Bring change everywhere in the workplace
Friday, 25 September 2009
Md. Touhidul Alam Khan
The TQM and TQC mindset: TQC has achieved such outstanding results in so many fields -- not just in quality assurance and production management but also in cost control, sales management, customer satisfaction, and the workplace -- because it is based on QC's uniquely rational approach. The QC Mindset Table for service-oriented company is as under:
PDCA Wheel: The PDCA Wheel is a step-by-step method of getting things done effectively and reliably. It consists of drawing up a plan, implementing the plan, checking the results, and taking any necessary corrective action. It is important to repeat Plan-Do-Check-Act series of steps continually in our management activities. Rotating the PDCA Wheel is the best way of managing any job.
Step one: Drawing up a plan (Plan)
When drawing up a plan, the following three aspects are important:
l Clarify the objectives and decide on the control characteristics (control items).
l Set measurable targets.
l Decide on the methods to be used to achieve the targets.
Step two: Implementing the plan (Do)
This step can be divided into the following three phases:
l Study and train in the method to be used.
l Implement the method.
l Collect data on the quality characteristics using the method decided.
Step three: Checking the results (Check)
In this step, we check progress and evaluate the results obtained:
l Check whether the work has been performed according to the standards.
l Check whether the various measured values and test results meet the standards.
l Check whether the quality characteristics match the target values.
Step four: Taking corrective action (Act)
Taking action based on the results of the investigation performed in step three:
l If the work deviates from the standards, take action to correct this.
l If an abnormal result has been obtained, investigate the reason for it and take action to prevent it recurring.
l Improve working systems and methods.
In any service-oriented organisation, when we arrive at our office in the morning, we are probably thinking along the following lines:
l What job do I have to do today?
l What do I have to do in order to perform it?
We also probably make decisions like the following:
l I think I will do this job today by such and such a procedure.
l Since we ran into these problems the other day, I will do it by this method today and avoid causing the same trouble. This constitutes our plan for the day's work. It is the "Plan" part of the PDCA wheel. Then, in accordance with our plan, we perform actions such as the following:
l Prepare documents.
l Process forms.
l Perform assembly work.
Such actions constitute the "Do" part of the PDCA Wheel.
Let us imagine that it is noon, and we have only completed half the amount of work we planned to do. If we look back at our morning's work during the lunch break and ask ourselves why we were able only to do half what we had intended to do, we may come across reasons such as the following:
l Complaints came from the customer and one department stopped services.
l We were given an unplanned rush job to do.
l We had planned more work than we could manage.
This is the "Check" phase of the PDCA Wheel. In this phase, we review the contents of our morning's plan. In the afternoon, we may try to catch up on our schedule and complete the work we were unable to finish in the morning. We may attempt to do this by means such as the following:
l Try a different method of working.
l Make a bit more effort and increase our efficiency.
l Ask some one else to help us if it is obvious that we cannot meet today's deadline on our own.
This constitutes the "Act" phase of the PDCA Wheel.
We have all gone through this kind of process subconsciously during the course of our daily work. We do so when we are in fact rotating the PDCA Wheel. In our daily management activities, it is important to rotate the PDCA Wheel.
QC Circles: QC Circles are small groups consisting of first-line employees who continually control and improve the quality of their work, products and services. These small groups operate autonomously, utilise quality control concepts and techniques and other improvement tools, tap members' creativity and promote self- and mutual-development. QC Circle activities aim at developing members' capabilities and achieve self-actualisation, making the workplace more pleasant, vital and satisfying, improving customer satisfaction and contributing to the society. Executives and managers ensure that QC Circle activities contribute to improve the health of the enterprise by treating QC Circle activities as an important part of employee development and workplace vitalisation, personally practising company-wide improvement activities such as TQM and providing guidance and support for total participation while respecting the personality of all the employees.
QC problem-solving approach: In solving problem, it is important for us to find them out and act on our own initiative. We should bear in mind that the "3 Cs" (Chance, Challenge, Change) and devote all our energies to solving problems in the workplace. The secret of skilful problem-solving is to use the QC problem-solving approach. This is a formalisation of the established tactics for solving problems. Its three keys are the QC mindset or viewpoints, the QC Seven-Step Formula and the QC tools.
