Operations & Quality [FAQs]

Operations & Quality Q&As

What is operations management?

is the application of processes, methods and systems to manage activities associated with producing goods and services. It consists of five core functions: planning, organizing, directing, controlling and accounting.

Operations management is a process oriented discipline that helps organizations efficiently and effectively manage the resources needed to produce products or services. It integrates strategic planning with the day-to-day operations of an organization.

Operations management provides an overview of the entire business system, from conception to delivery to customers. Activities such as work, improving quality, overseeing inventory levels and purchasing are all part of this perspective.

What is quality function deployment?

A (QFD) is a process that helps to improve the quality of products and services through the systematic identification, specification, and implementation of customer-specified functions.

QFD is an often used methodology for improving the quality of products and services. The process helps to identify, specify, and implement customer-specified functions into a product or service. This can help to improve the quality of the product or service while also reducing costs.

What is six sigma?

Six sigma is a quality assurance methodology that allows organizations to achieve a 99.9% confidence in their product performance.

What is lean operation?

Lean operation is a manufacturing process where the goal is to create products that are as low cost as possible while maintaining high levels of quality. Lean operates with the theory that by eliminating waste and streamlining production, businesses can achieve increased efficiency and competitiveness.

What is service management?

Service management is the discipline of creating and delivering high-quality, effective services to customers. Service management includes creating a strategy for managing services, planning and establishing networks and staffing resources, monitoring service performance, setting objectives and goals, and taking corrective action when service quality falls short.

What is quality management?

is the process of continuously improving the quality of products or services to meet customer expectations. Quality can be measured in terms of how well a product or service meets customer needs, and includes controlling the manufacturing process and ensuring that products are consistently produced with high standards.

What is quality control?

Quality control is a set of activities that are designed to ensure products or services meet customer expectations. Quality control activities may include checking raw materials, completing initial product testing, and verifying finished products meet specifications.

What is quality assurance?

Quality assurance (QA) is a process used to ensure that products meet customer requirements. QA focuses on the entire product from design through delivery, and seeks to prevent defects from occurring during all stages of the product life cycle.

What are quality management tools?

Quality management tools help organizations identify, measure, and manage quality processes. They include techniques for tracking product or service quality data; overseeing product or service development; establishing customer or user satisfaction ratings; and setting standards for performance.

What is process management?

Process management is the process of organizing and managing a business' processes in order to achieve its goals. It includes setting up systems and controls to ensure that processes are followed, tracking progress and results, and correcting problems as they occur.

What is supply chain?

A supply chain is a network of organizations that work together to get products from raw materials to retail stores.

What is supply chain management?

There is no single answer to this question as each company will have its own definition of .

However, some key concepts to consider when defining supply chain management would include the following:

The process of managing all aspects of a company's relationships with suppliers and customers, from procurement through to delivery and after-sales service. Supply chain management includes ensuring that a company has the right resources available at all times, ensuring that these resources are used efficiently and that they meet the needs of both the company and its customers.

A system in which all aspects of a company's operations are coordinated, with a view to ensuring that products reach their destination in a timely and cost-effective manner. Supply chain management includes managing the logistics of getting goods from suppliers to customers, as well as monitoring customer orders and shipments to ensure that products arrive on time, intact and at the correct cost.

What is logistics?

Logistics is the process of managing a supply chain, from identification of needs to delivery to the customer.

What is project management?

Project management is a process that enables organizations to manage projects successfully. It helps identify and resolve problems early, keep stakeholders informed about progress, and ensure the timely completion of projects.

What is work breakdown structure?

Work breakdown structure is a tool to help managers plan, track, and control the work that their employees perform. The work breakdown structure divides the work into smaller tasks or jobs that can be completed by individual employees. This makes it easier for management to track the progress of each task and ensure that all elements of the project are completed on time.

What is scheduling?

Scheduling is a planning and execution process that sets the order and time for tasks or events.

What are operational metrics?

Operational metrics are performance measures that help a business, organization or system to manage and optimize its operations. Typical operational metrics include things like customer satisfaction ratings, order accuracy, cycle time and lead time.

What are operational KPIs?

