A culture of quality does more than simply help you deliver higher quality products to customers.
A positive culture of quality can also accelerate business growth and reduce human error. A recent Harvard Business Review report revealed that employees make 46% fewer mistakes in companies with a highly developed culture of quality.
In contrast, those with a poorly developed culture of quality end up spending an average of $350 million annually on fixing mistakes that are often preventable. Whether these figures made you raise your eyebrows or not, one thing is clear – manufacturers can benefit from a strong culture of quality.
In this article, we’ll look at what it takes to achieve a culture of quality, ways to embed quality throughout your manufacturing business, and how no-code software solutions can help you achieve that goal.
What is a “culture of quality”?
The Harvard Business Review mentioned above defines a “true culture of quality” as an environment that encourages quality throughout the organization – which includes employees following quality guidelines, as well as taking quality-focused actions.
In other words, every person in the business, from executive managers to frontline workers, should be able to see, hear, and feel the principles and actions of quality around them. With transparency and easy access to relevant data, manufacturers can empower teams and create an inclusive, resilient, trusting environment as well as higher levels of motivation and engagement.
Many manufacturers could argue that while all of this sounds great, creating a culture of quality takes planning, coordinated strategizing, careful implementation, and in-depth performance monitoring. And they are not wrong.
Fortunately, a smart Quality Management System (QMS) can help you establish and maintain quality across your manufacturing operations. With AlisQI, you’re using no-code, which means no predefined, fixed state QMS but a platform that manufacturers can truly tailor to their (changing) needs.
In recent years, no-code QMS software has come to the forefront, not only due to its flexibility but also because it puts power in the hands of citizen developers.
Making quality achievable for all with no-code technology
Individual manufacturing operations often include specialist and complex processes, making it difficult or impossible to apply out-of-the-box QMS solutions.
For instance, a manufacturer that fabricates electrical components has very different quality management requirements compared to a producer of food items.
To achieve optimal results, QMS solutions need to be adapted to fit the needs of the business. Traditionally, this has meant enlisting the services of a skilled developer who can write the necessary code to integrate the QMS with production processes. But with an undersupply of skilled developers, quality teams often need to wait for their turn to get on the IT agenda.
No-code technology has changed this picture and made QMS much more accessible and easier to implement. A no-code framework is one that allows non-technical people to drag-and-drop editable building blocks in a user-friendly interface. In other words, to define your own quality processes, you don’t need any programming experience or an IT background.
The benefits of no-code QMS
Automated quality control and simplified compliance
A no-code QMS solution can be set up to automatically collect and collate the data and information you need to meet compliance. It eliminates the need for Excel files and shared folders.
For instance, in safety-critical industries such as food or medicine manufacturing, regulatory compliance is key. Using IoT sensors to gather relevant data and carry out visual quality inspections, combined with no-code QMS software, you get an end-to-end quality control solution that can be implemented quickly and easily.
Automating workflows with QMS software can help to optimize the way businesses organize and communicate responses to quality issues. For example, automatic notification of problems enables employees to react immediately and prevent further losses.
Go paperless, the hassle-free way
Most businesses are moving towards paperless solutions wherever possible these days. The reasons are obvious – paperless solutions are more efficient, eliminate the requirement for storage space, save time and money, and they are more sustainable for the environment.
But how does no-code QMS facilitate this? To put it simply, a no-code QMS solution enables you to quickly build a system that automatically stores all the files you need to meet audit requirements and compliance. Additionally, using pen and paper to monitor quality during production processes increases the risk of human error, whereas an automated QMS solution is more precise thus contributing to a culture of quality.
More agile manufacturing
Agility in business is all about being able to adapt quickly to problems and changing circumstances. In terms of quality control and assurance, a no-code solution can help you to adapt to changes in regulations and industry demands. Rather than having to build a new solution or make extensive code changes, a no-code QMS allows you to efficiently change the functioning of the software.
Building a culture of quality is more likely in an agile business, as adaptability to change is important when dealing with quality issues.
Improved decision making
During implementation, a no-code QMS is easy to embed into your workflows and can be set up to make data and insights available to relevant managers and team members. Knowledge is power and data insights can be used to make key quality management decisions.
For instance, a manufacturing company can allow managers to access data and visualizations, which can be used to inform any necessary changes to quality processes and production flows.
Key Takeaways
Creating a culture of quality comes down to making sure that quality is top of the agenda right across the company, from managers to shop floor staff.
Automation is a powerful way to make more time available for staff to focus on quality and productivity improvements.
A no-code QMS allows non-technical people to build a complete solution that helps you to meet regulatory compliance, go paperless, become more agile, and improve decision-making.
AlisQI is a no-code quality management system that brings your quality data to life with advanced analytics, process control tools, and smart alerts. You’ll be able to respond more quickly to changing requirements and regulations, saving you time and money.
Check out what AlisQI no-code QMS can do for your business – book a free demo.
