9.2 Quality management

Quality control inspects or tests outputs to find defects. Quality assurance designs systems, training and processes so quality is built in and monitored throughout production.

Control can catch a problem before delivery; assurance may prevent repeated problems and improve consistency. Both have cost and require a definition of quality.

A bakery can test finished weight (control) and standardise recipes, calibration and staff training (assurance).

Passing a test does not prove customers value the product, and quality is not only the absence of defects.

Benchmarking compares a process or outcome with a reference such as a competitor, industry standard or internal best practice. The purpose is to identify a gap and learn what may close it.

Measures need the same definitions, context and time period. A benchmark can reveal a question, but causes still need diagnosis before action.

A hotel comparing room turnaround can investigate staffing, layout and booking patterns rather than simply impose another hotel’s target.

A higher benchmark is not automatically appropriate; copying a number without the underlying process can damage quality or fit.