Elimination of waste is a major component of the continuous improvement approach. There is also a strong emphasis on prevention rather than detection, and an emphasis on quality at the design stage. When problems do occur within the product development process, they are generally discovered and resolved before they can get to the next internal customer. Fast response To achieve customer satisfaction, the company has to respond rapidly to customer needs. This implies short product and service introduction cycles.
Simplicity is gained through concurrent product and process development.
The result is a dramatic improvement in the elapsed time from product concept to first shipment. Facts and analysis provide the basis for planning, review and performance tracking, improvement of operations, and comparison of performance with competitors. The TQM approach is based on the use of objective data, and provides a rational rather than an emotional basis for decision making. The statistical approach to process management in both engineering and manufacturing recognizes that most problems are system-related, and are not caused by particular employees. In practice, data is collected and put in the hands of the people who are in the best position to analyze it and then take the appropriate action to reduce costs and prevent non-conformance.