DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING ON THIS MODULE

TLE – ICT – CSS

Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Applying Quality Standards
(AQS)

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

At the end of this module you will also find:

References This is a list of all sources used in developing

this module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part
of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other
activities included in the module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your
answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through
with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do
not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind
that you are not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful

learning and gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You
can do it!

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 What I Need to Know

This module covers the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to apply quality
standards in the workplace. Quality standards are defined as documents that provide
requirements, specifications, guidelines, or characteristics that can be used
consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes, and services are fit for their
purpose.

In this module, you will also learn about application of relevant safety procedures and
regulations, organization procedures and customer requirements related to Computer
System Servicing.

This module consists of three most essential learning competencies, namely:

• Assess quality of received materials

• Assess own work
• Engage in quality improvement

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Obtain work instruction in accordance with standard operating procedures
2. Check the received materials against workplace standards and specifications
3. Identify and isolate faulty materials/errors related to work
4. Record and/ or report defects and any identified causes to the supervisor
concerned in accordance with workplace procedures
5. Identify and use documentation relative to quality within the prescribe standard
6. Record information on the quality and other indicators of production performance
in accordance with workplace procedures
7. Participate process improvement procedures in relative to workplace assignment
8. Manage work in accordance with process improvement procedures
9. Monitor performance of operation or quality of product of service to ensure
customer satisfaction
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 What I Know
I.

I. Match column A with their meaning in column B. Write the letter of the correct
answer on a separate sheet of paper.

A B

1. Quality Standard a. quality management standards

provide safeguards for users of products
2. Standard Operating Procedures and services
b. defined as documents that provide
3. Consistency requirements, specifications, guidelines,
or characteristics
4. Selection of Materials c. businesses and
organizations complying to quality standards helps
5. Communication products, services, and personnel cross
borders
6. Reduction of Errors d. is a policy and
procedure document which describes the regular
7. Cost of Materials recurring activities appropriate to
quality operations
8. Feedback e. A written procedure details a set of
instructions for performing a task
9. Testing of Materials f. number one reason for procedures is
consistency in the way an individual
10. Standard carries out a task or activity
g. improvements made to processes, the
operating procedures are updated, and
each update requires new training
h. Material selection is one of the most
common tasks for design engineering
i. widely understood to be the key to
obtaining data for a project, performing
failure analysis, or understanding
material interaction

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II. Write QN if the statement affects the quantity of work and QL if the statement
affects the quality of work. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
______ 1. Poor scheduling of work
______ 2. Failure to meet expectations for product quality, cost or service
______ 3. Customer/client dissatisfaction
______ 4. Preventable accidents
______ 5. Misuse of sick leave

Note: If you get 100% correct in this pre- assessment, skip the lesson but
if not and only get 50% to 99% correct, then proceed with the lesson.

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 Lesson

1 Applying Quality Standards

What’s In

A. Set
Show pictures of different computer shops in Iligan.

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B. Perception
Ask:

• What kind of stores are in the picture?

• What are the things that are being sold in a computer store?
• How are you going to buy a new computer?

C. Remembering

• Can you name any computer brand?

Notes to the Teacher

Use of quality standards is voluntary but may be expected by
certain groups of stakeholders. Additionally, some organizations
or government agencies may require suppliers and partners to
use a specific standard as a condition of doing business

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 What’s New

What are Quality Standards?

Quality standards are defined as documents that provide requirements,
specifications, guidelines, or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure
that materials, products, processes, and services are fit for their purpose.

Standards provide organizations with the shared vision, understanding,

procedures, and vocabulary needed to meet the expectations of their
stakeholders. Because standards present precise descriptions and terminology,
they offer an objective and authoritative basis for organizations and
consumers around the world to communicate and conduct business.

Who uses Quality Standards?

Organizations turn to standards for guidelines, definitions, and procedures that

help them achieve objectives such as:

• Satisfying their customers’ quality requirements

• Ensuring their products and services are safe
• Complying with regulations
• Meeting environmental objectives
• Protecting products against climatic or other adverse conditions
• Ensuring that internal processes are defined and controlled

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Use of quality standards is voluntary but may be expected by certain groups of
stakeholders. Additionally, some organizations or government agencies may require
suppliers and partners to use a specific standard as a condition of doing business.

What is It

Standards Operating Procedures

Standard operating procedures are written, step-by-step instructions that describe

how to perform a routine activity. Employees should complete them in the exact
same way every time so that the business can remain consistent. Standard
operating procedures help maintain safety and efficiency for departments such as:

• Production/operations
• Sales and customer service
• Employee training
• Legal
• Financial

A standing operating procedure should never be difficult to read or vaguely worded.

