Maximizing Quality and Productivity through Total Quality Management (TQM)

How can Total Quality Management (TQM) transform businesses, fostering both heightened quality and amplified productivity? By leveraging the ethos of this philosophy, T QM goes beyond a methodology and makes significant changes to how organizations function. We’ll go over what TQM is and how it transforms our world.

In essence, Total Quality Management (T QM) is the guiding force for businesses that want to achieve higher levels of quality and productivity. A detailed examination of TQM is presented, revealing its principles and demonstrating how its implementation can significantly improve organizational efficiency while also fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Discover how TQM goes about elevating quality standards and increasing productivity levels through a journey through the realm of thismultidimensional approach. This exploration will allow you to gain a better understanding of the concepts and practical applications of TQM, as well as future trends, to enable a paradigm shift in how you do business. Discover how you can make the transformative power of total quality management.

Total Quality Management (TQM) stands as a transformative philosophy reshaping how organizations across industries approach excellence. At its core, TQM is not just a methodology but a comprehensive framework steering businesses towards heightened quality standards and amplified productivity. It embodies a holistic approach that integrates multifaceted principles, aiming to revolutionize operations from their core.

Defining TQM delves beyond a mere quality assurance strategy; it epitomizes a mindset of perpetual enhancement, aligning every facet of an organization toward meeting and exceeding customer expectations. It encapsulates a set of core principles essential for its successful implementation, comprising:

TQM serves as a guiding ethos fostering a culture of continuous improvement. It’s an organizational strategy emphasizing the involvement of every employee in the pursuit of quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

Implementing these principles necessitates a cultural shift within organizations. It entails leadership commitment, fostering an environment that encourages employee participation, and nurturing a transparent communication channel throughout the organizational hierarchy.

The application of TQM extends beyond specific tools and techniques. It’s about cultivating an environment where every employee becomes a quality champion, striving collectively towards a common goal. This ethos is underpinned by methodologies such as Six Sigma, Kaizen, and Lean principles, integrating seamlessly into TQM practices to optimize processes, eliminate waste, and elevate overall efficiency.

The success of TQM isn’t confined to a singular industry. Its versatility spans across manufacturing, service sectors, healthcare, and IT, showcasing adaptability and efficacy in diverse environments. Despite challenges such as resistance to change and resource constraints, successful TQM implementation yields transformative results, leading to sustained growth and operational excellence.

The implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) is a pivotal stride towards enhancing organizational quality and productivity. This strategic integration encompasses multifaceted approaches and practices, converging towards elevating operational standards and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of crucial facets within the realm of implementing TQM:

The successful implementation of TQM demands an organizational shift that intertwines these elements into the fabric of operations. By fostering a TQM culture, leveraging quality tools, and ensuring unwavering consistency in quality standards, organizations pave the way for sustained excellence. Embracing TQM not only augments quality but also catalyzes productivity, positioning businesses to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.

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The future of quality assurance and engineering – How AI is empowering software testers

By Dinesh Mohan

The future of quality assurance (QA) and engineering (QE) is undergoing a significant transformation. The focus now has shifted from mere cost-effectiveness and product quality to prioritising customer experience (CX). It’s no longer just about whether the software works but about how well it meets the experiential demands of users, necessitating a thorough understanding of the business, its services/products, and the technologies employed​. 

Recent findings from the Business Transformation Index 2023 reveal a concerning trend. 76% of firms are falling short on their business transformation initiatives with an alarming 66% missing the mark when it comes to criteria like—staying within budget, timely delivery, or solution reliability. This uptick from 50% in 2022, is a wake-up call highlighting the critical need for robust QA/QE practices, irrespective of the industry. Enter AI in QA—the game changer.

How can AI offer a turnaround?

No longer seen as just a final checkpoint, Quality Assurance and Engineering is now an integral part of the entire software development lifecycle. The narrative now is shift left or get left behind emphasising the importance of early and frequent testing. And AI is enabling this shift by automating various tasks. AI-powered tools analyse code, generate test cases, and execute tests automatically, freeing up testers to focus on more complex activities.

The integration of AI into QA engineering is empowering testers to:

• Automate repetitive tasks and focus on more strategic testing activities

• Move beyond reactive testing towards predictive analysis—predicting and preventing defects from occurring in the first place

• Optimise test data management and improve test coverage

• Generate insightful test reports and provide actionable recommendations

• Collaborate effectively and share knowledge across teams

Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a transformative force also helps overcome the challenges of:

However, building a competent QA/QE practice isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s also about fostering talent. The big question is: In this era of digital transformation-

Will AI-driven automation eclipse the need for human QA/QE professionals?

