Total Quality Plan Implementation Paper
Introduction
When approaching a problem with a quality process, it is important to make a total commitment to the implementation of the project. The process should be from the top down and have the support of all members in the organization. Obstacles that might affect the implementation or success of a process are lack of motivation, lack of commitment or a weak strategic plan. Creating a new quality process requires preparedness for change and an effective organizational infrastructure. When implementing a new quality process, it is important to align it with the corporate culture. The corporate culture is the values of the organization noted in the company's vision or mission statement. For the company culture to work, people in the organization must believe in the principles of the vision and be committed to quality improvement. Implementing a new quality process requires cultural change within the organization. The change is difficult to accomplish, but can be done through the right process. All levels must be willing to commit to the change beginning with upper management and working from the top down. The first reactions to the change will most likely be resistance, but with proper training and motivation, the results will be successful. This paper will address the phases of implementation or a new process and present data for the gap analysis. The "as is" flow chart will be compared to the "to be" flow chart creating a map for where the process is and how to achieve the goal of quality improvement. The paper will also discuss Northrop's guidelines for implementing new process improvement within the organization. In conclusion, the paper will address the timeline expected to implement the new proces ...