QUALITY & MANUFACTURING WORKING TOGETHER
No matter what industry you work in, there always seems to be unnecessary tension between Quality and Manufacturing. Quality is viewed as a major annoyance that interferes with the manufacturing process….we often get labeled as the ‘police’, which isn’t very positive! Both Quality and Manufacturing need to transition away from the typical adversarial relationship towards a more positive relationship that promotes teamwork. By doing so, both Quality and Manufacturing achieve the ultimate business goal, which is the release of quality product on-time. You may think that a partnership between the two departments conflict with the fundamental principle that Quality must remain autonomous from Manufacturing at all times, however, it’s still possible to work together in a way that builds positive and professional relationships without compromising the autonomy and yet still achieve the goal of releasing quality products on-time.
Over the years, I’ve found several ways to strengthen the relationship between Quality and Manufacturing and promote effective teamwork by following these 4 rules:
- Understand Quality’s Expectations Upfront - If you wait until Quality has to get involved, then you may not be happy with the results. For example, if you’re working on a nonconformance investigation, it’s best to partner with the designated Quality Approver before you begin your investigation so that you can discuss what the Approver minimally expects to see in your report in order to approve the investigation.
- Involve Quality Throughout The Process – If you have any questions or concerns regarding the quality of a product that’s in-process, immediately partner with Quality to figure out the best path forward….don’t wait until the end when the only option is to reject the product.
- Promote Better Relationships - Always be mindful of comments that you make publicly and how they’ll be interpreted. That means no finger pointing in meetings that will perpetuate the ‘us vs. them’ mindset.
- No Hidden Agendas Please – Be as transparent as possible so that you build trusting relationships that last.
What’s the relationship like between Quality and Manufacturing at your company?
Take care,
Sandra
