This introductory chapter looks at the background and evolution of the Quality Movement,
which had its roots in 1920s manufacturing processes. As Information Technology works to
move from an unstructured “art form” to an “engineering” approach, the lessons learned in
manufacturing are increasingly relevant.
The dramatic transformation of the automobile industry over the last thirty years is an
excellent example of what happens when organizations fail to deliver what the ultimate
customer (internal or external to the organization) perceives to be “quality.” It is not enough to
build a vehicle that provides transportation from point A to point B. If the price of gas goes
up, so must the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. If the roads become congested and parking
difficult, vehicles need to become smaller and more maneuverable. Vehicles that require
frequent, unpredictable repairs, whether major or minor, are viewed as less desirable than
those with fewer, more predictable service needs. Products not responding to these needs will
be perceived as having lower quality, and therefore they are less desirable in the marketplace.
Customers purchase those items in smaller quantities and want to pay comparatively less for
them. Japan, using their understanding of quality production techniques, has succeeded in
displacing most North American and European vehicles as “quality vehicles” in the eyes of
world customers.
One of the important lessons learned was that it is essential to understand what the external
customer defined as “quality.” This chapter will look at the varying operating definitions of
Quality which are in common usage today, and how they relate to IT. Business Analysts have
the opportunity each day to impact the final quality of the products they are involved with; by
better understanding the options and the tools available for developing quality systems, they
make a major contribution to the organization.