It should be brief, easy to understand and contain actions steps that are simple
follow. A good standard operating procedure should clearly outline the steps and
inform the employee of any safety concerns.

Why Do You Need Standard Operating Procedures?

Some business owners have a hard time grasping why standard operating
procedures are necessary. They already trained their employees so why do they
need a written document outlining the process as well?

This is sort of like asking why doctors have a written list of procedures they follow
before performing surgery. Or why the FDA has a written list of procedures for how
restaurants can handle food.

Standard operating procedures are detailed, written instructions on how to perform

a routine business activity. They are easy to read and they explain every detail of
the process being described. It is important to keep in mind that a good
standard operating procedure does not focus on what needs to be done but
rather how it should be done. A standard operating procedure is an effective
tool that every business should have.

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Standard operating procedures will give you a better understanding of your
business processes and help you decide how to move forward. They will
ensure that all employees are performing the business processes in the same way.

Having standard operating procedures in place will also give you the option to scale
your business more quickly. This is because standard operating procedures make it
easier to replicate these processes across your organization.

S t a n d ard Op er a t in g P ro c e dur e s - A written method of controlling a

practice in accordance with predetermined specifications to obtain a desired
outcome. SOPs are written steps to explain good manufacturing practices (GMP),
plant safety routines, and financial controls to secure assets, or IT security
measures that employees are to follow. SOPs are step by step procedures on how
to do something that is critical to quality, critical to safe operations, or critical to
security.

An important aspect of any quality system is to work according to clear-cut

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). An SOP is a policy and procedure
document which describes the regular recurring activities appropriate to quality
operations. If it is Critical to Quality (CTQ) then it is a candidate for a standard
operating procedure. Consistency is the goal or purpose of an SOP, to carry out
all operations correctly and always in the same manner.

Are SOPs relevant in 2020?

Across all industries, our clients are telling us that now more than ever, that
effective SOPs and Work Instructions are an essential component of a highly
effective organization. Many believe that any business unit without a robust
procedure system is doomed to failure in today’s business environment and
competitive global marketplace.
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Let us face it, as the complexity and sophistication of automated
processes continues to increase, we find ourselves asking our employees to
take on ever increasing responsibilities. Without a coherent SOP system, we are
setting ourselves up to fail. Also, with unemployment rates currently at low levels,
it’s become a challenge to hire people who possess all the skills, knowledge and
experience that we’d like. Effective SOPs are more important than ever to serve as
training tool and ensure consistent and correct process and task performance.

An SOP is a useful business tool as it communicates the correct way of carrying out
an activity within your organization. Standard Operating Procedures at a minimum
give you the following:
Consistency – The number one reason for procedures is consistency in the way
an individual carries out a task or activity. The more consistent a process is from
person to person, the less chance there will be quality problems.
Reduction of errors – A written procedure details a set of instructions
for performing a task. If everyone within your team performs the task as it is
written, there is a greater chance of reducing errors.
Communication – Another great reason you need SOPs in your organization is
for the benefit of communication. With improvements made to processes, the
operating procedures are updated, and each update requires new training.
Updating SOPs provides a method to communicate the process changes to
employees.

Characteristic of Materials Used in Specific Projects

The student must relate material properties to product and process quality. These
are the factors that must be taken into consideration when choosing the right
material for their components and assemblies:

1. Selection of Materials
It is a step in the process of designing any physical object. In the context of product
design, the main goal of material selection is to minimize cost while meeting
product performance goals. Systematic selection of the best material for a given
application begins with properties and costs of candidate materials. Material
selection is often benefited using material index or performance index relevant to
the desired material properties.

For example:

• HP brand for printer

• Intel brand for Computer Hardware

2. Testing Material
It is the determination of the technological and operational properties of materials,
primarily using machines and instruments. Materials are tested for diverse
purposes: to determine the properties of the raw material, to check quality at
intermediate stages in production processes, to check finished products, and to
aid research. Mechanical, physical, and chemical methods are used to study the
properties of
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materials. Destructive methods damage or destroy the object of the tests;
nondestructive ones permit further use of the object.

3. Cost of Material

Material cost is the cost of materials used to manufacture a product or provide a

service. Excluded from the material cost is all indirect materials, such as
cleaning supplies used in the production process. Follow these steps to
determine the amount of material cost to assign to a unit of production (such
as a completed finished goods item):

1. Ascertain the standard quantity of the material used to manufacture one

unit.

2. Add the standard amount of scrap associated with manufacturing one

unit.

3. Determine the standard amount of scrap associated with setting up the

production run and apportion it to the individual unit.

4. If any scrap is then sold, apportion the revenue back to the individual unit.

Characteristic of common materials for increased security is also a great factor in

the design and planning process. Evaluation of longevity criteria and assessment of
site environmental factors are vital to project planning.

