What is the Difference Between TQM and Six Sigma?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma are two different processes that aim to improve the quality of products or services. While both are effective tools for quality management, there are some key differences between the two:
- Focus: TQM focuses on delivering superior quality manufactured goods, while Six Sigma aims to improve quality by reducing the number of defects.
- Data Usage: TQM uses data to assess how well business processes align with the expected operational quality of the company, emphasizing regular data reports for decision-making. Six Sigma, on the other hand, uses data to identify the exact rate of error that can be eliminated to reach optimum quality standards.
- Training and Certification: Six Sigma requires the skills of well-trained professionals like Green or Black Belts, while TQM does not require such extensive training and can be carried out by managers who are not solely dedicated to TQM. Six Sigma involves certified professionals, whereas TQM does not have such a requirement.
- Process Complexity: TQM is a less complicated process than Six Sigma. Six Sigma is known to deliver better and more effective results compared to TQM.
- Employee Involvement: Six Sigma requires the participation of only certified professionals, while TQM involves all employees in the process.
Both TQM and Six Sigma are quality improvement systems that aim to reduce defects. However, the differences in their focus, data usage, training, and employee involvement mean that each approach may be more suitable for different organizations or situations. It is essential to understand these differences to determine which method is most appropriate for your organization.
Comparative Table: TQM vs Six Sigma
Here is a table highlighting the differences between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma:
| Feature | TQM | Six Sigma |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Quantitative goals related to individual departments, aiming at overall customer satisfaction | Data-driven, statistical approach across multiple departments to detect and eliminate defects, primarily focusing on defect identification and elimination |
| Approach | Views quality as conformity to internal requirements | Enhances quality by reducing defects, operational costs, and cycle time |
| Quality Improvement | Maintains existing quality standards by aligning the actions of employees and addressing | Improves quality through process changes, aiming to achieve near-perfect quality by introducing new measures and reducing imperfections |
| Skills Required | Non-dedicated managers manage TQM without extensive training | Requires trained professionals (Green or Black Belts) |
| Organization-wide Employee Involvement | Emphasizes organization-wide employee involvement | Develops experts (Green Belts and Black Belts) who work on process improvement |
| Data Analysis | Uses data to evaluate the alignment of business processes with the expected operational | Employs data analysis to pinpoint the error rate that can be eliminated to achieve optimal results, using techniques and concepts such as probability theory, statistics, and operations research |
Both TQM and Six Sigma are quality improvement systems that aim to reduce defects. However, TQM focuses on organization-wide employee involvement and aligning business processes with expected operational outcomes, while Six Sigma employs a data-driven, statistical approach to detect and eliminate defects, primarily focusing on defect identification and elimination.
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