Decentralizing Quality
15 hours ago
- #Leadership
- #Decentralization
- #Quality Management
- Quality is subjective and depends on user expectations, not just KPIs or leadership mandates.
- Centralized quality control (e.g., Ford's 'Quality is Job 1') can be brittle and dependent on leadership continuity.
- Decentralized quality (e.g., Toyota's andon system) empowers workers to drive improvements, creating resilience.
- Examples of decentralized quality include Valve's flat hierarchy and Barnes & Noble's local inventory control.
- LEGO exemplifies extreme decentralized quality with its precise manufacturing tolerances ensuring universal compatibility.
- Microsoft's shift under Satya Nadella from centralized (Gates/Ballmer) to decentralized quality led to innovation and growth.
- The future of quality lies in systems that embed it into products and trust frontline workers and users to judge it.