Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

Table of Contents
MODULE CONTENT .................................................................................................................................................. 3
LEARNING EXPERIENCES ..................................................................................................................................... 4
LEARNING OUTCOME 1: Assess quality of received materials ............................................................ 4
INFORMATIONS SHEET No. 1.1-1 ..................................................................................................................... 5
Definition of an SOP — (Standard Operating Procedures) .................................................................. 5
SELF – CHECK # 1.1-1 ............................................................................................................................................ 7
ANSWER KEY # 1.1-1 .............................................................................................................................................. 7
INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-2 ................................................................................................................................ 8
Receiving procedure ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Receiving Report ................................................................................................................................................... 8
TASK SHEET 1.1-2 ................................................................................................................................................. 10
INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-3 .............................................................................................................................. 10
Fault detection and isolation ........................................................................................................................ 11
SELF-CHECK 1.1-3 ................................................................................................................................................. 12
ANSWER KEY 1.1-3 ................................................................................................................................................ 13
INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-4 .............................................................................................................................. 15
Different types of Faults .................................................................................................................................. 15
SELF-CHECK 1.1-4 ................................................................................................................................................. 16
INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-5 .............................................................................................................................. 17
TASK SHEET 1.1-5 ................................................................................................................................................. 20
LEARNING EXPERIENCES ................................................................................................................................... 21
LEARNING OUTCOME 2 – Assess own work ................................................................................................ 21
INFORMATION SHEET 1.2-1 .............................................................................................................................. 22
Organisational policies and procedures .................................................................................................... 22
Owner's manual.................................................................................................................................................... 22
Customer requirements ................................................................................................................................... 23
SELF-CHECK 1.2-1 ................................................................................................................................................. 24
ANSWER SHEET 1.2-1 .......................................................................................................................................... 25
INFORMATION SHEET 1.2-2 .............................................................................................................................. 26
How do you plan for inspections? ............................................................................................................... 26
SELF-CHECK 1.2-2 ................................................................................................................................................. 28
ANSWER SHEET 1.2-2 .......................................................................................................................................... 29
INFORMATION SHEET 1.2-3 .............................................................................................................................. 30
SELF-CHECK 1.2-3 ................................................................................................................................................. 31
ANSWER KEY # 1.2-3 ............................................................................................................................................ 31
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

LEARNING EXPERIENCES ................................................................................................................................... 32

LEARNING OUTCOME 3 –Engage in quality improvement ................................................................... 32
INFORMATION SHEET 1.3-1 .............................................................................................................................. 33
Continuous improvement in the workplace ........................................................................................... 33
SELF-CHECK 1.3-1 ................................................................................................................................................. 35
ANSWER SHEET 1.3-1 .......................................................................................................................................... 36
INFORMATION SHEET 1.3-2 .............................................................................................................................. 37
Continuous improvement ............................................................................................................................... 37
The importance of communication ............................................................................................................ 39
SELF CHECK 1.3-2 ................................................................................................................................................. 40
TASK SHEET 1.3-2 ................................................................................................................................................. 40
INFORMATION SHEET 1.3-3 .............................................................................................................................. 41
What Is Customer Satisfaction?................................................................................................................... 41
Ways of measuring customer satisfaction include: ............................................................................. 41
SELF CHECK 1.3-3 ................................................................................................................................................. 44
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

MODULE CONTENT

UNIT OF COMPETENCY: APPLY QUALITY STANDARDS

MODULE TITLE: APPLYING QUALITY STANDARDS
INTRODUCTION:
This unit covers the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to apply quality
standards in the workplace. The unit also includes the application of relevant safety procedures
and regulations, organization procedures and customer requirements.
NOMINAL DURATION:
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

 Assess quality of received materials

 Assess own work
 Engage in quality improvement
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

LEARNING OUTCOME 1: Assess quality of received materials

Learning Activities Special Instructions

1. Read information sheet 1.1-1 If you have some problem on the content of the
Work instruction is obtained and work is information sheet don’t hesitate to approach
carried out in accordance with standard your facilitator.
operating procedures. If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer self-check provided in the module
2. Answer self-check 1.1-1 Refer your answer to answer key 1.1-1
3. Read information sheet 1.1-2 If you have some problem on the content of the
Received materials are checked against information sheet don’t hesitate to approach
workplace standards and specifications. your facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer self-check provided in the module.
4. Answer self-check 1.1-2 Refer your answer to answer key 1.1-2
5. Read information sheet 1.1-3 If you have some problem on the content of the
Faulty materials related to work are identified information sheet don’t hesitate to approach
and isolated. your facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer self-check provided in the module
6. Answer self-check 1.1-3 Refer your answer to answer key 1.1-3
7. Read information sheet 1.1-4 If you have some problem on the content of the
Faults and any identified causes are recorded information sheet don’t hesitate to approach
and/or reported to the supervisor concerned in your facilitator.
accordance with workplace procedures If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer self-check provided in the module.
8. Answer self-check 1.1-4 Refer your answer to answer key 1.1-4
9. Read information sheet 1.1-5 If you have some problem on the content of the
Faulty materials are replaced in accordance information sheet don’t hesitate to approach
with workplace procedures. your facilitator.
If you feel that you are now knowledgeable on
the content of the information sheet, you can
now answer self-check provided in the module.
10. Answer self-check 1.1-5 Refer your answer to answer key 1.1-5
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATIONS SHEET No. 1.1-1

Work instruction is obtained and work is carried out in accordance with
standard operating procedures.
Learning Objective:
After reading the information sheet, you should be able to:
1. Know the SOPs and Work Instructions

Definition of an SOP — (Standard Operating Procedures)

A written method of controlling a practice in accordance with predetermined
specifications to obtain a desired outcome. SOPs are written steps to explain good
manufacturing practices (GMP), plant safety routines, financial controls to secure assets,
or IT security measures that employees are to follow. SOPs are step by step procedures on
how to do something that is critical to quality, critical to safe operations, or critical to
security.
Why Do We Need Procedures?
Regulations may require them as part of the compliance (OSHA, SOX, EPA, DOT, FDA).
Some industries have voluntary guidelines that suggest them as a best practice (OSHA
VPP “Star” program, ISO quality, GAAP, IFRS, ITIL, to name a few).
Organizations looking to become “World Class”•, the best in their industry, demand them
as part of defining their standard work. Company policies, six sigma discipline, or
engineering standards determine the need for exacting consistency.
Procedures Protect Processes

Preventing process errors is the main reasons for writing procedures. Procedure or work
instruction act as controls or countermeasure for identified risks that can create defects,
injuries, or nonconformance. Your standard operating procedures protect your processes
from defects and regularly lead to fewer corrective actions.
Procedures Protect Workers

Workers who are following established procedures have more confidence that their actions
are supported by management, the underlying statutes or regulations, and that they are
following industry best practices. Using standard operating procedures protect your
workers from injuries.

If there are legal ramifications to your work, then following your procedures reduces
liabilities.
Procedures Protect Customers

Customers are entitled to dependable product or service delivery based on established

and accepted measures — not on any one worker’s personal values, and not varying from
one geographic area to another. Your standard operating procedures protect your
customers from defects.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SOPs and Work Instructions

Some SOPs may have a two-tiered system that includes both procedures and Work
Instructions. Your procedures provide a general view of the higher level steps, whereas
Work Instructions are significantly more detailed.

One advantage of a two-tiered system is that SOPs change less often, whereas work
instructions may need to be changed or updated more frequently due to changes in
organizational structure, equipment, or application software.
Designing Procedures

Procedures provide a description of who does what, when. An SOP characterizes

relationships and control measures. It defines the roles and responsibilities to help
workers “find themselves”• in the business process. Procedures clarify different decision
points and provide the necessary guidance on criteria to make a decision.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF – CHECK # 1.1-1

Direction: Provide the answer to the question.

1. What is Standard Operating Procedure?
2. How does the Procedures Protect Processes?
3. How does the Procedures Protect Workers?
4. How does the Procedures Protect Customers?
5. What does SOP characterizes?

ANSWER KEY # 1.1-1

1. A written method of controlling a practice in accordance with

predetermined specifications to obtain a desired outcome.
2. Your standard operating procedures protect your processes from
defects and regularly lead to fewer corrective actions.
3. Using standard operating procedures protect your workers from
injuries.
4. Your standard operating procedures protect your customers from
defects.
5. An SOP characterizes relationships and control measures.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-2

Received materials are checked against workplace
standards and specifications.
Learning Objectives: After reading this information sheet, the student/
trainee should be able to;
1. Check received materials
Receiving procedure
A receiving procedure is needed to properly inspect all incoming goods, mark them with
tags, and record them as having been received.
Inspect Incoming Goods (Receiving Staff)
1. Upon receipt of a delivery, match the received items to the description stated on
the accompanying bill of lading, as well as the description on the related purchase
order. Major discrepancies can lead to rejection of the delivered goods.
2. If there is no authorizing purchase order and the purchasing manager does not
issue a waiver, reject the delivered goods.
3. Use a preprinted receiving checklist to inspect each delivery. Items likely requiring
review are the quantity received, comparison to a quality threshold, and the date
and time of receipt. Note any variances on the checklist. Initial the checklist when
the review is complete.
4. Sign a photocopy of the bill of lading to indicate that the delivery has been
inspected and is accepted.
Identify and Tag All Received Inventory (Receiving Staff)
1. Identify each item in a delivery and ensure that it is properly labeled with a bar
coded tag that includes the item number, quantity, and unit of measure. If there is
some uncertainty regarding which item number to use, consult with the senior
warehouse staff or purchasing department.
Log in Received Items (Receiving Staff)

1. Update the receiving log with the date and time of receipt of each delivery, as well
as the name of the shipper, supplier, purchase order number, and description of
goods received.
2. Send a copy of the signed bill of lading to the billing clerk in the accounting
department.
3. File the master copy of the billing of lading by date in the warehouse filing area.

Receiving Report
Upon receiving purchased goods or even services from a supplier, it is important that the
shipment is checked to make sure that the correct quantity and quality was received. A
receiving report should immediately be completed which indicates:

 the date the material was received or service was performed

 whether the delivery was on time
 the quantity of material received and whether any discrepancies exist when
compared with the packing slip
 whether the quality of the material meets specifications
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

 the names of the personnel who performed these checks

This receiving report can be of great help to the bookkeeper in maintaining accurate
records, and when paying the bills.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

TASK SHEET 1.1-2

Perform the proper receiving of materials.

INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-3

Faulty materials related to work are identified and isolated.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

Learning Objectives: After reading this information sheet, the student/

trainee should be able to;
1. Process the Fault detection and isolation.
Fault detection and isolation
Fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) is a subfield of control engineering which
concerns itself with monitoring a system, identifying when a fault has occurred, and
pinpointing the type of fault and its location. Two approaches can be distinguished: A
direct pattern recognition of sensor readings that indicate a fault and an analysis of the
discrepancy between the sensor readings and expected values, derived from some model.
In the latter case, it is typical that a fault is said to be detected if the discrepancy or
residual goes above a certain threshold. It is then the task of fault isolation to categorize
the type of fault and its location in the machinery. Fault detection and isolation (FDI)
techniques can be broadly classified into two categories. These include model-based FDI
and signal processing based FDI.

A symptom is an observed event or variable value, needed to detect and isolate faults. If a
symptom is the response to a question or an on-demand data request (when actively
testing a system instead of just passively monitoring it), it is referred to as a test or test
result.

Fault detection is recognizing that a problem has occurred, even if you don't yet know the
root cause. Faults may be detected by a variety of quantitative or qualitative means. This
includes many of the multivariable, model-based approaches discussed later. It also
includes simple, traditional techniques for single variables, such as alarms based on high,
low, or deviation limits for process variables or rates of change; Statistical Process Control
(SPC) measures; and summary alarms generated by packaged subsystems.