What is a problem?: A problem is the gap between the present situation and the ideal situation or objective. A more careful definition of problem may be, a problem is a circumstance that a person has perceived consciously or subconsciously that the person or the organisation to which he or she belongs must resolve.
Some tips for becoming good problem-solving leaders: When people form a group, in order to achieve an objective, it is important for the group to work as a team and for its leader to behave like a leader. He is to exercise leadership much like in a football match. We sometimes hear of a mountain-climbing expedition that meets disaster because of an error of judgment on the part of their leader or, conversely, that escapes danger thanks to their leader's good judgment. The same thing applies to solving problems: the leader's position is vital when a difficulty is faced and progress is halted. A group leader must draw on this quality to get the group working together and lead them in the right direction. If the leader does not meet the group members' expectations in this regard, they will break down. Leaders must be responsible and courageous; they must motivate the members of their group by taking the initiative and showing their team the way.
The vital points which a workplace leader must bear in mind in order to exercise leadership and dynamically promote the QC problem-solving approach, can be summarised in the form of 'Ten Commandments for Workplace Leaders'. The QC approach will fail if any of these elements are missing. It does not matter if we cannot satisfy all of the requirements at the moment. The important thing is to advance one step at a time, little by little, day after day, making steady progress toward new heights of achievement.
First Commandment: It is a lie to say, "We have no problems." Problems are everywhere: Actively search them out.
Second Commandment: Use accurate data, not guesswork. Observe the workplace carefully and grasp the facts accurately using data.
Third Commandment: You cannot win empty-handed. Study the QC tools well and apply them thoroughly and effectively.
Fourth Commandant: Skill is important. Improve your technical ability by studying specialist skills, techniques, and tricks.
Fifth Commandant: It is no good trying to do everything at once. Advance steadily but faithfully following the QC Seven-Step Formula.
Sixth Commandant: Do not be beguiled by apparently attractive solutions. Analyse the possible causes rigorously and act only after identifying the true ones.
Seventh Commandant: Computers are useful but not creative. Exercise your ingenuity and originality.
Eighth Commandant: Without a rational approach, things will come to a dead end. Move ahead using the QC viewpoints.
Ninth Commandant: It is no good standing back and telling your subordinates to get on with it. Tackle difficulties yourself.
Tenth Commandant: Never give up. Be determined and fight to the last.
QC Tools: Any technique that can be used effectively in quality control for dealing with data, both numerical and verbal, is defined as a QC tool. Although the QC tools have been around for a long time, their effective use is still a much-discussed subject. It will continue to be important to use them widely in quality development, improvement, control, and assurance. Basically QC tools are problem-solving tools to minimise the QC problems for getting better result of TQM. The seven QC tools are: Cause-and-effect diagram (Fish Bone Diagram), Pareto Diagram, Graphs, Checksheets, Histograms, Scatter Diagrams and Control Charts. For solving QC problems, other methods like statistical methods are also used.
Human beings are motivated by encouragement from others. They tend to feel a sense of achievement if they are praised for their success. As illustrated below, corporate executives and managers, as QC Circle supporters, should take activities to the cycle so that members feel a sense of achievement through QC Circle activities of TQM:
l Motivation to enhance enthusiasm to challenge problems: Encourage QC Circle members to recognise the value of activities and provide them with guidance to focus on themes or targets appropriate for each group.
l Guidance and support in the course of efforts: Create an environment to facilitate QC Circle activities. Support study analysis, and measures that the circle itself cannot carry out. Also provide education and training on required techniques and skills.
l Evaluation of results: Make a fair, fact-based evaluation on any QC Circle. Develop ideas and plans to encourage competitive mind among circles.
l Praise: The sense of achievement doubles when praised for their results. Give praise actively for results, good teamwork, increased capabilities, etc. Praises are more effective when made in front of a large number of people.
The role of Top Management in TQM: The roles of top management in TQM are
l To clarify the mission of the organisation.
l To establish the desired results of the mission of the organisation.
l To formulate strategies for realising the desired state of the organisation.
l To establish goals and policies for realising organisational strategies.
l To cooperate with the implementing organisation to deploy objectives and policies.
l To monitor the state of implementation and take remedial action.
l To constantly encourage activities.
l To review the details of the activity and revise the next year's activities.
TQM-based Kaizen activities: TQM-based Kaizen activities for building organisational infrastructure are
l Improved communication.
l Employee motivation.
l Widespread education and training.
l Easier to approve.
