What is quality partnering and what advantages does it offer over other quality management efforts?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

One of the drawbacks of a traditional quality control program is that people from the quality control department are often seen as “outsiders” to the business groups they serve. Because they don’t always have a strong knowledge of the processes that they are studying, their work may be viewed with suspicion or as an interruption to the normal work routine. The risk here is that quality control is seen as separate from everyday work. Another drawback of the traditional model is that quality control is usually conducted after a product is completed or a service delivered—the time when it’s most expensive to make corrections. A new approach called quality partnering involves assigning dedicated personnel within a particular functional area of the business. In this approach, the quality control personnel work alongside others within a functional area to identify opportunities for quality improvements throughout the work process. This integrated partnering approach to quality makes it possible to detect and address defects early in the product life cycle when they can be corrected most easily. Another advantage of this approach is that quality partners are viewed as “insiders” and peers who are readily accepted into the work group.