Fault diagnosis is pinpointing one or more root causes of problems, to the point where
corrective action can be taken. This is also referred to as “fault isolation”, especially when
emphasizing the distinction from fault detection. In common, casual usage, "fault
diagnosis" often includes fault detection, so “fault isolation” emphasizes the distinction.
Other elements of Operations Management Automation related to diagnosis include the
associated system and user interfaces, and workflow (procedural) support to for the
overall process. Workflow steps that might be manual or automated include notifications,
online instructions, escalation procedures if problems are ignored, fault mitigation actions
(what to do while waiting for repairs), direct corrective actions, and steps to return to
normal once repairs are complete.

Automated fault detection and diagnosis depends heavily on input from sensors or
derived measures of performance. In many applications, such as those in the process
industries, sensor failures are among the most common equipment failures. So a major
focus in those industries has to be on recognizing sensor problems as well as process
problems. Distinguishing between sensor problems and process problems is a major issue
in these applications. Our usage of the term "sensors" includes process monitoring
instrumentation for flow, level, pressure, temperature, power, and so on. In other fields
such as network & systems management, it can include other measures such as error
rates, CPU utilization, queue lengths, dropped calls, and so on.
In the following material, we focus mainly on online monitoring systems, based on sensor
or other automated inputs, but possibly including on some manual input from end users
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

such as plant operators. However, we also consider a broader viewpoint of diagnosis not
just as a technology, but also as part of the business process of fault management. Also,
diagnosis as a decision support activity rather than a fully automated operation is
common in the management of large, complex operations such as those found in the
process industries and network & systems management. It is also a natural fit for
operations such as call centers for customer support, where a significant amount of
diagnosis is done. In those cases, there may be support from a workflow engine as well as
the types of tools traditionally associated with fault detection and diagnosis

SELF-CHECK 1.1-3
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

Learn your mastery in Information Sheet 1.1-3 by answering the questions below.

Test 1. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and write FALSE if the
statement is incorrect.

1. (FDIR) is a subfield of control engineering which concerns

itself with monitoring a system, identifying when a fault has occurred, and
pinpointing the type of fault and its location.
2. A symptom is an observed event or variable value, needed to
detect and isolate faults.
3. Fault detection is recognizing that a problem has occurred,
even if you don't yet know the root cause.
4. Automated fault detection and diagnosis depends heavily on
input from sensors or derived measures of performance.
5. Our usage of the term "sensors" includes process monitoring
instrumentation for flow, level, pressure, temperature, power, and so on.

The trainee’s underpinning knowledge was

□ Satisfactory
□ Not Satisfactory

ANSWER KEY 1.1-3

1. True
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

2. True
3. True
4. True
5. True
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-4

Faults and any identified causes are recorded and/or reported
to the supervisor concerned in accordance with workplace
procedures.
Learning Objectives: After reading this information sheet, the student/
trainee should be able to;
1. Record Faults
The importance of keeping accurate records cannot be overemphasized. It is necessary in
filing an income tax return at the end of every tax period or financial year. Record keeping
is the design of a proper accounting system, which involves recording daily business
transactions, and keeping the relevant bills, receipts to validate all expenses claimed.
These business documents should and must be kept for a period of no less than seven
years.
Keeping accurate accounting records allows a business to be able to:
• Measure the business performance against the projections in the business plan.
• Fulfill tax obligations.
• Increase the chances of the business operating and achieving success.
• Prepare your financial statements quickly and accurately.
• Provide valuable information and details for the future sale of your business.
• Provide information to enable the control of cash in the business.
• Provide management information to base business decisions on.
• Contribute promptly to assessing the financial situation of the business at any time.
• Keep a good track of the costs of staff and their performance.
• Highlight quickly areas where problems could arise and enable solutions to be put in
place.
• Assist you in calculating how much tax you have to pay.
• Assist in providing information required by your bankers.
• Help in identifying thefts within the business itself.

Different types of Faults

 Materials not to specification

 Materials contain incorrect/outdated information
 Hardware defects
 Materials that do not conform with any regulatory agencies
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF-CHECK 1.1-4

Enumerate at least 5 Importance of keeping records.