Quality assurance tools and Kaizen steps: The purpose of quality control is quality assurance. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management technique that supports quality assurance. Quality management, through quality assurance, creates the best products and provides the best services. In fact, quality assurance means guaranteeing that the consumers are able to make purchases or get services with peace of mind and satisfaction, they have peace of mind and satisfaction by using the product or getting services, and they are able to use the product or getting services for a long time..
For obtaining quality assurance through Kaizen steps the following steps to be taken:
i. Visualisation of work.
ii. Selection of theme.
iii. Set the desired situation.
iv. Grasp the current situation.
v. Set the target and action plan.
vi. Analyse causes.
vii. Propose solution.
viii. Implement best solution and confirm results.
ix. Standardization.
x. Review
Conclusion: Through work and TQM activities, human resources will be developed and the development of the company will continue. Change is the slogan of TQM. For the implementation of TQM it is mandatory to bring change everywhere in the workplace. And where there is no change, the value is not generated.
The writer, the Executive Vice President and Head of Syndications and Structured Finance, Prime Bank, attended the Programme on Quality Management for Bangladesh and Nepal (BNQM) which was organised by AOTS and held at Tokyo, Japan from November 24 to December 05, 2008. He can be reached at touhid1969@gmail.com
The TQM and TQC mindset: TQC has achieved such outstanding results in so many fields -- not just in quality assurance and production management but also in cost control, sales management, customer satisfaction, and the workplace -- because it is based on QC's uniquely rational approach. The QC Mindset Table for service-oriented company is as under:
PDCA Wheel: The PDCA Wheel is a step-by-step method of getting things done effectively and reliably. It consists of drawing up a plan, implementing the plan, checking the results, and taking any necessary corrective action. It is important to repeat Plan-Do-Check-Act series of steps continually in our management activities. Rotating the PDCA Wheel is the best way of managing any job.
Step one: Drawing up a plan (Plan)
| Category | The QC Mindset | Meaning | |
| T | Total | Strengthening the company constitution | Use TQC to create a company constitution capable of achieving lasting prosperity |
| Total participative management | Unite employees’ talents companywide and exercise them to the full | ||
| Education and dissemination | Boost human resource development by strengthening education and training | ||
| QC audits | Top management itself must check the state of progress of TQC and champion TQC activities | ||
| Respect for humanity | Respect people’s dignity and have them do their best | ||
| Category | The QC Mindset | Meaning | |
| S | Statistical | Use QC tools | It’s good trying to do things by one’s own devices |
| Dispersion control | Pay attention to dispersion and identity its causes | ||
| Q | Quality | Quality first | Aim to secure profits by giving to priority to quality |
| Consumer orientation | Provide services that customers really want | ||
| The next process is your customer | Never mistakes on to the next process | ||
| C | Control | The PDCA wheel | Conscientiously follow the Deming Cycle |
| Management by fact | Base decisions and actions on facts | ||
| Process control | Control the process of work rather than its results | ||
| Standardization | Formulate, observe and utilise standards | ||
| Source control | Control system at their source, not downstream | ||
| Policy management | Use policy management to evolve consistent company activities | ||
| Cross-functional management | Create horizontal links throughout the organisation and improve systems for managing quality, cost, delivery, safety and morale | ||
| Category | The QC Mindset | Meaning | |
| I | ImpRovement | Priority consciousness | Pounce on priority problems and attack them mercilessly |
| The QC 7-Step Formula | Effect improvements by faithfully following the QC 7-step Formula | ||
| Recurrence prevention, prior prevention | Never repeat the same mistake! Do not neglect recurrence prevention and prior prevention of trouble | ||
When drawing up a plan, the following three aspects are important:
l Clarify the objectives and decide on the control characteristics (control items).
l Set measurable targets.
l Decide on the methods to be used to achieve the targets.
Step two: Implementing the plan (Do)
This step can be divided into the following three phases:
l Study and train in the method to be used.
l Implement the method.
l Collect data on the quality characteristics using the method decided.
Step three: Checking the results (Check)
In this step, we check progress and evaluate the results obtained:
l Check whether the work has been performed according to the standards.
l Check whether the various measured values and test results meet the standards.
l Check whether the quality characteristics match the target values.
