Total quality management process to achieve excellence

The authors report on an industrial total quality management system at AT and T Power Systems, which relies on extensive data and information analysis as an essential element of both the planning and improvement of performance. Information alone does not make quality happen, but allows the setting and communication of tangible goals, and the measurement and tracking of progress. It is a basic tool for attaining continuous improvement and managing by fact. Through the methodology of quality policy deployment, the priorities for all disciplines of the business are identified, including human resources planning. To assure quality products and services, every employee is committed to a design, development, and manufacturing process that focuses on customer needs and requirements. Coupled with that commitment is a full-scale quality system that controls all processes and continuously improves them by understanding customer needs and reducing variation