What is Quality Control Circles (QCC) in TEI and explain? - Mechstudytips

  Quality Control Circles ( QCC) in TEI

(1) What is QCC?

  The concept of Quality Control Circles was originated in Japan by Dr.  Kaoru Ishikawa.  QC Circle is a powerful movement for enabling groups of employees, working in the same area, to come together to take up work-related problems and solve them systematically.  

The concept rests on the TQM dictum of Respect for humanity, Tea working, and Fact-based Management.  It is an emphatic recognition of the fact that intelligence and creativity are not the prerogative of few but are lying dormant with everyone in the organization, especially with those who work with their hands - on.  

(2) Objectives of QCC: 

The objectives of Quality Control Circles are: 

• Develop the inherent capabilities of employees to help them realize their fullest potential and eventually draw out infinite possibilities 
• Train and involve employees to solve work-related problems systematically using a structured problem-solving approach 
• Create a pleasant, joyful, and vibrant work environment to enable employees to contribute to the improvement and development of the organization.  

(3 )Salient features of QCC: 

Team: A team of 5 or 6 employees forms a QC Circle 

Name: A Name is given to a QC Circle and is retained year after year 

Leader: Every QC Circle has a leader.  The leader is selected among the team members of the circle  the team members of a circle and the leadership position is rotated for every project, thereby providing the chance of Leadership to all the members

Facilitators: The supervisor of the work area becomes the facilitator for the circle

Training: QCC Members are given extensive training in 7 QC tools and a Seven-step QC Story approach

Weekly meetings: Weekly meetings are mandatory. The QCC teams plan for data collection, brainstorm for identifying causes and plan the activities for implementation of the projects in the meeting 

Project Presentation: QCC teams take up problems in their work area and systematically solve the problem through the QC Story approach After successful completion of projects, they are presented to the top management.  The teams, then take up the next projects 

Evaluation: QCC Projects are evaluated based on pre-defined criteria.  The QCC projects can be evaluated by a team of judges (senior members of the company) based on objective criteria such as:

•  Level of adherence to each step of QC Story (Refer: Annexure I for QC Story approach) 
• Attendance during the weekly QCC meetings  
• Level of participation of the team in the project implementation and project presentation 
• Presentation (the clarity of presentation by members and their response to queries from judges) Tangible benefits to the organization etc 

Evaluation can be on a 1 to 10 scale.  Based on the evaluation, awards are given. 

 (4) Diagnosis: 

• QCC projects, upon presentation by QCC members, can be diagnosed for the approach adopted for problem-solving 
• The diagnosis is to be done by an expert in the QC story methodology 
• The diagnosis should focus on the level of adherence to the QC  Story steps 
• The person who is diagnosing should encourage and motivate the QCC members by highlighting 3 or 4 good points and pointing out 2 or 3 improvement points as well.  
• This process is a highly value-adding exercise and contributes to the entrenchment of TQM culture among the QCC members

(5) Role of the Facilitator: 

• Facilitators are the direct supervisors.  They should personify the TOM culture and be the embodiment of Gemba culture 
• They train, guide the QCC members and monitor the progress of QCC Projects.  They attend the weekly meetings for this purpose 
• This facilitation enables the completion of projects successfully (on time and as per the QC Story approach)
•  Since the facilitators are members and leaders of Supervisory Improvement Teams and Cross-Functional Teams, they have the technical competency and analytical capability to act as guides to QCC members.  
• The benign by-product of such facilitation is the 'guru-disciple relationship emerging between the supervisors and QCC members which enhances the acceptance of supervisory leadership role in the work area and significantly contributes to the good Industrial Relations (IR) climate of the company 

 (6) Role of TQM Promotion Office (TPO): 

The TQM promotion office is the driving force behind the QCC movement 

The TQM Promotion Office acts as an effective change - agent by 

• educating, training, and motivating employees and QCC members.  
• keeping the QCC movement energized for achieving QCC performance indicators.  
• instituting an objective evaluation system to judge the projects and administering the award, reward, recognition, and celebrations.  
• organizing training programs to impart the necessary skill and knowledge to improve the capabilities for team working and problems solving 

The training can include programs such as: 

• The change seminar 
• Team working skills 
• 7 QC tools and 7 step QC Story methodology 
• On-the-job training (  OJT) 
• Presentation Skills, etc 

(7) Performance indicators: 

The performance of the QCC movement is judged by: 

• Participation level 
• Projects completed / QCC / Year
• Savings accrued 
• The number of training man-days, etc. 

 (8) Rewards and recognition: 

The reward system can include initiatives such as: 

• Awards such as cash award, gifts, etc 
• Best circle of the month to receive the award in the monthly communication meeting from the President of the company 
• Opportunity to attend national and international  competitions 
• Best circle of the year to receive an award from the Chairman of the company on an annual day 
• Dinner, movie, tour with family, etc 
• Annual conventions/celebrations, etc 
• Any other innovative reward system, suitable to the culture and expectations of employees

 (9) Conclusion: 

The Quality Control Circles contribute to the improvement of all stakeholders as explained below: 

For the QCC Members 

It enhances the self-esteem of QCC members 

It improves their problem-solving capability

 For the Organization: 

The organization is benefited by the innumerable Kaizens besides unclogged communication.  The involvement and contribution of all employees help in the fulfillment of the company's objectives 

For the society: 

Society gets the cascading effect of achievement orientation of QCC members, extending it to their families and to the society at large