Quality Circles

What is Quality Circle (QC)?
Quality Circles are (informal) groups of employees who voluntarily meet together on a regular basis to identify, define, analyze and solve work related problems.
Usually the members of a particular team (quality circle) should be from the same work area or who do similar work so that the problems they select will be familiar to all of them. In addition, interdepartmental or cross functional quality circles may also be formed.
An ideal size of quality circle is seven to eight members. But the number of members in a quality circle can vary.
Other Names of Quality Circles

• Small Groups
• Action Circles
• Excellence Circles
• Human Resources Circles
• Productivity Circles

Objectives of Quality Circles

• Promote job involvement
• Create problem solving capability
• Improve communication
• Promote leadership qualities
• Promote personal development
• Develop a greater awareness for cleanliness
• Develop greater awareness for safety
• Improve morale through closer identity of employee objectives with organization's objectives
• Reduce errors.
• Enhance quality
• Inspire more effective team work
• Build an attitude of problem prevention
• Promote cost reduction
• Develop harmonious manager, supervisor and worker relationship
• Improve productivity
• Reduce downtime of machines and equipment
• Increase employee motivation

Quality Circle Meetings

• Meetings are important part of quality circle's working.
• Meetings are attended by all the members of the quality circle.
• In general, meetings take place once a week or once in afortnight.
• Each meeting lasts for approximately one hour, though variations are possible.
• Apart from the frequency of the meetings, what is important is the regularity of the meetings.

What Takes Place During Quality Circle Meetings?
Any of the several activities may occur during a meeting such as:

• Identifying a theme or a problem to work on.
• Getting training as required to enable members to analyze problems.
• Analyzing problem(s).
• Preparing recommendations for implementing solution(s).
• Follow up of implementation of suggestions.
• Prepare for a presentation to the management.

What Quality Circles are Not? (Misconcepts)

• Quality Circles do not tackle just quality problems.
• Quality Circle is not a substitute or replacement for task forces, product committees, joint plant councils or works committees, quality assurance department, suggestion schemes.
• Quality Circles do not change the existing organizational structure or the chain of command.
• Quality Circles are not a forum for grievances or a spring board for demands.
• Quality Circles are not a means for the management to unload all their problems.
• Quality Circles are not just another technique.
• Quality Circles are not a panacea for all ills.

Pitfalls and Problems

• Lack of faith in and support to Quality Circle activities among management personnel
• Lack of interest or incompetence of leaders/facilitator
• Apathy, fear and misunderstanding among middle level executives
• Delay or non-implementation of Circle recommendations
• Irregularity of Quality Circle activities
• Non-application of simple techniques for problem solving
• Lack of or non-participation by some members in the Circle activities
• Circles running out of problems
• Antagonism of non-members towards Quality Circle operations
• Inadequate visibility of management support
• Complexity of problems taken up
• Non-maintenance of Quality Circle records
• Too much facilitation or too little
• Language difficulty in communication
• Communication gap between Circles and departmental head
• Change of management
• Confusing Quality Circle for another technique
• Resistance from trade unions

Structure of Quality Circles Program
Six Basic Elements

• Circle participants or members.
• Circle leaders/deputy leaders.
• Program facilitator.
• Steering/advisory committee.
• Top management.
• Non-participating management/members.

How Do Quality Circles Operate?

• Appointment of a steering committee, facilitator and QC team leaders.
• Formation of QCs by nomination/voluntary enrolment of QC members.
• Training of all QC members (by an expert consultant).
• Training of non-participating employees (by an expert consultant).
• Problem data bank and identification of problems for QC work.
• QC problem resolution by QCs through standardized techniques.
• Presentation of QC solutions to management.
• Evaluation of award/recognition.

Code of Conduct for QCs

• Attend all meetings and be on time.
• Listen to and show respect for the views of other members.
• Make others feel a part of the group.
• Criticize ideas, not persons.
• Help other members to participate more fully.
• Be open to and encourage the ideas of others.
• Every member is responsible for the team’s progress.
• Maintain a friendly attitude.
• Strive for enthusiasm.
• The only stupid question is the one that is not asked.
• Look for merit in the ideas of others.
• Pay attention- avoid disruptive behavior.
• Avoid actions that delay progress.
• Carry out assignments on schedule.
• Give credit to those whom it is due.
• Thank those who give assistance.
• Do not suppress ideas- do express.
• Objectives and causes first, solutions next.
• Give praise and honest appreciation when due.
• Ideas generated by the group should not be used as individual suggestions to suggestion scheme.

Problem Solving Tools and Techniques Used by Quality Circles
Given below are the most commonly used tools and techniques. These are called the old QC tools:

• Brainstorming.
• Pareto analysis.
• Cause and effect diagram (or fish bone diagram or Ishikawadiagram).
• Histogram.
• Scatter diagram
• Stratification
• Check sheet
• Control charts and graphs

New QC Tools
Quality circles started using additional seven tools as they started maturing. These are:

1. Relations diagram.
2. Affinity diagram.
3. Systematic diagram or Tree diagram.
4. Matrix diagram.
5. Matrix data analysis diagram.
6. PDPC (Process Decision Program Chart).
7. Arrow diagram.

Benefits of QC

• Self development.
• Promotes leadership qualities among participants.
• Recognition.
• Achievement satisfaction.
• Promotes group/team working.
• Serves as cementing force between management/non-management groups.
• Promotes continuous improvement in products and services.
• Brings about a change in environment of more productivity, better quality, reduced costs, safety and corresponding rewards.