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What the heck is Q4.0?

Published 12 months ago • 3 min read

UPSIDE DOWN EXCELLENCE

Quality that's simple

Hey Reader

What is Quality 4.0?

What was Quality 3.0?

What about Industry 4.0? IoT? LLM? AI?

Confused yet? Me too. Let's dive in!

What is Quality 4.0?

Q4.0 is the integration of technology and people, improving connectedness and collaboration. But not only about new technology. Rather it's about combining people, processes, and technology (3).

Quality 3.0 was the automation of processes using computers (2). But it largely ignored the human component.

The definition of Quality 4.0 is far from complete. It’s still evolving, just as technologies are developed.

(To be fair) The definition of Quality is still evolving 100+ years in the making:

  • Q1.0 focused on measurement and inspection (quality control)
  • Q2.0 built on this foundation to define standards and reduce wastes (quality assurance)
  • Q3.0 continued to grow by adding continual improvement and business processes. Quality expanded to the entire company (total quality management)

With these new Q4.0 tools and ideas, quality is once again expanding.

Our foundations of systems-thinking, data-driven decisions, change management, continual improvement, poise quality to be the perfect change agent or facilitator for industry 4.0 (1) (5).

Objections / Why do I care about Q4.0?

We don’t do quality 3.0 well; why should I care about quality 4.0?

The difficulty in adopting Quality 3.0 was a lack of focus on people. It emphasized rigid processes and automation, whereas Q4.0 centers on people. The emphasis on people will make Q4.0 easier to implement and more effective.

Doesn’t this take a ton of computing and programming knowledge?

No. The emphasis of Quality 4.0 is on people and agile processes. Technology is the tool to help implement these ideas.

How do we do it?

By joining this newsletter you are already a part of your company’s Q4.0 transition. Augmenting and amplifying the people at your company is the transition.

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Here are some examples of solving problems with Q4.0 vs. Q3.0, to help get you thinking.

Problem: The machine alarm is repeatedly reset without fixing the issue.

Q3.0 - Password-protect the alarm on the machine (use automation to restrict control).

Q4.0 - Use machine data to predict the failure. Switch to the alternative tool, and indicate to the employee what to replace and why (Keep productivity up, while respecting the employee's time/autonomy).

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Problem: Data accuracy issues at order entry.

Q3.0 - automate using OCR and eliminate the position (rigid automation).

Q4.0 - automate using OCR, but use AI to indicate when something wasn’t read correctly. Flag for a human to find and correct the error (Humans excel at problem-solving).

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Problem: A manual process has intermittent parts made backward.

Q3.0 - add rigid stops and sensors to detect if the part is loaded correctly (expensive and slows the process down).

Q4.0 - modify the employee's routine to build in self-checks. Break up long routine tasks to help the employee engage and think. Use projection mapping augmented reality to identify how to load the part correctly and detect when it doesn't match (Focus on the human, build on their strengths).

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The tool does not solve the problem

A hammer doesn't build a house

A whiteboard doesn't teach

An 8D doesn't solve the problem

It's not the tool, but the tool in the hands of the practitioner or the artist.

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All that to say, if you have a glaring quality problem today, Q4.0 tools won't solve it by itself. It's only in your skillful hands that the tools will do anything. Be cautious running to technology to solve problems.

Let's make the world a simpler place,

Mike

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References and Citations

1) Carvalho, A. M., Dias, A. R., Dias, A. M., & Sampaio, P. (2024). The Quality 4.0 Roadmap: Designing a capability roadmap toward quality management in Industry 4.0. Quality Management Journal, 31(2), 117–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/10686967.2024.2317478

2) Shaw, H. (2024, March 11). What’s the difference between industry 4.0 and industry 3.0? Rowse. https://www.rowse.co.uk/blog/post/whats-the-difference-between-industry-4.0-and-industry-3.0

3) Jacob, D., & Littlefield, M. (2017, July 26). What is quality 4.0? and what it isn’t. LNS Research Blog. https://blog.lnsresearch.com/what-is-quality-4.0-and-what-it-isnt

(4) Zulqarnain, A.; Wasif, M.; Iqbal, S.A. Developing a Quality 4.0 Implementation Framework and Evaluating the Maturity Levels of Industries in Developing Countries. Sustainability 2022,14, 11298. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363411773_Developing_a_Quality_40_Implementation_Framework_and_Evaluating_the_Maturity_Levels_of_Industries_in_Developing_Countries

(5) ASQ. (n.d.). *Quality 4-0ASQ*. ASQ. https://asq.org/quality-resources/quality-4-0

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Upside Down Excellence

Michael Fank

Simplifying Quality for Business Success. Monthly tips on driving excellence through innovative quality strategies. Learn how people are the key to making quality work. From containment techniques to streamlined processes, discover practical insights on empowering your team for success.

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