Specific knowledge about the project and general common sense must dictate
design and material selection. Although many materials can offer enhanced
protection, often the most cost-efficient and readily available material that
provides reasonable life expectancy for the project must be considered.

Before planning and designing takes place, you should evaluate the material
options and system requirements. Teachers should add several useful reference
manuals to their libraries such as installation of hardware, networking,
troubleshooting as well as basic PC Operation and Internet for additional
information that the students may use in their projects.

The characteristic of the materials to be used for specific project must be:

✓ of good quality
- This is the most important factor when choosing materials to
buy. Products with good quality are long-lasting and safe to
use because you know that it follows certain standards before
being commercialized.
✓ reliable
- It means that you can be sure that it will perform its function
well, will operate safely and will give the best it could give.

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 ✓ suitable for the application/purposes
- Choose the materials which are very necessary to make the
project possible. Making a list of products/materials to buy is
a good trait of a wise consumer. Products which are not to be
used must be crossed out.
✓ low cost
- It does not mean that you will choose for the less expensive one
and exclude the quality. Low cost means you can afford to buy
the materials without hurting your pocket and assure of better
quality.

Fault Identification and Reporting

These are the things to be considered when:

A. Receiving Materials:
1. Match the packing slip to the items received and ensures that the materials are
destined on tour department.
2. That you are receiving the materials indicated on the purchase order regarding
quantity and discount.
3. That the materials are in acceptable condition.
4. That terms regarding installation and/or set up of equipment are met.

B. Receiving Reports
Whenever goods are received:
1. The person receiving the goods must document, using the
administrative software, that all goods were received for each requisition before any
payment can be made to the vendor.
2. Any exceptions must be noted so that partial payments can be processed, or
defective goods can be returned.

C. Return of Merchandise
When merchandise is received which is incomplete or defective, the supervisor will
return the materials to the supplier or to the store where it was bought and decide
with the vendor for replacement.

D. Make an Inventory Report of the Materials

All materials received must be listed and be reported to monitor how many
materials are already on hand, purchased or damaged.
Effective management checks are an important means of providing assurance of
the integrity and security of the benefit processes. They are also useful in
identifying training needs; indicating possible weaknesses in procedure and
ensuring the section meets its accuracy target set for Best Value
Performance Indicators purposes.

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Methodology

The teacher will be the assessor. Students will be randomly assigned that will: 1.)
act as Quality Checker; 2.) responsible for monitoring and coordinating the
checking arrangements and 3.) must generate reports when receiving the
equipment.

The Quality checker will record the date of receipt, name of the materials
purchased, quantity, and official receipt number, signature of the person who
bought the materials and signed his name afterwards. The Quality checker will
identify if the materials are in good condition or damage and /or needing for
replacements. This will also be recorded on his report.

Feedback

Once the Quality checker has completed all the reports, the assessor will check if
the Quality Checker provides all the data needed in the report.

Example of Log Report (to be completed by the Quality checker)

Date Quality
O.R. # Item Name Quantity Signature
Receive Checker

Example of Assessment of Materials Received (to be completed by the

Quality checker)
Quality Checker: Date:

Total no. in Good

Item Name Total no. of Errors Comments
Condition
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Workplace Procedure is a set of written instructions that identifies the health
and safety issues that may arise from the jobs and tasks that make up a system of
work.

A safe working procedure should be written when:

• designing a new job or task

• changing jobs or task
• introducing new equipment
• reviewing a procedure when problems have been identified, example
from an accident or incident investigation

The safe working procedure should identify:

• the teacher for the task or job and the students who will undertake
the task
• the tasks that are to be undertaken that pose risks
• the equipment to be used in these tasks
• the control measures that have been formulated for these tasks
• any training or qualification needed to undertake the task
• the personal protective equipment to be worn
• action to be undertaken to address safety issues that may arise while
undertaking the task

Following certain procedures is very important to perform a given operation.

The table below shows different elements and their corresponding performance
criteria to be able to identify occupational health and safety hazards, and assess
risk, as well as follow instructions and procedure in the workplace with minimal
supervision. The students will also be capable of participating and contributing to
OHS management issues.

ELEMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify hazards and assess
risk.
2. Follow procedures and
strategies for risk control.
1.1 Identify hazards in the work area and
during the performance of workplace
duties.
1.2 Assess level of risk
2.1 Report hazards in the work area to
designated personnel according to
workplace procedures
2.2 Follow workplace procedures and work
instructions for assessing and
controlling risks with minimal
supervision.

