Page 42 - DMGT524_TOTAL_QUALITY_MANAGEMENT

Unit 3: Concept of Quality Management

Notes
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Caution The “voice of the customer” should lead the entire improvement process.

Teamwork

Specification of IQ needs and metrics, as well as fulfilment control are based on teamwork
operation. All stakeholders are included in the team. A typical team hosts representatives from
the information users’ group, information providers, information solutions’ suppliers,
information organization and other relevant parties. A certain level of management participation
is required as well. All the above functions are responsible for higher quality of information.

Measurement

IQ metrics are used to translate the information user needs into measurable specifications. These
specifications should be designed into the information solution. Once the solution is provided,
IQ metrics are used to assess the solution’s actual performance against the requirements, and
effectively against user needs due to the special importance of this concept to the InfoQual
methodology.

Benchmarking

In order to achieve “world class” IQ, it is necessary to explore what IQ levels are achieved in the
“external world”. We refer here to other functions in your organization, other organizations in
your industry or even other industries and professional domains. Benchmarking supports the
IQ improvement team in setting high but realistic targets that energise the process. Benchmarking
is also a useful tool to discover new and practicable metrics and methods to measure IQ.

Continuous Improvement

In the field of IQ, quality improvement efforts are not a onetime effort. There are two aspects to
this concept: cultural and methodological.
1. Cultural aspect: In a culture that promotes IQ continuous improvement, each member
deals with the following questions: What is the meaning of high quality information?
How is it defined and measured? Do I require, obtain and use high quality information?
Do I provide such information? What must I do in order to get or provide better information?
2. Methodology aspect: The cultural aspects of IQ are beyond this paper’s scope. However, it
should be noted that IQ culture cannot be achieved by having the company president
stating, “Information is critical, let’s improve it continuously.” Rather, it should be deployed
via a series of practicable improvement activities. Implementing a methodology such as
InfoQual can help create the common language and behavioral habits of an IQ culture.
The InfoQual methodology is based on the PDCA (Plan Do Check Act) cycle, a popular
model to organize the improvement process (Hari, 1995). The cycle is based on four
phases:
Plan: Improvement objectives are identified, scope is agreed, metrics are specified
and targets are set.
Do: Here the actual improvement activities are conducted (e.g. introduction of a new
information solution)

Check: The performance of the new solution (i.e. the quality of information) is checked
against the pre-defined metrics.

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