Step four: Taking corrective action (Act)
Taking action based on the results of the investigation performed in step three:
l If the work deviates from the standards, take action to correct this.
l If an abnormal result has been obtained, investigate the reason for it and take action to prevent it recurring.
l Improve working systems and methods.
In any service-oriented organisation, when we arrive at our office in the morning, we are probably thinking along the following lines:
l What job do I have to do today?
l What do I have to do in order to perform it?
We also probably make decisions like the following:
l I think I will do this job today by such and such a procedure.
l Since we ran into these problems the other day, I will do it by this method today and avoid causing the same trouble. This constitutes our plan for the day's work. It is the "Plan" part of the PDCA wheel. Then, in accordance with our plan, we perform actions such as the following:
l Prepare documents.
l Process forms.
l Perform assembly work.
Such actions constitute the "Do" part of the PDCA Wheel.
Let us imagine that it is noon, and we have only completed half the amount of work we planned to do. If we look back at our morning's work during the lunch break and ask ourselves why we were able only to do half what we had intended to do, we may come across reasons such as the following:
l Complaints came from the customer and one department stopped services.
l We were given an unplanned rush job to do.
l We had planned more work than we could manage.
This is the "Check" phase of the PDCA Wheel. In this phase, we review the contents of our morning's plan. In the afternoon, we may try to catch up on our schedule and complete the work we were unable to finish in the morning. We may attempt to do this by means such as the following:
l Try a different method of working.
l Make a bit more effort and increase our efficiency.
l Ask some one else to help us if it is obvious that we cannot meet today's deadline on our own.
This constitutes the "Act" phase of the PDCA Wheel.
We have all gone through this kind of process subconsciously during the course of our daily work. We do so when we are in fact rotating the PDCA Wheel. In our daily management activities, it is important to rotate the PDCA Wheel.
QC Circles: QC Circles are small groups consisting of first-line employees who continually control and improve the quality of their work, products and services. These small groups operate autonomously, utilise quality control concepts and techniques and other improvement tools, tap members' creativity and promote self- and mutual-development. QC Circle activities aim at developing members' capabilities and achieve self-actualisation, making the workplace more pleasant, vital and satisfying, improving customer satisfaction and contributing to the society. Executives and managers ensure that QC Circle activities contribute to improve the health of the enterprise by treating QC Circle activities as an important part of employee development and workplace vitalisation, personally practising company-wide improvement activities such as TQM and providing guidance and support for total participation while respecting the personality of all the employees.
QC problem-solving approach: In solving problem, it is important for us to find them out and act on our own initiative. We should bear in mind that the "3 Cs" (Chance, Challenge, Change) and devote all our energies to solving problems in the workplace. The secret of skilful problem-solving is to use the QC problem-solving approach. This is a formalisation of the established tactics for solving problems. Its three keys are the QC mindset or viewpoints, the QC Seven-Step Formula and the QC tools.
What is a problem?: A problem is the gap between the present situation and the ideal situation or objective. A more careful definition of problem may be, a problem is a circumstance that a person has perceived consciously or subconsciously that the person or the organisation to which he or she belongs must resolve.
Some tips for becoming good problem-solving leaders: When people form a group, in order to achieve an objective, it is important for the group to work as a team and for its leader to behave like a leader. He is to exercise leadership much like in a football match. We sometimes hear of a mountain-climbing expedition that meets disaster because of an error of judgment on the part of their leader or, conversely, that escapes danger thanks to their leader's good judgment. The same thing applies to solving problems: the leader's position is vital when a difficulty is faced and progress is halted. A group leader must draw on this quality to get the group working together and lead them in the right direction. If the leader does not meet the group members' expectations in this regard, they will break down. Leaders must be responsible and courageous; they must motivate the members of their group by taking the initiative and showing their team the way.
The vital points which a workplace leader must bear in mind in order to exercise leadership and dynamically promote the QC problem-solving approach, can be summarised in the form of 'Ten Commandments for Workplace Leaders'. The QC approach will fail if any of these elements are missing. It does not matter if we cannot satisfy all of the requirements at the moment. The important thing is to advance one step at a time, little by little, day after day, making steady progress toward new heights of achievement.
First Commandment: It is a lie to say, "We have no problems." Problems are everywhere: Actively search them out.
