Quality Assurance

What is the definition of quality according to the ISO (International Organization for Standardization)?

• Represents planned and systematic actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given requirements for quality

• A strategic management function that establishes policies, adapts programs to meet established goals, and provides confidence that these measures are being effectively applied

What is a quality assurance system?

• Consists of an in-house consulting organization/team

• Advisory function - may audit the system and assist in making improvements

• Required at each step in the food production chain

• GMPs, GAPs, GLPs, HACCP, PC

What is quality assurance? (vs QC)

An overall management plan and system to guarantee the quality and safety of the products

What is quality control? (vs QA)

A series of analytical measurements used to assess the quality and safety of the products. Correct problems if needed.

What is the ISO 9000 series?

A set of Quality System Management Standards

• Requirements for a quality management system (QMS)

• Product realization, from design to delivery

• Responsibilities of management

What is the core of the ISO 9001 requirement?

Plan-Do-Check-Act (improvement) cycle (PDA cycle)

What does management look like in QA?

What do tasks look like for a QA supervisor?

What is a steering committees (or quality circles)?

A voluntary group of workers sharing areas of responsibility

• Discuss, analyze, and propose solutions to quality-related problems; undertake work-related projects designed to advance the company, and to improve working conditions by using quality control concepts

What is an affinity diagram?

A tool that gathers large amounts of language data (ideas, opinions, issues) and organizes them into groups based on their natural relationships

What is an interrelationship digraph?

To show the cause-and-effect relationships, and help analyze the natural links between different aspect of a complex situation

What is a tree diagram?

A figure displaying all the possible outcomes of an event

What are prioritization matrices?

Charts used to identify which problems are the most important to work on first - PRIORITY

What is a matrix diagram?

A chart used to identify the presence and strengths of relationships between two ot more lists of items. Provides a compact way of representing many-to-many relationships of varying strengths

What is a process decision program chart?

A figure used to identify the consequential impact of failure on activity plans, and create appropriate contingency plans to limit the risks

What is an activity network diagram?

A diagram used to extensively in project management and is necessary for the identification of a project's critical path (which is used to determine the expected completion time of the project)

What is the key to QA?

Management