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 ELEMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
2.3 Whenever necessary, within the scope of
responsibilities and competencies, follow
workplace procedures for dealing with
hazards and incidents, fire and/or other
emergencies.
3. Contribute to OHS in the 3.1 Describe employee rights regarding
workplace. consultation on OHS matters
3.2 Raise task and/or job specific OHS issues
with appropriate people in accordance
with workplace procedures and relevant
OHS legislative requirements
3.3 Contribute to participative arrangement
for OHS management in the workplace
within organisational procedures and
the scope of responsibilities and
competencies
3.4 Provide feedback to supervisor
on hazards in work area in line with
organisational OHS policies and
procedures
3.5 Provide support in implementing
procedures to control risks in
accordance with
4. Work instruction may be: organisational
• Verbal procedures
• Written
• In English
• In a community language
• Provided visually e.g. video, OHS signs,
symbols and other pictorial,
presentation, etc.
5. Controlling risks in the work Application of the hierarchy of control,
area may include: namely:
• Eliminate the risk
• Reduce/minimise the risk through
• Engineering controls
• Administrative controls
• Personal protective equipment
6. Reports identifying workplace • Face to face
hazards may be verbal or written • Phone messages
and may include: • Notes
• Memos

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 ELEMENT
7. Examples of OHS issues which
may need to be raised by workers
with designated personnel may
include:
8. Examples of contributions may
include:
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
• Specially designed report forms
• Hazards identified
• Problems encountered in managing
risks associated with hazards
• Clarification on understanding of OHS
policies and procedures
• Communication and consultation
processes
• Follow up on reports and feedback.
• Effectiveness of risk controls in place
• Training needs
• Recommendations on changes to work
processes, equipment or practices
• Listening to the ideas and opinions of
others in the team
• Sharing opinions, views, knowledge and
skills
• Identifying and reporting risks and
hazards
• Using equipment according to
guidelines and operating manuals

Occupational health and safety (OHS) relate to health, safety, and welfare issues in
the workplace. OHS includes the laws, standards, and programs that are aimed at
making the workplace better for workers, along with co-workers, family members,
customers, and other stakeholders.

Improving a company's occupational health and safety standards ensures good

business, a better brand image, and higher employee morale.

Occupational health and safety are concerned with addressing many types of
workplace hazards, such as:

• Chemicals
• Physical
hazards •
Biological agents
• Psychological fallout
• Ergonomic issues
• Accidents
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Occupational health and safety standards are in place to mandate the removal,
reduction, or replacement of job site hazards. OHS programs should also include
material that helps minimize the effects of the hazards. Employers and company
management are obliged to provide a safe working environment for all their
employees.

OHS Management Issues

Types and Work-related errors

A. Quantity of work (untimely completion, limited production)

1. Poor prioritizing, timing, scheduling

2. Lost time

• Tardiness, absenteeism, leaving without permission

• Excessive visiting, phone use, break time, use of the Internet
• Misuse of sick leave

3. Slow response to work requests, untimely completion of assignments

4. Preventable accidents

B. Quality of work (failure to meet quality standards)

1. Inaccuracies, errors

2. Failure to meet expectations for product quality, cost or service

3. Customer/client dissatisfaction

4. Spoilage and/or waste of materials

5. Inappropriate or poor work methods

Standards are sets of rules that outline specification of dimensions, design of

operation, materials and performance, or describe quality of materials, products or
systems. These standards should cover the performance expectations of the
product for applications. The intent of standards is to provide at least minimum
quality, safety or performance specifications to ensure relatively uniform
products and performance, and to remove ambiguity as to the suitability of
certain commercial products for applications. Following standards may reduce
the risk of error in working.

Specific quality standards for:

1. Hardware

The durability of the work depends on the quality of its component parts and
the assembly skills of those who install it. If the best-quality products or hardware
are used but are installed incorrectly, the system will be a failure.

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The application of suitable hardware and products must be supported by adequate
levels of training of person who use them so that they can identify and use only
appropriate products.

In judging a product or hardware, the person must consider factors such as the
following:

• Is the product or hardware under consideration suitable for the application

or purpose?
• Will it be harmful to the health of the community in its normal use?
• Is there a risk of this hardware being released into the environment (e.g. the
water) in the first instance or after the working life of the product or
hardware has expired?

2. Production Process

In production process, checking of quality assurance must be highly

considered. Quality assurance covers all activities from design, development,
production, installation, servicing and documentation. This introduced the rules:
"fit for purpose" and "do it right the first time". It includes the regulation of the
quality of raw materials, assemblies, products and components; services
related to production; and management, production, and inspection processes.

A. FAILURE TESTING

A valuable process to perform on a whole consumer product is failure testing,

the operation of a product until it fails, often under stresses such as increasing
vibration, temperature and humidity. This exposes many unanticipated weaknesses
in a product, and the data is used to drive engineering and manufacturing process
improvements.

