Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Wortschatz / Español: Vocabulario / Português: Vocabulário / Français: Vocabulaire

A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge. Acquiring an extensive vocabulary is one of the largest challenges in learning a second language.

In quality management, vocabulary refers to the specific words and terms that are used to describe and communicate concepts related to the quality of products, services, and processes.

A common vocabulary is important in quality management because it helps to ensure that everyone in an organization is using the same terms and definitions when discussing quality-related issues.

Some examples of common terms and definitions used in quality management vocabulary include:

• Quality: The degree to which a product, service, or process meets the requirements and expectations of the customer or end user.

• Quality management: The process of planning, organizing, and controlling activities in an organization in order to ensure that products, services, and processes meet the required standards of quality.

• Quality control: The process of inspecting, testing, and verifying that products, services, or processes meet the required standards of quality.

• Quality assurance: The process of ensuring that products, services, or processes are designed and implemented in a way that will result in the desired level of quality.

• Continuous improvement: The ongoing process of identifying and implementing changes in an organization in order to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of products, services, and processes.

• Customer satisfaction: The degree to which a customer is satisfied with a product, service, or process.

• Defect: A characteristic of a product, service, or process that does not meet the required standards of quality.

• Nonconformity: A deviation from the specified requirements or standards for a product, service, or process.

• Root cause analysis: The process of identifying the underlying causes of a problem or issue in order to prevent it from occurring again in the future.

• Six Sigma: A process improvement methodology that aims to reduce defects and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of processes through the use of data and statistical analysis.

• Total Quality Management (TQM): A management approach that aims to involve all employees in the continuous improvement of the quality of products, services, and processes.

• Zero defects: A goal of achieving zero defects in products, services, or processes, with the aim of achieving the highest possible level of quality.

Having a common understanding of these and other quality-related terms is important for effective communication and collaboration within an organization, and can help to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and objectives related to quality.