We’re witnessing a blurring of boundaries between industries. Innovations in one sector are rapidly influencing others. This crossover, while improving customer experience, challenges quality engineers to adapt to diverse technological landscapes​.

The fear that AI might render human QA professionals obsolete is, in my opinion, unfounded. Instead, AI is redefining career paths in QA/QE. Testers equipped with AI proficiency are today invaluable assets.

In fact, the changing dynamics have led many companies to rethink the traditional developer-tester ratio. Consider this, ten years ago, a typical ratio of QA testers to developers might have been 1:10 or 2:10. This means that for every 10 developers, there would be 1 or 2 QA testers. Fast forward to today, this ratio is starting to shift, and it is not uncommon to see ratios of 3:10 or 5:10. This means that there are now more QA testers for every developer. 

This ratio is likely to continue to increase in the future due to the increasing complexity of software, the growing importance of quality, and the rise of agile development methodologies.

While automation is gaining momentum, the human element in software testing remains irreplaceable. AI can smartly automate processes, but can never wholly replicate the nuanced understanding and decision-making capabilities of a human tester. Manual testing is absolutely necessary in cases such as—exploratory testing, usability testing, security testing, edge-case testing, providing a second layer of validation, identifying new test cases, and providing feedback to developers.

The future of QA/QE in the AI-Augmented world

It’s true that the comparison between manual and automated testing might currently lean heavily towards automation, yet we can’t overlook the value of manual intervention. The undeniable fact is that AI can revolutionise Technology but the ingenuity, creativity, and intuitive power of People remain the most crucial and irreplaceable parts of the Process.

Quick, efficient delivery of high-quality products/services is a hallmark of successful businesses. And a synergistic approach where AI and automation enhance human capabilities rather than replace them is central to this achievement.

In a future where AI and human ingenuity coalesce to redefine software testing, how can we use technological advancements as a springboard for innovation and excellence?

The author is head of delivery and operations, digital practice, Expleo

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6% of cough syrup samples fail export quality test

Cough syrup from India was held responsible for the deaths of children in several countries. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Recent data from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), shows that at least 6% of cough syrup samples from 54 Indian manufacturers failed a mandatory quality test for export. This was until October this year. The CDSCO is the regulatory body for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

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“Testing is an ongoing process and is a standardised method to weed out substandard products. Testing before export is now mandatory,” said a Health Ministry official.

India is a global leader in generic medicines and commands a 20% share in global supply by volume, according to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

He said India is indeed the ‘pharmacy of the world’. It supplies a 100 countries with vaccines and 150 countries with medicines of various kinds.

Screening of medicines bound for the export market began earlier this year after quality concerns were raised about cough syrups manufactured in India for export.

Gambia, Uzbekistan, Cameroon and the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised red flags after children who had these drugs, died. prompting the Central government to take remedial action.

The government issued a list of government and private laboratories across the country where samples would be tested before export. Indian manufactured syrups were reported to be contaminated with glycol and ethylene glycol — toxic substances that can sometimes be fatal, especially for children.

According to government data, of the 385 samples tested in the Gujarat lab, 51 were found to be NSQ (not of standard quality), while 29 out of 502 samples failed the quality test in the Ghaziabad lab.

The Central government admitted in Parliament that the WHO had issued a medical product alert for a batch of Guaifenesin Syrup, manufactured by an Indian company.

“CDSCO in coordination with State Drugs Authority, Punjab, conducted a joint investigation at M/s QP Pharmachem Ltd., Punjab. Drug samples taken from plants under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, of 1940 for testing and analysis were declared as “Not of Standard Quality”. The State Licensing Authority has directed the firm to stop all manufacturing activities with immediate effect,” the government said replying to a question from MP Manickam Tagore.

India’s pharmaceutical sector contributes around 1.72% of GDP and the industry is worth approximately $50 billion with more than half coming from exports. Around 20% of the global demand for generic drugs is met by India.

The Health Ministry has said the pharma industry should strive to maintain the nation’s reputation. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (24 research-based national pharmaceutical companies), 8th Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit in Mumbai, the Health Minister stressed the importance of quality. He also praised the responsible approach of the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Like all other sectors, there are a few people who try to compromise with quality. They should remember that the government has a zero-tolerance policy,” the Minister said. He urged the pharma industry to establish a self-regulatory body to monitor the quality of products.

Sudarshan Jain, secretary general, IPA, said the Indian pharmaceutical industry plays a critical role in shaping the health outcomes of patients globally. “Quality is the fundamental tenet of the pharmaceutical sector. Continuous investments in quality –systems, technology and talent – is fundamental as the overall healthcare landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace.”