Quality Assurance – Why?

It might be better to say “Why Quality Assurance” rather than the title as listed but we had a reason for putting it in this order. Most people can usually answer the question of Why Quality Assurance even if there is some difficulty in articulating the actual reasons. However, Quality Assurance – Why? turns the question upside down and leaves it open for the answer to the philosophy exam question of “Why” which after a few hours of thought is answered with “Why Not”. So we could rephrase this as Quality Assurance – Why Not? and see if we get any farther.

There are four major reasons for embracing Quality Assurance and innumerable lower level reasons. In talking with a number of clients, they often advance the reasons we are going to discuss here as the reason for avoiding Quality Assurance

A crisis that costs money and could have been avoided

Few people see the need for Quality Assurance before the crisis occurs: “We have never had any problems and do not see the need for Quality Assurance.” Of course once the crisis occurs it is far too late to recover everything (including reputation) and the organisation is left scrambling for damage control. Any perusal of the latest news will tell you the companies that avoided adopting Quality Assurance until too late.

Government or Industry Regulations that require independent Quality Assurance

This is the “the unknowing driving the unwilling”. If one waits until the industry is forced to regulate or subject to government fiat then one is on the receiving end of whatever is decided. It is much better to adopt the leadership position and be the one setting the regulations in accordance with what we are already doing rather than accepting what others decree.

A demand from a critical customer for proof of Quality Assurance Activities

If a client or customer is demanding proof of Quality Assurance activities in your organisation, then it is already too late. Obviously there is dissatisfaction and there may already be a contemplated move to the competitor. Better to be ahead of the customer and telling them we have Quality Assurance in place already and are well ahead of the competition.

A realisation that Quality Assurance pays for itself in less rework and churn

This is the positive reason that appeals to the bottom line. Quality Assurance is a money saving exercise.

1 comment

  1. Great summary for why to embrace “quality” within any organization’s efforts!

    And in particular, it is extremely important for any organization to be a leader in demanding, expecting and improving upon the quality of delivered goods/services and the the processes and tools used to generate, duplicate, release and sustain those items. Otherwise, as this BLOG states, your organization is likely to be usurped by a competitor.

    In short, embracing “quality” is, in fact, all about being “competitive”.

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