Continuous Improvement inSchool Management

Quotable Quotes

Solving problems is not the answer to causing quality. The solution is understanding and continuously improving the processes that give rise to problems.And yet like mushrooms in a warm, dark, moist place, tomorrow brings a whole new crop of problems.(Seymour, D. T., 1983)

Words from W. Edwards Deming

Demming stated that "... if you stress quality, profits will take care of themselves. But if you stress profits, quality will not take care of itself.“Rework, scrap, and unnecessary complexity add costs to and lower the quality of a product or service.

Definitions

QualityAbility of a set of inherent characteristics of a product, process or system to fulfill requirements of customers and other interested parties

Quality control is a set of activities intended to ensure that quality requirements are actually being met. Quality control is one part of quality management.

Quality assurancePart of the quality management focused on providing confidence that requirements will be fulfilled

Corrective action (immediate and long term)Action taken to eliminate the cause of a detected

nonconformity or other undesirable situations

Preventive action Action taken to eliminate the cause of potential

nonconformity or other potentially undesirable situations

AuditSystematic, independent, and documented process for obtaining evidence and evaluating it objectively to

determine to which criteria are fulfilled

Quality Management System (processes, people, and documentation)

System to establish quality policy and quality objectives and to achieve these objectives

TQM Process Map

TQM requires a new process thinking mindset Everything we do is part of the process Our focus shifts:

- from managing outcomes to managing and improving processes

- from what to do to how to do the processes better

Quality performance expands to include how well each part of the process works and the relationship

of each part to the process

Process improvement focuses on continuously achieving the greatest potential benefit for our customers

SEA Quality Management Map

David Butler TQM Process

Key Principles of Quality Principle 1: Quality is defined as any

product or service that satisfies customer specifications.

Principle 2: The work standard is defect free

– This includes products or services provided to others (outputs to customers) or received

from others (inputs from suppliers).

Principle 3: Quality is measured by the price of non quality (PONQ).PONQ is what it costs Your Company in time, money or opportunity when things are not being done the best way.

Deming’s 14 Points

Create consistency of purpose toward improvement of the product and services so as to become competitive and stay in the businessAdopt the new philosophy (Avoid delay, mistake, defective material, and defective workmanship)Cease dependence on mass inspection (Require statistical evidence that quality is built in)Improve the quality of incoming materials (Depend on meaningful measures of quality, along with price)Constantly improve the system of production and servicesInstitute modern methods of training and education for allInstitute modern methods of supervision

Drive out fear by encouraging effective two-way communication (to enable everybody to be part of the change)Break down barriers Eliminate the use of slogans (Eliminate work standards that prescribe numerical quotas for the workforce, demanding zero defects and new level of productivity without providing methods)Institute leadershipManagement by objectivesEncourage self improvement for everyoneTop management commitment

The Quality Process Framework

There are five components forming the Quality Process framework.Quality Council: A group of senior managers appointed to plan, administer, facilitate and monitor the entire Quality Process.Awareness Function: A variety of ongoing communications, activities and events arranged by a Coordinator exposing all employees to the Quality Process.

Education Function: A series of Quality training programs directed by a Coordinator ensuring everyone understands the tools of problem elimination.

Measurement Function: A set of standardized charts created by a Coordinator and utilized by Individuals or teams to objectively measure Quality Process progress.

Problem Elimination Function: A formalized problem identification and resolution method developed by a Coordinator and used by all employees to permanently eradicate defects.

A systematic approach to the problem-solving process (Shewhart, W. A)

Plan It could be a retention plan or a

dormitory security plan It is an area that needs improvement

Do It involves translating the plan into action

Check This is the data gathering step It helps us to compare the ‘do’ against the ‘plan’

Act Begin formalizing those things that were successful and to make changes to the ‘plan’ (in those areas where our

expectations were not met)

TQM Process Control Plan

Processincludes the tasks to develop and administer assessments to report technical proficiency and to award Certificates of Technical Achievement Process Controlincludes the steps to achieve the process. Benchmark Analysisare the observable evidence that was accepted as proof that the process has been followed.

Root-Cause AnalysisAfter the process has been completed and evaluated, Root-Cause Analysis can be used to examine those elements that have not met the Benchmark Analysis. Corrective Actionthe plan to achieve the Benchmarks as required of the process based upon the results of Root-Cause Analysis. Continuous Improvementincludes any changes to Process, Process Control, or the Key Characteristics determined necessary through Root-Cause Analysis.

