We explain what quality control is and why it is so important for companies. Also, quality control methods.
What is quality control?
Quality control is a crucial stage in any production process, since it is through it that the correct performance of the processes carried out is guaranteed and it ensures that what is produced complies with its corresponding legislation and objectives.
Quality control is extremely important, given the current characteristics of the market at the competitive level. The companies of international hierarchy have specialists and machinery, together with a high-level software system to be able to evaluate everything that is produced in their factories.
The concept of quality control, although it is more common in the field of production, It is also present in companies designed to provide services. Through surveys and other techniques, an attempt is made to assess what were the impressions of the recipients regarding the services provided, what are the points to improve, etc.
What are the quality control methods?
Returning to the productive sphere, we are going to detail some of the key elements to guarantee its correct development. Although it is true that there are infinite techniques and processes that expand the steps that we are going to list, the first step is to understand what these measures consist of.
- Control sheet. As a first element, we have the control sheet. In this sheet, generally in the form of a spreadsheet to generate greater ease in obtaining data, we find a precise division on the different functions to be analyzed, where we must detail if we find any fault, and if so, in which sector. It is important that this is done with a stipulated periodicity, since this is where failures in the long-term processes will be noticed. This type of method is manual in nature, regardless of how the data is later analyzed.
- Stratification. It is a very important statistical method that classifies the information considered relevant, grouping it into strata. The choice of deals (personnel, distribution, and any other characteristic that we consider relevant to the production process) is totally arbitrary and corresponds to the choice made by the personnel in charge. This form of measurement serves to have the information clearly grouped and to be able to observe which are the processes that must be reviewed and taken into account.
These are just two of the many options available to staff to maximize and correct productivity. Other very popular measures in the field of administration is the cause-effect diagram or the Pareto diagram (in honor of the Italian economist).
As we can see, it is essential for companies have a Quality Control Plan, since this is where the growth of the company will or will not be seen; the stricter the quality control, the higher the quality of the final product.