What is Quality?
Defining “quality” often opens a can of worms. This debate is as old as the concept itself, and professionals still frequently discuss whether quality should be viewed primarily as a noun or an adjective.
Ask ten people in a group to define quality, and you are likely to receive at least fifteen unique answers. While dictionary entries provide a general starting point, they rarely satisfy the practical requirements of a Quality Management professional.
Dictionary Definitions vs. Quality Profession Realities
Standard reference dictionaries offer baseline definitions:
Oxford Dictionary:
- The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.
- A distinctive attribute or characteristic possessed by someone or something.
Merriam-Webster:
- A peculiar and essential character.
- An inherent feature.
- A degree of excellence.
- A distinguishing attribute.
While useful in everyday language, these general definitions lack the operational precision required to manage, audit, or transform organizational processes.
Perspectives from Quality Gurus
Throughout history, prominent quality pioneers and business leaders have established distinct definitions based on operational management, statistics, and customer satisfaction:
- Anonymous: “Common sense set down on paper.”
- Joseph M. Juran: “Fitness for use.” Juran emphasized that fitness is defined entirely by the customer, meaning quality consists of features that satisfy customer needs while ensuring freedom from deficiencies and errors.
- Philip B. Crosby: “Conformance to requirements.”
- Subir Chowdhury: “Quality combines people power and process power.”
- W. Edwards Deming: Concentrated on “the efficient production of the quality that the market expects.”
- Genichi Taguchi: Offered two key perspectives:
- “Uniformity around a target value” (lowering standard deviations in outcomes).
- “The loss a product imposes on society after it is shipped.”
- Peter Drucker: “Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for.”
- Robert Pirsig: “The result of care.”
- Gerald M. Weinberg: “Value to some person.”
Industry Standards & Framework Definitions
Formal standards and quality bodies codify these perspectives into precise measurement criteria:
| Framework / Body | Definition of Quality |
| ISO 9000 | “Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.” |
| Six Sigma | Quantified as the reduction of variation to achieve no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO). |
| American Society for Quality (ASQ) |
A subjective term with two technical meanings:
|
| EASA / JAA (Aviation) | “The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.” |
A Practical Definition for Modern Organizations
Synthesizing these global definitions into an actionable operational framework leads to this comprehensive definition:
“Quality is the continuous and best effort of an organization or individual to demonstrate their capabilities in meeting and exceeding the expectations of all interested parties.”
This framework encompasses all key stakeholders:
- Interested Parties: Encompasses customers, regulatory bodies, executive management, employees, suppliers, and society.
- Meeting Expectations: Customers seek value, reliability, and safety; organizations require profitability, reduced rework, and zero complaints; regulatory bodies demand compliance and conformance.
When processes are systematically designed to meet these expectations, quality transforms from a theoretical concept into measurable business value.
Written by Ravi Prakash—Quality Expert (38+ yrs exp). Connect on LinkedIn or Contact Us.
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