Operational KPI's are measurable results that are used to track and improve the performance of an organization. They can be used in any industry, but are more common in fast-paced, technology-driven organizations. Examples of operational KPI's include: customer satisfaction ratings, website traffic volume, number of new product releases, and sales quotas.

What is process optimization?

Process optimization is the application of best practices to an identified process in order to improve performance and/or reduce costs. Optimization may be specific to a process or may be more general, such as trying to improve overall company productivity.

What is process throughput?

Process throughput is a measure of how much a process can complete in a given time period.

What is process bottleneck?

A process bottleneck is a situation where the rate at which work can be completed is slower than the rate at which new work can be added to the process. This can create a bottleneck that prevents processes from running as smoothly and efficiently as they could.

What is operational scorecard?

An operational scorecard is a tool used to track and measure the operational performance of an organization. It can be used to measure the effectiveness of specific operational objectives, strategies and goals.

What is operational dashboard?

An operational dashboard is a graphical representation of performance data that can be used to monitor and track the effectiveness of processes and operations. This information can help managers make informed decisions about how to prioritize resources, improve efficiency, and manage risk.

What is total quality management?

Total quality management (TQM) is a system of organizations that strives to achieve customer satisfaction by focusing on the total process from conception to delivery. TQM systems are designed to identify and eliminate components of the process that cause unacceptable quality outcomes. This allows for continual improvement and ultimately reduced customer complaints and increased business efficiency.

What is process improvement?

is the systematic application of creative methods to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of a process or system.

What are control charts?

A control chart is a graphical representation of the quality of a product or service. It allows for rapid detection and identification of problems.

What is statistical process control?

Statistical (SPC) is a systematic way to monitor and control the quality of products and services throughout their life cycle. SPC aims to identify and correct any deviations from planned or desired outcomes as quickly as possible, in order to maintain product or service quality.

What is continuous improvement?

is a technique used in organizational learning whereby activities and methods are designed to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of work over time.

What is ISO?

International Organization for Standardization () maintains quality management standards and issues quality certifications to companies that have quality systems in place.

What is QMS?

A (QMS) is a set of practices and procedures that organizations use to ensure the quality of their products and services. A QMS typically includes procedures for planning, implementing, monitoring, reporting, and corrective action.

What is fishbone diagram?

A fishbone diagram is a visual tool used to communicate information about the structure of a system. It consists of interconnected segments or “bones” that indicate the relationships between different parts of the system.

What is standardization?

Standardization is the application or implementation of a common set of operating principles or practices in order to make things uniform or consistent.

What are standard operating procedures?

Operating procedures are a set of guidelines and requirements that a company or organization uses to maintain control over its operations. Operating procedures can range from the most basic, such as ensuring that doors close properly and lights turn on when they're supposed to, to more complex tasks, such as approving new products before they're released to the market.

What is process control?

Process control is the process of monitoring and controlling the execution of a manufacturing or other process. Process control includes establishing standards for producing products within tolerances, detecting deviations from these standards, and taking corrective action if needed.

What is PDCA?

The PDCA acronym is an important management tool that can be used to help improve the effectiveness of process improvement initiatives. The acronym stands for “plan, do, check, act.”

What is DMAIC?

The acronym DMAIC stands for “define, measure, analyze, and control.” DMAIC is a management approach that emphasizes the need for continual evaluation of business processes in order to achieve improved performance.

What is the goal of operations management system?

The goal of an operations management system (OMS) is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of operations by providing efficient information sharing and analytical capabilities.

How to develop an operations management system?

There is no definitive answer to this question since operations management systems can be highly customized and tailored to specific business needs.

However, some tips on how to develop an effective operations management system may include:

  1. Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the company's current operations. This includes assessing the organization's strengths and weaknesses, as well as identifying any areas where improvement is necessary.
  2. Create a comprehensive plan for improving operations. This should include specific targets and schedules for achieving the goals, as well as measures of success.
  3. Implement effective communication and coordination mechanisms between different departments within the organization. This will ensure that all operations are carried out properly and efficiently.
  4. Establish systems to monitor performance and track results in order to make continual improvements.

How to evaluate the performance of an operations management system?

The performance of an operations management system can be evaluated in a number of ways, including but not limited to: throughput, error rate, response time, cycle time and resolution time.