Second Commandment: Use accurate data, not guesswork. Observe the workplace carefully and grasp the facts accurately using data.
Third Commandment: You cannot win empty-handed. Study the QC tools well and apply them thoroughly and effectively.
Fourth Commandant: Skill is important. Improve your technical ability by studying specialist skills, techniques, and tricks.
Fifth Commandant: It is no good trying to do everything at once. Advance steadily but faithfully following the QC Seven-Step Formula.
Sixth Commandant: Do not be beguiled by apparently attractive solutions. Analyse the possible causes rigorously and act only after identifying the true ones.
Seventh Commandant: Computers are useful but not creative. Exercise your ingenuity and originality.
Eighth Commandant: Without a rational approach, things will come to a dead end. Move ahead using the QC viewpoints.
Ninth Commandant: It is no good standing back and telling your subordinates to get on with it. Tackle difficulties yourself.
Tenth Commandant: Never give up. Be determined and fight to the last.
QC Tools: Any technique that can be used effectively in quality control for dealing with data, both numerical and verbal, is defined as a QC tool. Although the QC tools have been around for a long time, their effective use is still a much-discussed subject. It will continue to be important to use them widely in quality development, improvement, control, and assurance. Basically QC tools are problem-solving tools to minimise the QC problems for getting better result of TQM. The seven QC tools are: Cause-and-effect diagram (Fish Bone Diagram), Pareto Diagram, Graphs, Checksheets, Histograms, Scatter Diagrams and Control Charts. For solving QC problems, other methods like statistical methods are also used.
Human beings are motivated by encouragement from others. They tend to feel a sense of achievement if they are praised for their success. As illustrated below, corporate executives and managers, as QC Circle supporters, should take activities to the cycle so that members feel a sense of achievement through QC Circle activities of TQM:
l Motivation to enhance enthusiasm to challenge problems: Encourage QC Circle members to recognise the value of activities and provide them with guidance to focus on themes or targets appropriate for each group.
l Guidance and support in the course of efforts: Create an environment to facilitate QC Circle activities. Support study analysis, and measures that the circle itself cannot carry out. Also provide education and training on required techniques and skills.
l Evaluation of results: Make a fair, fact-based evaluation on any QC Circle. Develop ideas and plans to encourage competitive mind among circles.
l Praise: The sense of achievement doubles when praised for their results. Give praise actively for results, good teamwork, increased capabilities, etc. Praises are more effective when made in front of a large number of people.
The role of Top Management in TQM: The roles of top management in TQM are
l To clarify the mission of the organisation.
l To establish the desired results of the mission of the organisation.
l To formulate strategies for realising the desired state of the organisation.
l To establish goals and policies for realising organisational strategies.
l To cooperate with the implementing organisation to deploy objectives and policies.
l To monitor the state of implementation and take remedial action.
l To constantly encourage activities.
l To review the details of the activity and revise the next year's activities.
TQM-based Kaizen activities: TQM-based Kaizen activities for building organisational infrastructure are
l Improved communication.
l Employee motivation.
l Widespread education and training.
l Easier to approve.
Quality assurance tools and Kaizen steps: The purpose of quality control is quality assurance. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management technique that supports quality assurance. Quality management, through quality assurance, creates the best products and provides the best services. In fact, quality assurance means guaranteeing that the consumers are able to make purchases or get services with peace of mind and satisfaction, they have peace of mind and satisfaction by using the product or getting services, and they are able to use the product or getting services for a long time..
For obtaining quality assurance through Kaizen steps the following steps to be taken:
i. Visualisation of work.
ii. Selection of theme.
iii. Set the desired situation.
iv. Grasp the current situation.
v. Set the target and action plan.
vi. Analyse causes.
vii. Propose solution.
viii. Implement best solution and confirm results.
ix. Standardization.
x. Review
Conclusion: Through work and TQM activities, human resources will be developed and the development of the company will continue. Change is the slogan of TQM. For the implementation of TQM it is mandatory to bring change everywhere in the workplace. And where there is no change, the value is not generated.
The writer, the Executive Vice President and Head of Syndications and Structured Finance, Prime Bank, attended the Programme on Quality Management for Bangladesh and Nepal (BNQM) which was organised by AOTS and held at Tokyo, Japan from November 24 to December 05, 2008. He can be reached at touhid1969@gmail.com