What does that mean?
Well, processes are the P’s and quality is the Q, which can be measured to see how well a process accomplishes its set tasks.
Processes and Quality
What is a Process?
Simply put, a process is an activity or series of activities that produce a result or an output, which requires one or more inputs. An example to illustrate this would be the ordering of a coffee from a shop.
A simple process chart
This is of course a simplified process map or flow-chart that describes a process with an input and output. By defining a process such as the one above, the chances of a coffee being produced that is the same every time is increased…or put into other terms, this is an example of a quality process.
Process Mapping
Process mapping is a method used to assist in detailing and understanding what the activity actually consists of. A map is a visual way of describing a process using symbols, a chart, or other visual methods to illustrate the process steps, the persons responsible, the required standard and the measure of quality and success.
Below is an example of a training process map which shows how a student is enrolled and accepted, trained, and resulted by a training company. Some of the areas may have sub-processes within them such as the enrolment process, while others are simple, single stepped such as issuing of the certificate.
Training and assessment process overview
To understand how well this process is performed, the variables (e.g., inputs, outputs, and performance data) can be measured, assessed, and changed to ensure the process continuously improves.
What is Quality?
Quality is a subjective measure of how well something does, what is says it does, or will do. It is generally more to do with what is perceived by a customer, or a recipient of a service or product, that is important, rather than what the supplier thinks.
Quality can however have different meanings dependent on what the measure is, e.g., it could be the cost, performance, how well it meets a certain standard, how long it took to provide the product or what was the overall experience.
The measures or deliverables can also include—
Does it have any defects?
Does it do what it says it will?
Does the customer have any difficulty understanding or using the service or product?
Is there any communication breakdown?
Does it meet the requirements of the customer?
In the figure above, the ultimate test of quality is based on the overall student experience, with a questionnaire based assessment issued by the training company as well as the results of data collection by a national body for vocational education used for verification purposes.
This of course does not mean a registered training company(e.g., an RTO) needs only consider the student outcome, but also that it complies with all relevant standards and other essential business system and process requirements.
Typically, the RTO would have a quality manual that outlines all of the quality requirements of the business. Quality management is in itself one of the business processes, along with the operations and support areas of the business and is integral in managing business processes effectively.
A business process overview
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