 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.1-5

Faulty materials are replaced in accordance with workplace
procedures.
Learning Objectives: After reading this information sheet, the student/
trainee should be able to;
1. Solve faulty materials.
Problem 1
Manually counting the items arriving into the warehouse.
- Impact

Doing a manual count is vastly inefficient because it increases the cost of labour and
lowers the return. It also increases the risk of mistakes being made and inaccurate stock
figures appearing online.
- How to solve it

Solving this problem requires precision during the goods receipt process and the best way
to achieve this is by using a warehouse management system (WMS) that incorporates
barcode scanning. The use of barcodes eliminates the margin for human error and
ensures that all delivered items are correctly recorded. As a result, the correct stock
figures and listed online, meaning fewer oversells or missed sales opportunities.
Problem 2
Relying on a paper-based system and manually writing down what is delivered.
- Impact
Using a paper-based system and keeping a written account of what has been delivered
can lead to inaccurate checks, incorrect stock figures, and misplace or lost orders. It is
also highly inefficient, costing more labour than it returns.
- How to solve it
Your aim at Goods In is to eliminate all margin for human error so switching out your pen
and paper for a more accurate barcode scanner will not only speed up this process but
also greatly reduce the potential for any errors to be made. Using a WMS can entirely
eliminate paper, reducing all the risks listed above while also improving speed and
efficiency.
Problem 3
Not having a goods receipt process.
- Impact

By not having a Goods In process, you are required to do more regular stock takes to
constantly ensure that the inventory figures listed online are correct. This is time-
consuming, costly, and inefficient.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

- How to solve it

Quite simply, put a process in place. Goods In is the heart of your warehouse because
every later process depends on this being performed correctly. Using a system to log,
count, and register your inventory as it enters the warehouse will provide benefits
throughout the entire order fulfillment journey.
Problem 4
Slow goods receipt process.
- Impact
Much like having no process at all, if you have one that is inefficient then you will be
wasting time, money, and resources that could be better spent elsewhere.
- How to solve it
Work out where the kinks are in your current processes and focus on how to smooth
them out. More times than not, the Goods In process is slow because of the humans
working it so to really optimize your system, automation is key.
Problem 5
There is a delay between items being delivered and being available for sale online.
- Impact
The longer it takes for your inventory to register online, the larger the window for missed
sales opportunities.
- How to solve it

If your process currently involves uploading a CSV file or similar into your eCommerce
software, then the best solution is to find a warehouse management system that
integrates with this platform and cuts out the file uploading. With a decent WMS, your
inventory figures should be updated across all platforms as soon as they are scanned at
Goods In.
Problem 6
No tracking or visibility of the delivery performance: time, cancellations, mis-shipments.
- Impact

This problem makes it difficult to monitor KPIs, judge performance and replace the
services if needed.
- How to solve it
Option 1 is to put manual task recording in place. You may already be doing this if you're
reporting on these metrics to your management team.
Option 2 is to put some manual time tracking software like Harvest in place. This can
help with understanding where your team spend their time.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

Option 3 is to look at advanced software for warehouse management and carrier

management. Both these pieces of software will deliver the visibility on delivery
performance you need. A good CRM like Cloud Conversion could also help with tracking
any issues that do arise in a standard way you can report on.
Problem 7
Not checking against a purchase order (PO).
- Impact

If you do not check your goods received against a PO then you will require regular stock
takes to ensure correct inventory levels. You also open yourself up to more lost sales
opportunities, dissatisfied customers, and potential over payment for stock.
- How to solve it
With a warehouse management system, as good are scanned in they will be automatically
reconciled against a PO. This not only eliminates the need for this to be done manually,
but it also speeds up the process and saves time and labour.
Problem 8
Items arriving in pallets with large quantities.
- Impact
If you have items arriving like this, it is difficult to unwrap and check each item, which
can lead to inaccurate stock figures. Inaccurate stock figures can then lead to missed
sales opportunities, or overselling.
- How to solve it

Barcode label the pallet and assign the products to the unique pallet label. This enables
you to move the pallet around efficiently. You can also store inner, outer, and pallet
quantities in a WMS and use your software to calculate quantities based on defaults.
The key thing to have available if you go down this route is the ability to overwrite the
default quantity if you need to.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

TASK SHEET 1.1-5

Perform how you can solve faulty materials in receiving products.

