First Edition Dated September, 2000 11
Performance measures
Once the fundamentals of a continuous improvement system are in place,
successful AQS implementation proceeds with complete understanding of the
current products and processes, accompanied by sound business
performance measures. When defined appropriately, these measures will
indicate where improvement efforts should begin and also track their progress
and resulting impact. Performance measures should be identified so they
reflect value to the customer and help drive the efficiency and effectiveness of
internal processes, particularly as improvement projects are accomplished.
Performance measures allow the supplier to apply AQS in the right places in
order to gain maximum value and benefit from the improvement activities.
They will ultimately provide information regarding the effectiveness of AQS
implementation and how much effort to continue applying, and where.
Process and Product Analysis for Continuous
Improvement
There are four major categories of activities for continuous improvement
using AQS: analyzing processes and products for improvement opportunities,
setting up and conducting improvement activities and projects, and the
potential steps of reducing variation in key characteristics, and addressing
variation management in design.
Analyze Products and Processes
Analyzing products and processes for improvement opportunities is the first
step in implementing AQS. Its objective should be to gather and analyze data
so that the most influential problems in the company can be spotlighted and
targeted for improvement. The relative degree of process and product
difficulties should be measurable, so that improvement efforts can be
prioritized for the greatest impact.
Improvement Activities and Projects
After systematically analyzing their products and processes, suppliers will
identify areas requiring improvement. The next step is to initiate and complete
AQS improvement projects to accomplish the desired improvements. These
improvements will usually require the disciplined use of structured problem
solving, root cause analysis and corrective action.
Improvement activities and projects should be chosen based upon the
business performance measures selected. The objective of the product and
