WORLD-CLASS QUALITY: PLAN

The second geographical terrain is Plan to deliver world-class quality.

To plan, the top and senior managers must go through an orientation on world-class quality. This should include training along the following lines:

• Quality leadership
• Traceability of quality initiatives to business results
• National quality award models
• Roles and responsibilities of a WCQ Council.

The WCQ Council, as a first step, should develop the following documents:

• Mission statement
• Vision statement
• Code of ethics
• Strategic, tactical, operational and financial goals.

Further, the WCQ Council should identify a small number of significant cross-functional opportunities at a single unit, for improving quality. The selected teams will be together for the life of the project (4-6 months).

Simultaneously, the WCQ Council must identify the basic WCQ infrastructure required by the organization. The selected teams should be permanent.

Finally, the WCQ Council must communicate with the rest of the organization. This two-way communication should include the following:

• The reason for adopting WCQ as a strategy
• The composition and roles of the WCQ Council
• The vision and goals for quality
• Concerns raised by managers, employees, suppliers and customers.

In all this, the WCQ Council must always check if the compass is pointing to the vision? Quality Capsule # 021.

Additional Reference

• World-Class Quality: An Executive Handbook by Suresh Lulla.
  Copyright 2003: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.
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• D-I-Y Self-assessment for Performance Excellence