Quality is free
Having worked for the past 11 years on I.T. quality management (Implemening CMMi, Individuals CMM, ISO, PMBok) out of the sixteen years within the trade, I have convinced myself regarding the reality within the book "Quality is Free" by Philip B. Crosby. In that book, the author emphasizes that doing things right the primary time adds nothing to the value of a product or service. What costs, and costs dearly in terms of rework, check, warranty, inspection, and repair when service, is doing things wrong.
It can additionally be explained as "efforts spent in building quality in the method and implementing the same (By establishing a quality management system, training on QMS, audit, continual improvement etc.) pays for itself several times through savings on rework and repeat orders from glad customers, that you can say quality in itself is free". Now going to my proposition...
The Proposition
Inspired by this expertise, as we have a tendency to move into the innovation revolution, I'm seeing that the investment we tend to create on putting in place the culture and environment, where new ideas are welcomed and mistakes are allowed in experimenting with them, can get itself exponentially. ROI on innovation management can be even higher than ROI on quality management. Thus my proposition is that "Managing Innovation is obligatory for managing the changing client wants and survive. But that investment can also get hold of itself through client delight and exponential growth in the global market - So you'll be able to say Innovation is free".
This might not be as intuitive as "Quality is Free" today. But my effort to have interaction you during this conversation can be a starting to get there. There are prices concerned in selecting the proper innovations, style, development and marketing. However if Total Quality Management concepts are embedded in a corporation, simply by providing a theme and structure for innovation management, we have a tendency to will increase the possibilities of innovative solutions leading to customer delight and improved business results nowadays and tomorrow.
I'm sure when Philip Crosby said, "Quality is free", folks would have questioned how it will be. They would have confused quality with grade and said, "Better quality products are invariably costly." Or they'd have confused quality with goodness and said, "Not everyone can manufacture good quality. There are sensible employees and sloppy ones." Crosby defined quality as conformity to sure specifications set forth by management and not some imprecise concept of "goodness." These specifications aren't arbitrary either; they need to be set per client needs and wants. Now we all agree that everyone can acquire knowledge, skills and method abilities based mostly on his/her strengths and manufacture quality work.
Equally "innovation is free" can raise doubts like "Will innovation be institutionalized?" "Can creativity be taught?" etc. Let me proffer a definition for "Organizational Innovation". OI could be a novel idea that higher meets customer's demand today and tomorrow and makes business sense in the organization's context to implement, based mostly on pilot results and really brings the business benefits." With that definition, we will see how IM can be implemented at organizational level.
Innovation Management System
Do we have a tendency to would like an IMS then? Yes of course. IM policy should clarify that the organization believes that each one will innovate notwithstanding their level in the organization and also the needed support can be provided. The key to innovation is in asking the correct queries rather than finding the proper answers. Some times the query is that the innovation! Finding a solution to that query may follow a scientific approach. The IM procedures ought to give guidance on how to ask the right queries and realize the viable answer through pilots. In the top, if the innovation can be deployed across the organization, it ought to be done through the QMS. There should be links to IM assets and mentors who can ignite minds to innovate.
QMS and quality control cannot be compromised for Organizational Innovation Deployment. Otherwise newer product and services may meet changes to demand however will stop meeting the first requirements.
Training and orientation
Coaching for innovation will be a lot of effective through mentoring and coaching. Books, videos etc from powerful speakers will kindle the fire. Do not forget MS Academy workshops.
Audits?
Audits sometimes specialize in non-conformances and defects and therefore don't apply to innovation management. Instead as part of coaching, the coach can ask the innovator to form a self review checklist and use that to measure progress. How regarding measurement and rewards and so on?
Measurement
Measurement ought to be tied to ROI and not simply the number of innovations.
Culture and surroundings
Transparency, flexibility, empowerment, collaboration with customer and management focus are all necessary to set up a repeatable, sustainable innovation culture within the organization.
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Carey Howard has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Alternative, you can also check out his latest website about: