Quality Control

Quality control measures a product against the existence of a required attribute (such as a job number) or determines whether the product conforms to a standard or procedure. This is also known as compliance checking. Through compliance checking, the purpose of quality control is to identify defects and ensure they are corrected so that defect-free products will be produced.

Quality control is limited to products, and, as a result, should be the responsibility of the workers. Systems reviews and software testing are examples of quality control.
Management is responsible for enforcing compliance to standards and procedures. Typically management tells their staff how they expect them to comply, follows up with them, and provides the time needed to comply.

If it is found that the standard has not been complied with, it is management’s responsi­bility to determine whether or not to enforce the standard.
The method by which the standard will be enforced should be determined before the standard is issued. Auto­matic enforcement is superior to manual enforce­ment.

. An individual normally has minimal objection to being told by an automated process (such as a compiler or linker) that the standard has not been complied with, but fre­quently objects when another individual relates the same information. Enforcement should be auto­matic if management says the standard must always be met.