The book ‘Kaizen’ by Masaaki Imai

Kaizen is a Japanese work for continuous improvementAccording to Massaki Imai, kaizen strategy is the single most important concept in Japanese management – the key to Japanese competitive successKaizen means ongoing improvement involving everyone – top management, managers, and workersQuality is not meeting standards or quotas; it is the natural outcome of process-oriented way of thinking that becomes deeply ingrained in the culture of the organization

Changes to ISO 9001:2000 (Version 1994 – 2000)

The main reason for the revision according to ISO is to give users the opportunity to add value to their activities and to improve their performance continually by focusing on the major processes within the organization

The process based approach:

Plan, Do, Check, Act structure of the standards More clarity in areas such as facilities, work environment and

improvement Resources section, especially people Greater emphasis and involvement of top management

Four Standards in the New Series

ISO 9000: Fundamentals and vocabulary

ISO 9001: Requirements

ISO 9004: Guidelines for performance improvements

ISO 19011: Management system auditing

Quality Management Systems:Requirements

1. ScopeBoundary of the systemEg. In university setting: undergraduate/Graduate, teaching and learning, research or extension2. Normative referenceRefer to ISO 9000-2000, Quality Management System – Fundamental and vocabulary3. Terms and definitionsSupplier Organization CustomerCustomerDirect e.g. StudentsIndirect e.g. MOE, other agencies

4. Quality Management System

The three main elements:

Process: Core and secondary processes (how they are linked, how resources are provided)

People

Document

Version 2000 process-based approach

Version 1994 document based approach

4.1 Process-based approach (business mapping)

4.2 Document requirements

4.2.1 Quality objectives and policies

Quality manual

Documented procedures

Documents needed for planning, operation and control of its processes

Records

4.2.2

Quality manual

4.2.3 Control of documents

4.2.3 Control of records

Difference of documents and records

Documents records

Quality policy Evidence to show that a procedure has been

Procedures carried out e.g. check list

Work instructions

Lecture notes

Guide books

5. Management responsibility

5.1 Management commitment

5.2 Customer focus

Direct: students

Indirect: MOE, industries, other agencies, professional bodies

Ways of showing: dialogues, meetings, involvement as committee, attachment, tracer studies and etc

5.3 Quality policy

5.4 Planning

ISO committee, quality objectives, customer charter

5.5 Responsibility, authority and communication

5.5.1 Responsibility and authority

Organizational chart: Level of authority

5.5.2 Management representative

5.2.3 Internal communication

5.6 Management review5.6.2 Review input (need to have before the auditing

process, once a year)5.6.3 Review output6. Resource Management6.1 Provision of resources: Money, human, material,

machinery, and methodologies

6.2 Human resources • 6.2.1 Recruitment• 6.2.2 Training

6.3 Infrastructure

6.4 Work environment

Work safety and harmony

7. Product Realization (Realization of teaching and learning programs)

7.1 Planning of product realization (Head of Department and lecturers to give input)

Quality framework:

Activity Monitoring Approval Record Program

7.2 Customer-related processes

7.2.1 Determination of requirements related to the product) Customers’ requirements, student

selection

7.2.2 Review of requirements related to the product

Course registration

7.2.3 Customer communication

Notice board, meetings, academic advisory system etc.

7.3 Design and DevelopmentProgram development (Example)

7.3.1 Design and development planning (Need identification of the program)

7.3.2 Design and development input (Preparation of program framework)

7.3.3 Design and development outputDraft of the program

7.3.4 and 7.3.5 Design and development review and Design and development verification (Review by Departmental level

until the board of governors)7.3.6 Design and development validation (by MOE)7.3.7 Design and development changes

7.4 Purchasing7.4.1 Purchasing process

Requests for purchasing, assess and reassessment of suppliers7.4.2 Purchasing information

(Example local order, specification/proposal)7.4.3 Verification of purchased product7.5 Production and service provision7.5.1 Control of production and service provision

Availability of infor describing the product e.g. Academic guide book, work instructions, master list of equipments, monitoring and measurement (including lecturers performance), release, delivery and post-delivery activities (Administration of students grades)

7.5.2 Validation of processes for production and service provision

7.5.3 Identification and traceability

E.g. program code, course code, CGPA, Schedule

7.5.4 Customer property

Students assignments and thesis

7.5.5 Preservation of product

Control of exam questions, how grades reach the students

7.5.6 Control of monitoring and measuring devices

Calibrate of equipments used in teaching and learning

8. Measurement, analysis and improvement8.1 Have improvements initiatives, use certain statistical tools8.2 Monitoring and measurement8.2.1 Customer satisfaction (teaching evaluation)8.2.2 Internal audit8.2.3 Monitoring and measurement of processes

(use of customer charter)8.2.4 Monitoring and measurement of product

(Grades to students)

8.3 Control of nonconforming products– Nonconforming services (NCR) can be traced from complaints by

students, during the auditing process, daily execution of processes)

8.4 Analysis of dataFour types of data:

Customer feedbackConformance to product requirement (customer charter)Academic data e.g. passing/failure ratePerformance of suppliers

8.5 Improvement

8.5.1 Continual improvement

8.5.2 Corrective actions

Analyze the problems and take actions against them

8.5.3 Preventive actions