Quality Assurance and Control in the Public Sector Operations

Course Overview

This course is designed to develop the participants’ skills in quality assurance and control and give them the best practices they require to implement different types of quality programs, including Total Quality Management (TQM), within their organization. Quality assurance and control are integral components of a quality management system that ensure that the product or service being delivered meets the customer’s expectations.

Quality assurance and control systems guide principles, methods, and best practices for organizations to strive for excellence in everything they do. Quality management is a leadership practice that has a positive impact on the entire work environment. Effective leaders build a solid foundation that allows them to develop truly committed employees with high morale and improved performance, providing employees with opportunities for participation, problem-solving, and teamwork, it creates a level of motivation within each employee.

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course the participants will be able to:

• Define the major benefits to the organization of Total Quality Management
• Understand the impact of leadership to support quality management systems
• Develop measuring and improvement processes for quality assurance and control
• Describe how TQM can be introduced into their workplace
• Identify useful quality improvement techniques for continual improvement
• Discuss the importance of quality standards, models and awards (ISO, TQM, Malcolm Baldrige, EFQM, etc.)

Course Content:

Topic 1: Introduction to Quality Assurance and Control Improvement Techniques:

• Quality Assurance and Control Principles
• The Concept of Total Quality Management
• The Origin and Philosophy behind Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Deming's Fourteen Points
• Understanding Six Sigma Methodology
• Lean Principles
• Obstacles to Implementing Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Traditional Management vs. Total Quality Management
• Introduction to Multiple Quality Improvement Techniques

Topic 2: Principles of Quality Assurance and Control:

• The Core Principles in Achieving Total Quality Management
• Prevention Not Correction
• Customer-focused Quality
• Establishing a Vision, Mission and Policy
• Identifying Opportunities for Organizational Continuous Improvement
• Building Quality through Teamwork
• Team-building and Leadership Exercise
• Enhancing Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Effectiveness

Topic 3: Techniques for Quality Assurance and Control Improvement:

• Process Improvement
• Benchmarking: A Point of Reference
• The Baldrige National Quality Program (BNQP): Criteria for Performance Excellence
• EFQM, Dubai Quality Award, and HH Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award
• Cause and Effect
• Pareto Chart
• Control Charts
• Practical Scenarios of Implementation of Improvement Ideas
• Methods that Stimulate Creative Thinking
• Measuring Results
• Cost of Quality

Topic 4: Implementing a Culture of Quality – The Role of Total Quality Management:

• Putting Principles into Practice
• Leadership: Taking Ownership of the Quality Leadership Philosophy
• Total Quality Management as a leadership principle
• Tips for Developing and Coaching Quality Leaders / Employees
• Implement a Business Strategy driven by your Customers
• Focusing on Continuous Improvement – The Role of Audit and Review
• “Top-down” Leadership Commitment and Involvement
• Barriers to TQM Organizational Culture Change

Topic 5: Benefits of Quality Assurance and Control Improvement – Improvement Activities for Your Organization:

• Benefits of Implementing Total Quality Management, "best practices"
• To the Customer – Improved Quality
• To the Employee – Increased Satisfaction
• To the Organization – Better Performance
• The Importance of Attitude and Professional Development
• Setting SMART Objectives for Continuous Improvement
• Outlining an Action Plan of Possible Improvement of Ideas for the Organizations

Targeted Groups:

• Senior Management
• Quality Assurance and Quality Management Managers and Staff
• Department Managers
• Team Supervisors
• Human Resource Managers
• Training Managers