B. STATISTICAL CONTROL

Many organizations use statistical process control to bring the organization

to Six Sigma levels of quality, in other words, so that the likelihood of an
unexpected failure is confined to six standard deviations on the normal
distribution. Traditional statistical process controls in manufacturing
operations usually proceed by randomly sampling and testing a fraction of
the output. Variances of critical tolerances are continuously tracked, and
manufacturing processes are corrected before bad parts can be produced.

C. COMPANY QUALITY

The company-wide quality approach places an emphasis on three aspects:

1. Elements such as controls, job management, adequate processes,

performance and integrity criteria and identification of records

2. Competence such as knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications

3. Soft elements, such as personnel integrity, confidence, organizational

culture, motivation, team spirit and quality relationships.

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 The quality of the outputs is at risk if any of these three aspects are deficient
in any way.

D. TOTAL QUALITY CONTROL

Total Quality Control is the most necessary inspection control of all in cases
where, despite statistical quality control techniques or quality improvements
implemented, sales decrease.

3. Final Product

Table 1 shows the Quality System Elements required by ISO 9000 in the making of
the final product.

Table 1 Quality System Elements.

QUALITY SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS CONTENTS

1 Management Define and document commitment, policy and objectives,

responsibility responsibility and authority, verification resources and
personnel. Appoint a management representative and conduct
regular reviews of the system

2 Quality system Establish and maintain a documented quality system ensuring

that products conform to specified requirements

3 Contract Review Ensure that customer's contractual requirements are evaluated

and met

4 Product Plan, control and verify product development to ensure that

development specified requirements are met

5 Document control System for control and identification of all documents

regarding quality, e.g. procedures, instructions, and
specifications
6 Purchasing Ensure that purchased products conform to specified
requirements

7 Product System to identify and control traceability of product at all

identification and stages from raw materials through production to the final
traceability product as delivered to the customer

8 Process control Ensure and plan the control of production which directly
effects quality by documented work instructions,
monitoring and control of processes

9 Inspection and Inspect and test incoming products, intermediate and final
testing product; establish product conformance to
specified

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 requirements and identify non-conforming pro- ducts;
maintain inspection and test records

10 Inspection, Selection and control of equipment to ensure reliability and

measuring and accuracy in measuring data
test equipment

11 Inspection and For the whole process the products shall be identified and
test status clearly marked concerning test status, including indication of
conformance or non-conformance

12 Control of non- Identification, documentation, evaluation, isolation (if possible)

conforming and disposition of non-conforming products
products

13 Corrective actions Prevention of reoccurrence of failures (non-conformance)

14 Handling, storage Protection of the quality of the product during hand- ling,
packaging and storage, packaging and delivery
delivery

15 Quality records Records, including those which demonstrate that the specified
requirements have been met, shall be control- led and
maintained

16 Internal Quality Regular, planned internal audits shall be carried out,

Audits documented and recorded to verify the effectiveness of the
quality system

17 Training Training requirements at all levels shall be identified and the

training planned, conducted and recorded

18 Cleaning and Although not required by the ISO 9000 standards, these two
Disinfection points should be given special attention in all food companies

19 Personal hygiene

4. Customer Service
According to Turban et al, 2002, “Customer service is a series of activities
designed to enhance the level of customer’s satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a
product or service has met the customer’s expectation”. Its importance varies by
product, industry and customer.

How to monitor workplace operations?

