---
title: "Total quality management"
subject: "ICT Project Management"
chapter: 10
key: "semester_7/ict_project_management:tqm"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/tqm
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Total quality management

ICT Project Management · Chapter 10: Project quality management

- Asked in: year not given
- Video: [Total Quality Management Principles: A Comprehensive Overview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSz7MvkPhFI) — Leaders Talk - ThinkEduca
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/tqm
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/ict_project_management/chapter-10

## Question

What do you mean by Total quality management (TQM)?

## Short answer

A management approach where all members participate in continuously improving processes, products, services, and culture for long-term customer satisfaction. Principles include customer focus, total employee involvement, process-centred approach, continual improvement, fact-based decisions, and leadership commitment.

## Answer

**Total Quality Management (TQM)** is a management approach in which all members of an organisation participate in continuously improving processes, products, services and culture, so as to achieve long-term customer satisfaction. It focuses on the whole organisation, not only the quality department. It grew from the work of Deming, Juran, Crosby and Japanese practice.

#### Principles of TQM
1. **Customer focus**: quality is defined by the customer.
2. **Total employee involvement**: everyone is responsible for quality.
3. **Process-centred approach**: manage activities as processes.
4. **Integrated system**: all departments aligned.
5. **Strategic and systematic approach**: quality built into strategy.
6. **Continual improvement** (Kaizen, PDCA).
7. **Fact-based decision making** using data and statistics.
8. **Communication** across all levels.
9. **Leadership commitment** from top management.
10. **Supplier partnership**.

#### Key tools
PDCA cycle, seven quality tools, benchmarking, quality circles, Six Sigma, 5S.

```text
        Customer satisfaction
              ^
 Leadership -> Process -> Employee involvement
              ^
     Continuous improvement
```

#### Deming's 14 points (examples)
Create constancy of purpose, adopt new philosophy, cease dependence on inspection, drive out fear, break barriers between departments, institute training.

#### Benefits
- Fewer defects, less rework and lower cost.
- Higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Better employee morale and teamwork.
- Competitive advantage.

#### Limitations
Needs long-term commitment and cultural change, can be costly and slow to show results.

#### TQM in projects
Project quality management applies TQM ideas: prevention over inspection, continuous improvement and customer focus.

**Example:** A software firm using TQM holds regular reviews, trains all staff in standards, analyses customer complaints and updates its processes each quarter.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What distinguishes TQM from a quality department approach?
   A. All members of the organisation participate in continuous improvement
   B. Only inspectors are responsible for quality
   C. It relies on final inspection only
   D. It focuses on cost cutting alone
   Answer: A. TQM involves the whole organisation to achieve long-term customer satisfaction. (Key point: Definition)

2. In TQM who defines quality?
   A. Top management only
   B. The customer
   C. The quality department
   D. The supplier
   Answer: B. Customer focus is the first principle: quality is defined by the customer. (Key point: Customer focus)

3. Which view of inspection is part of Deming's 14 points?
   A. Rely mainly on final inspection
   B. Inspect only suppliers
   C. Use inspection to blame workers
   D. Cease dependence on inspection
   Answer: D. Deming advocated building quality in through prevention rather than depending on inspection. (Key point: Deming)

## Related in ICT Project Management

- [Quality management plan](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-management-plan) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Quality planning](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-planning) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Project quality](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-quality) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Cost of quality](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Acost-of-quality) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Quality assurance](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-assurance) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Quality audit and approach](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-audit) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10

## Related in other subjects

- [QC, QA, TQC and TQM compared](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fmetrology%3Aquality-control-vs-assurance-tqm) — Metrology, chapter 15
- [TQM principles, elements and benefits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Atotal-quality-management-principles) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 8
- [Evolution of quality management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Aevolution-of-quality-management) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 8
- [TPQM and quality-related maintenance](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_engineering_and_management%3Atpqm-total-planned-quality-maintenance) — Industrial Engineering and Management, chapter 7