Question

The goal of zero defects will generally lead to minimizing quality costs. True or False?

Please Answer ASAP.

Answer 1

Zero Defects, a term coined by Mr. Philip Crosby in his book “Absolutes of Quality Management” has emerged as a popular and highly-regarded concept in quality management – so much so that Six Sigma is adopting it as one of its major theories. Unfortunately, the concept has also faced a fair degree of criticism, with some arguing that a state of zero defects simply cannot exist. Others have worked hard to prove the naysayers wrong, pointing out that “zero defects” in quality management doesn’t literally mean perfection, but rather refers to a state where waste is eliminated and defects are reduced. It means ensuring the highest quality standards in projects.

What Do We Mean by Zero Defects?

From a literal standpoint, it’s pretty obvious that attaining zero defects is technically not possible in any sizable or complex manufacturing project. According to the Six Sigma standard, the definition of zero defects is defined as 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO), allowing for a 1.5-sigma process shift. The zero defects concept should pragmatically be viewed as a quest for perfection in order to improve quality in the development or manufacturing process. True perfection might not be achievable but at least the quest will push quality and improvements to a point that is acceptable under even the most stringent metrics, which in turn minimize the quality costs those would have been incurred if zero defects policy is not in force.