not only aims to reduce defects but to entirely eliminate them.
Step 8: Supervisor Training
In order to achieve process quality you need to have supervisors that are actively embracing this culture; and to do that you need to provide them with the right training.
Step 9: Zero Defects Day
Further you need to increase awareness by holding a zero defects day in which are employees are taking part.
Step 10: Goal Setting
Setting goals for improvement should involve employees from the whole organization. By engaging everyone you are making sure that goals are made out clear to all levels of the organizational structure.
Step 11: Error Cause Removal
In every quality improvement effort it is important to take a step back and identify any errors that are hindering this process. Engaging all employees in this procedure is vital.
Step 12: Recognition
Recognizing employees that excel in the quality improvement efforts and celebrating their success will not only encourage them to continue the good work but it will also inspire others to start participating.
Step 13: Quality Council
Bring along specialists and hold quality councils on a regular basis in order to create focused and clearly defined goals.
Step 14: Do It Over Again
The last step of the model is very simple. Here, you need to do everything all over again from the start. Crosby’s model is not an ad-hoc model but rather a process of continual process. So make sure that you repeat this process over and over again.