The End of Quality Control

Quality is taken as the suitability of purposeful activity to the needs and expectations of customers. Identifying, quantifying and controlling the characteristics by which customers judge suitability of output is the essence of controlling quality and customer satisfaction.

Manufacturing companies are large entities requiring intricate systems to coordinate internal activities. Many systems have been developed to document procedures, collect performance data and facilitate communications. Each system, good in itself, may focus too narrowly on specific activities. Comprehensive systems promoted by the CEO are required for a company to function as one.

This paper describes the integration of existing quality disciplines into one, coherent plan that directs company activity toward customer satisfaction. This is the end of quality control.