Sunday, December 2, 2012

Experience Quality, not measure it.

I was reading an interesting title 'Quality is personal' which reminds me of my two years earlier post 'Quality is free'. Indeed the book I am reading is a best seller title of its own kind, and my post was influenced by a comment made by one of my earlier boss in a conference.

If Quality is personal, it is definitely free.

This require, an attitude towards perfection, beauty, satisfaction and so quality is indeed a sense of fulfillment.

However, within a world of consumerism, industrialization and the way concept of quality emerged and presented in text books of management, it is seen with a myopic view of improvement in processes, systems and calibration of machines or services to meet the specifications.

There is, nevertheless, another key lesson, which is the basis of beliefs. Quality as practices by the individual is the foundation on which total quality management is built. I recall an anecdote where in a sales executive who charge another couple of dollars for explaining how a digital watch works to her customer. While on the other hand, when the same customer happen to visit another country, he was given a free gift wrapping on a cheap gift item he purchased from that store. Delighted, he left the store with a smile and promise  to come back again if he happens to visit that country.

Quality can not be taught, it can only be experienced, learned and re-learned. There is however, no point of unlearning in quality. Experience Quality and do not measure it.

Steve Jobs during his various sessions in developing his elite gadgets, didn't like the models, crafting or whatsoever was brought in front of him. Simple, there was no reason, but he didn't like them. He was actually building quality into his products from his own eyes.

So, is quality an idea? a thought? an endeavor for evolution of mankind towards a better society?

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