Continually monitoring and looking for ways to improve workplace
operations can help an organization stay on financial track and keep delivering top
quality products and services. You need to monitor workplace operations so you
can
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develop strategies to improve procedures and protocols. As a business scales up in
sales or in size, the task of monitoring becomes more important and complicated.
Monitoring operations requires management oversight, employee feedback
and customer reviews. It can help provide specific directions for employees, which
can lead to improved time management and increased productivity.
Improving workplace operations requires analyzing collected data to identify
the underlying problems and to find resolutions and methods
to deal with them. Here we outline few key steps to quality monitoring your
business operations to ensure your organization remains competitive.
Measurement of the operative performance. To measure your
company’s performance company in an effective way, you need to establish
indicators that allow you to know the results and how to make the suitable
adjustments when it is necessary. Each area within the company has its own
mechanisms, needs and resources. It is important to have an analysis of how
each separate area is performing to achieve its specific objectives.
Implement operational process improvements. A results-
oriented improvement plan focuses on improving cost, quality, service or speed.
Action steps range from making minor changes that eliminate duplicate steps or
other workflow redundancies to redesigning an entire process. An
implementation includes analyzing, prioritizing and reassembling tasks and
operational steps.
Collect relevant data. There are many ways to collect data via
regular monitoring and surveying. Many businesses use a customer retention
management (CRM) software. Software capabilities vary but most offer several
ways to monitor workplace operations. All relevant information coming out from
outbound calls, prospect contacts calls, correspondence, offline and online
surveys, follow-ups and sales should be registered and analyzed. Right now, you
can find in the market software that even help track orders and send follow up
offers.
Beyond technology, you can use site operations, employee surveys and
customer feedback to collect valuable data about how your company is delivering
its product or service. Site operations may be done by management, owners or
by a third-party consulting firm, offering an outsider’s perspective on
operations. Employee surveys provide valuable feedback on areas of inefficiency
that employees experience daily, such as consistent inventory issues. Customer
reviews, whether solicited or gathered via online social media channels, tell
companies about the user experience. At times, when everything seems to be going
smoothly, it might be the customer review that points out something otherwise
overlooked.
Analyze all collected information. As a business owner, you should
look at data regularly to understand patterns and to look for anomalies.
Although there might not be a monthly site review, employers can use other
collected data to get an understanding what is working well and what is not.
Engage your employees. Start by creating a workplace environment
that accepts and embraces change. An open-door policy, fair and respectful
treatment and open communications are some of the most important ingredients.
If you take the time to lay a foundation that encourages and rewards employee
contributions

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before implementing a monitoring and operational improvement plan, it will be
much easier to get their cooperation.
Establish communication channels and strategies. IT
managers and administrators must establish mechanisms to visualize the
operational strategies within the organization and establish communication
strategies that allow all the members of the company to easily know the results of
each of the areas.
Implement new protocols and workflows. Once the issue is
identified in the existing process, it is imperative that the company take steps
to improve workplace operations. If a new call or sales protocol is implemented, it
needs to be written in as part of the operations manual, and then distributed to
employees. On top of the distribution of the written protocol, employers need to
train employees consistently and regularly to make the new protocol
habitual. Additionally, employers should ask for feedback on new policies and
procedures to fine tune them.
Sometimes, improving workflow changes is easier than at other times. If
inventory issues exist, managers need to decide with suppliers or find new ones
that can handle the demand.

The seven basic tools of quality are a designation given to a fixed set of graphical
techniques identified as being most helpful in troubleshooting issues related to
quality. They are called basic because they are suitable for people with little formal
training in statistics and because they can be used to solve many quality-related
issues.
Once the basic problem-solving or quality improvement process is
understood, the addition of quality tools can make the process proceed more
quickly and systematically. Seven simple tools can be used
by any professional to ease the quality improvement process: flowcharts, check
sheets, Pareto diagrams, cause and effect diagrams, histograms, scatter diagrams,
and control charts.

FLOWCHARTS
Flowcharts describe a process in as much detail as possible by graphically
displaying the steps in proper sequence. A good flowchart should show all process
steps under analysis by the quality improvement team, identify critical process
points for control, suggest areas for further improvement, and help explain and
solve a problem.
The flowchart is a simple production process in which parts are received, inspected,
and sent to subassembly operations and painting. After completing this loop, the
parts can be shipped as subassemblies after passing a final test or they can
complete a second cycle consisting of final assembly, inspection and testing,
painting, final testing, and shipping.
21
 Figure 1. A basic production process
flowchart displays several paths a
part can travel from the time it hits the
receiving dock to final shipping.

CHECK SHEETS
Check sheets help organize
data by category. They show how
many times each value occurs, and
their information is increasingly
helpful as more data are collected.
Check sheets minimize clerical work
since the operator merely adds a
mark to the tally on the prepared
sheet
rather than writing out a figure. By
showing the frequency of a defect
(e.g., in a molded part) and how
often it occurs in a specific Figure 2. Because it clearly organizes data,
location, check sheets help operators a check sheet is the easiest way to track
information.
spot problems.
The check sheet example
shows a list of molded part defects on a production line covering a week’s time. One
can easily see where to set priorities based on results shown on this check sheet.
Assuming the production flow is the same on each day, the part with the largest
number of defects carries the highest priority for correction.
22
PARETO DIAGRAMS
The Pareto diagram is named after
Vilfredo Pareto, a 19th-century Italian
economist who postulated that a large
share of wealth is owned by a small
percentage of the population. This basic
principle translates well into quality
problems—most quality problems result
from a small number of causes. Quality
experts often refer to the principle as the
80-20 rule; that is, 80% of problems are
caused by 20% of the potential sources.
Figure 3. By rearranging random data,
A Pareto diagram puts data in a a Pareto diagram identifies and ranks
hierarchical order, which allows the most nonconformities in the quality process in
significant problems to be corrected first. descending order.
The Pareto analysis technique is used
primarily to identify and evaluate nonconformities, although it can summarize all
types of data. It is perhaps the diagram most often used in management
presentations.

CAUSE AND EFFECT DIAGRAMS

The cause and effect diagram are sometimes called an Ishikawa diagram after its
inventor. It is also known as a fish bone diagram because of its shape. A cause and
effect diagram describes a relationship between variables. The undesirable outcome
is shown as effect, and related causes are shown as leading to, or potentially
leading to, the said effect. This popular tool has one severe limitation, however, in
that users can overlook important, complex interactions between causes. Thus, if a
problem is caused by a combination of factors, it is difficult to use this tool to
depict and solve it.

Figure 4. Fish bone diagrams display the various

possible causes of the final effect. Further analysis
can prioritize them.

A fish bone diagram displays all contributing factors and their relationships to the
outcome to identify areas where data should be collected and analyzed. The major
areas of potential causes are shown as the main bones, e.g., materials, methods,

23
people, measurement, machines, and design. Later, the subareas are depicted.
Thorough analysis of each cause can eliminate causes one by one, and the most
probable root cause can be selected for corrective action. Quantitative information
can also be used to prioritize means for improvement,
whether it be to machine, design, or operator.

HISTOGRAMS
The histogram plots data in a frequency distribution
table. What distinguishes the histogram from a check
sheet is that its data are grouped into rows so that
the identity of individual values is lost. Commonly
used to present quality improvement data,
histograms work best with small amounts of
data that vary considerably. When used in
process capability studies, histograms can display
specification limits to show what portion of the
data does not meet the specifications.
After the raw data are collected, they are grouped in
value and frequency and plotted in a graphical form.
A histogram’s shape shows the nature of the
distribution of the data, as well as central tendency
(average) and variability. Specification limits can be Figure 5. A histogram is
an easy way to see the
used to display the capability of the process. distribution of the data, its
average, and variability.

SCATTER DIAGRAMS
A scatter diagram shows how two variables are
related and is thus used to test for cause
and effect relationships. It cannot prove that one
variable causes the change in the other, only that a
relationship exists and how strong it is.
In a scatter diagram, the horizontal (x) axis
represents the measurement values of one
variable, and the vertical (y) axis represents the
measurements of the second variable.

Figure 6. The plotted data

points in a scatter diagram
24 show the relationship between
two variables.
CONTROL CHARTS
A control chart displays statistically determined upper and lower limits drawn on
either side of a process average. This chart shows if the collected data are within
upper and lower limits previously determined through statistical calculations of raw
data from earlier trials.

Figure 7. Data points that fall outside

the upper and lower control limits leads to
investigation and correction of the process.

The construction of a control chart is based on statistical principles and

statistical distributions, particularly the normal distribution. When used in
conjunction with a manufacturing process, such charts can indicate trends and
signal when a process is out of control. The center line of a control chart represents
an estimate of the process mean; the upper and lower critical limits are also
indicated. The process results are monitored over time and should remain within
the control limits; if they do not, an investigation is conducted for the causes
and corrective action taken. A control chart helps determine variability so it
can be reduced as much as is economically justifiable.

25
 What’s More

Independent Activity 1
I. Enumeration. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering.

• Give three factors to be considered when choosing the right material?

• Give three characteristics of materials to be used for specific project?

II. Directions: Arrange the scrambled letters to form a word below

by understanding the given meaning of the correct term. Write your answer
on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Shows how two variables are related and is thus used to test for cause and effect
relationships.
CAETTRS IGDRMAA __________________________
2. A displays statistically determined upper and lower limits drawn on either side of
a process average.
TLNROOC ACHRT __________________________
3. Is initiated with a Quality Assessment Request, typically received from one or
more project stakeholders.
EASSSS LQATYIU __________________________
4. Plots data in a frequency distribution table.
STOHISRGMA __________________________
5. Concerned with transforming a range of inputs into those outputs that are
required by the market.
ODCOTNIRPU PCSOESR __________________________

26
 What I Have Learned

Remember these:

1. Characteristic of common materials for increased security is also a great factor in

the design and planning process.

2. Evaluation of longevity criteria and assessment of site environmental factors are

vital to project planning.

3. Specific knowledge about the project and general common sense must dictate
design and material selection. Although many materials can offer enhanced
protection, often the most cost-efficient and readily available material that provides
reasonable life expectancy for the project must be considered.

4. Written policies and procedures are the backbone of the quality system.
Complete quality assurance records make quality management possible.
Keeping records facilitates meeting program reporting requirements.

