CIMA E1 Syllabus E1. Operations management - Quality Management - Notes ^{14 / 21}

Quality Management

Quality management is both an internal and external concept.

A focus on quality can generate significant operational benefits through a pursuit of eliminating errors and the resultant waste, in order to get things right the first time. 

In assessing quality, the following questions can be considered:

• Is the product/service free from errors?

• Is the product/service fit for use?

• Does the product/service meet customer needs?

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance focuses on the way a product or service is produced. 

Procedures and standards are devised with the aim of ensuring defects are eliminated (or at least minimised) during the development/production process.

Quality Control

Quality control is concerned with checking and reviewing work that has been done. 

Quality control therefore has a narrower focus than quality assurance.