The Chartered Quality Institute

Resources for business and quality professionals

Please find below a list of answers to some of our more frequently asked questions.

What is quality?
In its broadest sense, quality is a degree of excellence: the extent to which something is fit for its purpose. In the narrow sense, product or service quality is defined as conformance with requirement, freedom from defects or contamination, or simply a degree of customer satisfaction. In quality management, quality is defined as the totality of characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs. Quality is also rapidly embracing the nature or degree of impact an organisation has on its stakeholders, environment and society. See Factsheet 1 for further details.
What is ISO 9000?
ISO 9000 is a standard for a quality management system. It enables suppliers to provide an assurance that they will be able to fulfil agreed customer requirements. Implementing an ISO 9000 compliant system can provide improved efficiency and customer satisfaction, and be an effective marketing tool.
Following the usual review process, the latest version of the standard was published at the end of 2000. For more information and guidance on implementing ISO 9001:2000, particularly in smaller companies, see the CQI MCR Small Business Standard.
What is TQM (total quality management)?
TQM is a way of thinking about goals, organisations, processes and people to ensure that the right things are done right first time. This thought process can change attitudes, behaviour and hence results for the better. See Factsheet 4.
What is the business excellence model?
The EFQM Excellence Model (to give it its correct name) was developed by the European Foundation for Quality Management, initially as the basis for assessment for the European Quality Award. Since then many companies have adopted it as a tool for assessing their progress towards excellence, and for highlighting the areas where improvement is needed. The EFQM's website, www.efqm.org has further information.