Total Quality—Does It Work in Engineering Management?

Abstract

Total Quality (TQ) is a term heard a lot today. What exactly is Total Quality? How does it differ from traditional quality‐management practice? Is it another management fad? Should your organization embark on a TQ process? What does it cost and is it worth it? What lessons have others in engineering management organizations learned that you can use? Where do you find resources? This paper may be useful to those who are thinking of introducing TQ in their organization or already taking their first steps on the journey to quality. It poses the key questions you might ask yourself in deciding whether TQ is for you and how to go about it. It provides an overview of Total Quality and suggests how to apply it to an engineering management organization. Finally, the paper shares some lessons learned from a case study in a consulting engineering organization.