 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

LEARNING EXPERIENCES
LEARNING OUTCOME 2 – Assess own work
Learning Activities Special Instructions
1. Read, analyze and understand If you have some problem on the content
Information Sheet No.1.2-1 on of the information sheet don’t hesitate to
Documentation relative to quality within approach your facilitator.
the company is identified and used. If you feel that you are not knowledgeable
on the content of the information sheet,
you can now answer self-check provided
in the module.
2.Answer self-check 1.2-1 Refer your answer to answer key 1.2-1
3. Read Information sheet 1.2-2 If you have some problem on the content
Completed work is checked against of the information sheet don’t hesitate to
workplace standards relevant to the task approach your facilitator.
undertaken. If you feel that you are now
knowledgeable on the content of the
information sheet, you can now answer
self-check provided in the module.
4.Answer self-check 1.2-2 Refer your answer to answer key 1.2-2
5. Read Information sheet 1.2-3 on If you have some problem on the content
Errors are identified and isolated. of the information sheet don’t hesitate to
approach your facilitator.
If you feel that you are now
knowledgeable on the content of the
information sheet, you can now answer
self-check provided in the module
6.Answer self-check 1.2-3 Refer your answer to answer key 1.2-3
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.2-1

Documentation relative to quality within the company is
identified and used.
Learning objective:
After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:
1. Know documentation relative.

Organisational policies and procedures

Procedures provide specific guidelines for completing a task, such as filling out and
submitting a form. The procedures are normally based on organisational policy, which
deals with broad issues, roles and functions relating to the specific area, such as case
management, workplace safety or purchasing.

If you are unsure of the policies or procedures that apply in your workplace, ask a more
experienced co-worker to assist you, or refer to your organisation’s guidelines or manuals.
Procedures you must follow may be similar to the following examples:
- Grievance process
- Staff appraisal process
Case example

You have written a letter to a client and pass it to the receptionist to include with the
daily mail. He asks you who approved the letter, and then explains that there are specific
procedures for sending letters. These are in place to ensure that all communication with
clients is professionally presented and in line with client management policies.

You learn that there is a template you must use – a pre-formatted document on
letterhead, with instructions for content wording. There is also a process of proofreading
and approval before the letter can be sent.
Case example

A colleague has an accident at work. There is an accident/incident report form and other
documents that must be filled out. This ensures that the organisation complies with
workplace health and safety (WHS) legislation.

Owner's manual
An owner's manual (also called an instruction manual or a user guide) is an instructional
book or booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced consumer
products such as vehicles, home appliances and computer peripherals. Information
contained in the owner's manual typically includes:

 Safety instructions; for liability reasons these can be extensive, often including
warnings against performing operations that are ill-advised for product longevity or
overall user safety reasons.
 Assembly instructions; for products that arrive in pieces for easier shipping.
 Installation instructions; for products that need to be installed in a home or
workplace.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

 Setup instructions; for devices that keep track of time or which maintain user
accessible state.
 Instructions for normal or intended operations.
 Programming instructions; for microprocessor controlled products such as VCRs,
programmable calculators, and synthesizers.
 Maintenance instructions.
 Troubleshooting instructions; for when the product does not work as expected.
 Service locations; for when the product requires repair by a factory authorized
technician.
 Regulatory code compliance information; for example with respect to safety or
electromagnetic interference.
 Product technical specifications.
 Warranty information; sometimes provided as a separate sheet.

Customer requirements
Customers have needs and requirements. A customer need establishes the relationship
between the organization and the customer (example: I need (or want) an iPad).
Requirements are those characteristics that determine whether or not the customer is
happy. (Examples: a requirement is that the iPad is user-friendly, has to be fast in data
storage and retrieval, etc.)
There are other requirements such as light-weight, long battery life and so forth. What
we’re talking about here though with Six Sigma is things that you can measure on a
continuous scale. You can measure user-friendliness on a Likert scale. You can measure
the download/upload in megabits per second or load times in fractions of seconds. The
fact that the iPad is lightweight is just a feature that doesn’t change and it isn’t something
that you would really measure to make improvements.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF-CHECK 1.2-1

Learn your mastery in Information Sheet 1.2-1 by answering the questions below:

Test 1. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and write FALSE if the
statement is incorrect.

