Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Eigentümer / Español: Propietario / Português: Proprietário / Français: Propriétaire / Italiano: Proprietario

In the quality management context, Owner refers to the individual or group responsible for overseeing a particular process, project, or task, ensuring that it meets established quality standards and objectives. This role involves a comprehensive understanding of the process or project requirements, as well as the authority to make decisions and implement changes to achieve and maintain high-quality outcomes. The concept of ownership in quality management emphasizes accountability, commitment, and continuous improvement within an organization's operations.

Description

Ownership in quality management is critical for fostering a culture of quality throughout an organization. Owners are tasked with ensuring that processes are efficient, effective, and aligned with the organization's quality objectives. This includes monitoring performance, identifying opportunities for improvement, and initiating corrective actions when necessary. By taking ownership, individuals or teams accept responsibility for the quality of their work, contributing to the overall success and competitiveness of the organization.

Application Areas

Ownership applies across various areas within an organization, including:

• Process Management: Owners are responsible for specific processes, ensuring they are executed efficiently and meet quality standards.
• Project Management: Project owners oversee projects from Initiation to completion, ensuring project goals are met and align with quality requirements.
• Product Quality: In manufacturing or product development, owners ensure products meet customer expectations and regulatory standards.

Well-Known Examples

Examples of ownership in quality management include:

• A process owner in a manufacturing facility responsible for the assembly line, ensuring machinery is maintained and production meets quality standards.
• A project owner in software development overseeing the release of a new application, ensuring it is bug-free, user-friendly, and delivered on time.
• A product owner in the food industry ensuring products are safe, compliant with health regulations, and consistently meet taste and quality expectations.

Treatment and Risks

Ownership carries the risk of becoming a bottleneck if owners are overburdened or lack the resources and authority to effect change. Effective ownership requires clear roles and responsibilities, adequate support, and Empowerment to make decisions. Without these, the quality of outputs may suffer, and opportunities for improvement may be missed.

Similar Terms or Synonyms

• Process owner
• Project manager
• Product manager

Weblinks

• architektur-lexikon.de: 'Eigentümer' in the architektur-lexikon.de (German)
• maritime-glossary.com: 'Owner' in the maritime-glossary.com
• finanzen-lexikon.de: 'Eigentümer' in the finanzen-lexikon.de (German)
• wind-lexikon.de: 'Eigentümer' in the wind-lexikon.de (German)

Summary

In quality management, the owner is key to ensuring that processes, projects, and products meet established quality standards. This role involves monitoring, managing, and improving quality, emphasizing accountability and continuous improvement. Effective ownership is crucial for achieving operational excellence and delivering value to customers and stakeholders.

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