How do we define Quality?

In his blog "A View from the Q", Paul Boraswki, told us that has been 13 years since Dr. Juran said that this would be the century of Quality.

Paul also gave us access to a publication from the point of view of design, which asked how we define Quality. This publication discusses about Quality products with emphasis in design. I invite you to read the topic where Quality is focused as emotional, which should give us consistency and that in essence is subjective.

Paul also invited us to review some of the ASQ publications such as Future Study done for this organization, which states that we must evolve from the small Quality to holistic sustainable systems considering all stakeholders.

With this in mind the question is how influential voices can define Quality.

Some people believe that Quality is a subjective term and can include many things, basically anything that is  right  for the company or the client.

Given that each client is different, share the definition of Daniel Zrymiak  in his blog, or Aimee Siegler in her blog, stating that the Quality may have different meanings for different persons. On the right side of my blog (blogroll) you can find more discussions on the subject.

So what is the correct definition of Quality?

I think there is no single correct definition, but the Quality is about living. We know what it is when something does not meet Quality expectations to which I am accustomed, whether in products or services.

We could revise the concepts of Quality given by W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M. Juran and Philip Crosby

Deming took the user's perspective,  Juran the perspective of the manufacturer and Crosby  the management perspective.

Deming would say that the correct definition of Quality is the customer's responsibility, and thus there are many definitions of Quality.

Juran defines Quality using two perspectives. The first refers to the characteristics that determine the best value, which means a greater number of features that best meet customer needs, and the second aspect is the absence of problems.

Crosby emphasizes the role that management must meet and the need for commitment and how to meet the requirements of customers is vital.

In the ISO 9000 world, Quality is defined as the degree to which the feature of a product and / or service meets the requirements.

Now every client is different, and therefore the Quality has no single definition.

When we ask, "Is there a right or wrong way to define Quality?" the answer may be simple or complicated as well. It's best not to stop on the definition but build Quality in processes, products and services.

My definition collected by some authors (and perhaps already written) Quality is a process in which people happy, produces products (services) that make others human beings happy .... That leads me to another question ... What is happiness?

 

César Díaz