A Changing Paradigm In Quality

Abstract

Intense competition in the marketplace is forcing a change in the paradigm in quality. It has sensitized customers to a new and higher level of expectation. Thus the focus of quality has begun to shift from product defects to product functions. Competition is also demanding fast response to market. Because the traditional approach of assessing, monitoring, and controlling uncertainty involves activities that are reactive, sequential, and occurring late downstream, it is not responsive. It is therefore giving way to the robust design approach of anticipating and accommodating uncertainty so that proactive activities can be conducted concurrently and early at the design stage. The design of a van-seat latching-mechanism is used to highlight this changing focus and approach in quality. ©1995 IEEE