A Chronology of Quality, Part 3

Quality in crisis

Editor’s note: This is part three of a four-part series about the history of quality. For a description of the earlier years in the quality movement, see part one and part two. For the later years, see part four.

While Japan was organizing quality circles, the United States started the zero defects movement based on the writings of Philip B. Crosby. In his book, Quality Is Free (Mentor, second ed. 1980), Crosby explains that mistakes are caused by lack of knowledge and lack of attention. He believed that lack of knowledge can be corrected through proven methods, but lack of attention requires a person to reappraise his morals because he has an attitude problem.

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Comments

Zero Defects

I have to disagree that Phillip Crosby was the key promoter of ZD. We were using ZD at Hughes Aircraft, under U.S. Airforce aerospace programs in the late 1960's.

Quality Branching

OK for ASQ's Quality Professionals; but pity that this Category doesn't include "Quality Top Managers". The song still plays the same: "I - the Top Manager - do the business; you - Quality Manager - do the quality" ... papers ... Thank you.

Knowledge rhymes Attention

Knowledge and Attention may be both enhanced via methodologies, it's true. But quality of teaching - therefore - learning, is in crisis, too; and Attention ... what examples are we given to be motivated, therefore attentive, on our jobs? It's only and evermore "money, money, money" - and as the Dire Straits rock band sung, it's often "money for nothing". Quality was already in crisis when ISO 9001's parents were first published, in 1987: after more than 25 years quality is still not out of the tunnel. Are we sure that we got into the right tunnel? Thank you.