SOR 896 Q & R Management: Independence vs. Integration

Quality and Reliability Management: Independence vs. Integration

Abstract

Carl and Dianna sharing experiences with different forms of managing quality and reliability activities. The importance of independence was compared to the importance of integrating with the design activities. What works, what doesn’t work, and why?

Key Points

Join Carl and Dianna as they discuss different ways to organize and manage quality and reliability support activities.

Topics include:

Which reporting structure works best for quality and reliability activities? Reporting to engineering, corporate, validation? Pros and cons for each.
Consider independence factor: which reporting structure allows for independent evaluation?
Consider integration factor: which reporting structure allows quality and reliability support to integrate most seamlessly with engineering?
How quality and reliability is implemented is more important than the reporting structure.
Avoid the same person or group straddling both “design for” and problem solving at same time; fire fighting will end up taking precedence, to the detriment of achieving reliability in design.
Creating a favorable company culture is critical to achieving reliability in design.
Be aware of how often management positions are changed; reliability in design can take years to achieve positive field results, and if management changes too often, it can impede the continuity of implementation.
What matters most is not the reporting structure, but rather the level of support and continuity of support from management.
Improving soft skills is essential to achieving reliability in design; reason is reliability is not done in a vacuum, but rather as part of a team; influencing others to make correct decisions is an important skill.
Don’t merely point out what is wrong with designs, work to integrate with design teams to arrive at best solutions.
Seek to interact with management, so that reliability solutions are adopted and supported by the decision makers.

Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.