A pictorial approach to poor-quality cost management

A pictorial approach to modeling poor-quality cost (PQC) is proposed. The approach is patterned after that used in a computer-based information system design. It includes two major steps: (1) specifying the PQC variables as well as the significant relationship among the variables, and mapping the variables and relationships into an influence diagram showing the structure of a PQC system: and (2) converting the structure into a well-defined entity-relationship diagram showing the input-output functions and their associated properties. Two major benefits of using the pictorial approach are that the influence diagram can provide an easy-to-understand PQC system for quality management practitioners and the entity-relationship diagram can provide an effective framework for maintaining and revising the PQC system