5. By adopting the view that quality monitoring is a strategic process rather than a
tactical one, companies will begin to see an improvement of their customers
experience and their customers therefore becoming their strongest champions.
6. The key to monitor work operations and to develop an excellent performance
management model according to the company’s objectives is to get constant
feedback from your employees and customers.
7. To conclude, the above forms are the basis from which the philosophy of Quality
Assurance has evolved, and the achievement of quality or the “fitness-for-purpose”
is “Quality Awareness” throughout the company.

27
 What I Can Do

Direction: You are assigned to be the Quality checker for the Month of June.
Make a Log Report, and Assessment Report using the following data below. Make
sure you will record all the items listed and if they were in good condition or not.
Write your answer on a sheet of paper.

1. - June 9, 2008

- 5 Hard disk, 2 128MB SDRAM memory chips

- Received from Jun Salcedo (PC chain), OR #20256
- Found out that 1 Hard disk has error need for replacement

2. - June 15, 2008

- Refill ink cartridge from STARINK Shop, OR# 5623

3. - June 20, 2008

- 10 PS/2 keyboard, 10 Optic mouse, 2 power supply

- Received from Allan Rivera (Octagon), OR#12544

- 3 defective keyboard need replacement

4. - June 28, 2008

- 2 CD-Rom drive
- Received from Jun Salcedo (PC Chain), OR#20400

28
 Assessment

I. Write QN if the statement affects the quantity of work and QL if the statement
affects the quality of work. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

______ 1. Tardiness
______ 2. Slow response to work requests
______ 3. Break time
______ 4. Excessive visiting
______ 5. Spoilage and/or waste of materials

II. TRUE or FALSE. Write T if the statement is correct and F if the otherwise
is wrong/incorrect. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
__________ 1. Poor attitude results in performance problem.
__________ 2. A safe working procedure should be written when retrieving old tasks.
__________ 3. Preventable accidents may affect the quantity of work.
__________ 4. Following certain procedure is very important in performing given
operation or to a given event.
__________ 5. Safe working procedure should not identify the tasks that are to be
undertaken that pose risks.
__________ 6. Standards are set of rules that describe quality of materials, product
or system.
__________ 7. Quality assurance does not cover all the activities from design,
development, up to documentation.
__________ 8. Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level
of customer satisfaction.
__________ 9. Customer service is not important in the company’s customer value
proposition.
__________ 10. The durability of the work does not depend on the skills of those who
install it.

III. Identification. Read the sentence carefully, identify the correct answer
that best describes the statement and write your answer on a separate sheet
of paper.

_________________1. It displays statistically determined upper and lower limits drawn

on either side of a process average.
_________________2. Sometimes called an Ishikawa diagram after its inventor.
_________________3. Describe a process in as much detail as possible by graphically
displaying the steps in proper sequence.
_________________4. A diagram that is named after Vilfredo Pareto, a 19th-century
Italian economist who postulated that a large share of wealth is owned by a small
percentage of the population.
_________________5. Plots data in a frequency distribution table.

29
References
A. PDF/Google Drive Files:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1oP_KaH-UZbw4aBcnfjldX3quaRYOhuUk
https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1SkFHNa-
DllbOQlglDZgviEL_cQCwUQED?usp=sharing
https://www.who.int/diagnostics_laboratory/documents/guidance/pm_module15.
pdf?ua=1

B. Internet Sources:

“Material Selection.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Aug. 2020,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_selection.

“Testing of Materials.” The Free Dictionary, Farlex,

encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Testing+of+Materials.

“What Are Quality Standards?” ASQ, asq.org/quality-resources/learn-about-

standards#:~:text=Quality%20standards%20are%20defined%20as,are%20fit%20for%2
0their%20purpose.

“What Is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)?” Bizmanualz, 15 Mar. 2020,

www.bizmanualz.com/save-time-writing-procedures/what-are-policies-and-procedures-
sop.html.

“What Is Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)? - Definition from Safeopedia.”

Safeopedia.com, www.safeopedia.com/definition/439/occupational-health-and-safety-
ohs.

01, Ashweni Sahni | Apr. “Seven Basic Tools That Can Improve Quality.” Mddionline.com,
26 May 2020, www.mddionline.com/design-engineering/seven-basic-tools-can-
improve-quality.

Amit. “What Is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and How to Write It.” Tallyfy,
Tallyfy, 26 Feb. 2020, tallyfy.com/standard-operating-procedure-sop/.

Bragg, Steven. “Material Cost.” AccountingTools, AccountingTools, 16 Oct. 2018,

www.accountingtools.com/articles/2017/5/9/material-cost#:~:text=Material%20cost
%20is%20the%20cost,used%20in%20the%20production %20process.
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go n _KCC_Mall_De_Zamboanga.jpg