Theme and Focus Areas

The Culture of Quality: Serving Customers, Organizations, and Communities

The use of quality is no longer limited to the efforts of traditional quality professionals. More and more, quality is being driven throughout entire organizations, spreading beyond its manufacturing roots, and becoming established in a growing number of governments, communities, and markets.

Spreading the knowledge and application of quality tools, approaches, and techniques will not (in and of itself) lead to sustainable results. Sustainable results require a quality approach that is applied within a culture that supports, promotes, and enables a commitment to excellence and best practice.

The 2009 World Conference on Quality and Improvement will focus on extending its efforts to promote and grow the culture of quality on a global scale.

2009 Focus Areas

Quality Basics

• What is quality?
• Basic tools of quality
• How quality can affect the bottom line
• Different areas where quality tools, approaches, and techniques can be applied (traditional vs. newer applications being made)

Customer Service

• How quality can be used to improve customer satisfaction
• A quality approach to collecting and analyzing the voice of the customer
• Using quality tools to identify and satisfy customer needs

Driving Quality Throughout the Organization

• Applying process improvement
• Getting management buy-in to quality
• Driving quality throughout the organization

Improved Performance

• Internal organizational issues
  • Speed to market
  • Product development
  • Marketing and sales

21st Century Needs, Competencies, and Issues

• Teamwork — How to move from merely forming teams to promoting teamwork
• Leadership — Business/communication skills needed by technical professionals
• Competition and globalization — Move from being an organization with international members to being an international organization