Nonconformity tracking and prioritisation matrix: an approach for selecting nonconformities as a contribution to the field of TQM

Abstract

Selecting quality improvement projects among a variety of mutually competing ones is characterised by prioritisation. In practice, this is often done by the rule of thumb, following a single attribute criterion or by subjective preferences of individual stakeholders of a project team. An approach to track systematically nonconformities and to identify those critical ones that should be prioritised based on multi-attribute criteria is presented. The approach is introduced and its purpose is explained. After the background of relevant topics is given, the method’s importance in research and for practitioners is derived. Steps of the approach are portrayed and an application case of a mature industrial company, integrated in the supply-chain of the automotive industry, is presented. Elements of quality tools and techniques are used as attributes, namely failure mode and effect analysis and Pareto diagram. Results based on industrial data indicate that the use of this approach contributes to support informed and structured prioritisation decisions, which foster a more efficient improvement of future quality-based projects.

Keywords:

• multi-attribute decision-making
• nonconformities
• quality improvement projects
• quality tool
• TQM

Acknowledgements

Furthermore, the support and cooperation of the managers and staff of the company, which remains to be anonymous, in the application case is highly appreciated.