1. Procedures provide specific guidelines for completing a task,

such as filling out and submitting a form.
2. An owner's manual also called an instruction manual not a
user guide.
3. Assembly instructions; for products that arrive in pieces for
easier shipping.
4. Troubleshooting instructions; for when the product does not
work as expected.
5. Customers have needs and requirements.

The trainee’s underpinning knowledge was

□ Satisfactory
□ Not Satisfactory
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

ANSWER SHEET 1.2-1

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.2-2

Completed work is checked against workplace standards
relevant to the task undertaken.
Learning objective:

After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:

1. Checked completed work

What is the purpose of checking?

Inspections are important as they allow you to:

 listen to the concerns of workers and supervisors

 gain further understanding of jobs and tasks
 identify existing and potential hazards
 determine underlying causes of hazards
 recommend corrective action
 monitor steps taken to eliminate hazards or control the risk (e.g., engineering
controls, administrative controls, policies, procedures, personal protective
equipment)

How do you plan for inspections?

Planning is essential for an effective inspection.
What to Examine
Every inspection must examine who, what, where, when and how. Pay particular
attention to items that are or are most likely to develop into unsafe or unhealthy
conditions because of stress, wear, impact, vibration, heat, corrosion, chemical reaction
or misuse. Include areas where no work is done regularly, such as parking lots, rest
areas, office storage areas and locker rooms.
Workplace Elements

Look at all workplace elements – the people, the environment, the equipment and the
process. The environment includes such hazards as noise, vibration, lighting,
temperature, and ventilation. Equipment includes materials, tools and apparatus for
producing a product or a service. The process involves how the worker interacts with the
other elements in a series of tasks or operations.
How frequent should inspections be done?
The purpose is to keep the workplace free of hazards. The schedule should state:

 when to inspect each area or item within the workplace

 who carries out the inspection
 what degree of detail to inspect each area or item
 How often inspections are performed will depend on several factors:
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

 the frequency of planned formal inspections may be set in your legislation

 past incident records
 number and size of different work operations
 type of equipment and work processes - those that are hazardous or potentially
 number of shifts - the activity of every shift may vary
 new processes or machinery
 legislative requirements for your jurisdiction
High hazard or high risk areas should receive extra attention.
It is often recommended to conduct inspections as often as committee meetings. Do not
conduct an inspection immediately before a committee meeting but try to separate
inspections and meetings by at least one week. This time allows for small items to be fixed
and gives the committee an opportunity to focus on issues requiring further action.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF-CHECK 1.2-2

Learn your mastery in Information Sheet 1.2-2 by answering the questions below:

Test 1. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and write FALSE if the
statement is incorrect.

1. Planning is essential for an effective inspection.

2. Every inspection must examine who, what, where, when and
how.
3. Look at all workplace elements – the people, the
environment, the equipment and the process.
4. Listen to the concerns of workers and supervisors
5. Recommend corrective action

The trainee’s underpinning knowledge was

□ Satisfactory
□ Not Satisfactory
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

ANSWER SHEET 1.2-2

1. True
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. True
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.2-3

Errors are identified and isolated.
Learning objectives:
After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:

1. Managing Mistakes in the Workplace

Admit the mistake: Perfectionism doesn’t exist, therefore you will make mistakes in the
workplace. Once you have discovered that you have made an error, alert the people who need
to know, to quickly defuse the situation. Take responsibility for making the error, and never
try to pass the blame on to another person. Be humble when you admit the error.

React and Resolve: Once you have admitted that you made a mistake, explain how it
occurred, and fix the mistake quickly, even if it means working extra hours. Indicate to the
people affected by the mistake how you plan to prevent the same mistake from happening
again. Taking the initiative demonstrates self-leadership.

Learn from the error: Errors can be disguised opportunities. At the very least, they are life
lessons that you learned the hard way. Look at the mistake objectively, what lessons can you
learn? Can others benefit from those lessons as well?

Keep the error in perspective: It’s a terrible feeling to make what may appear to be a
catastrophic mistake. Instead of a knee jerk reaction such as handing in your resignation,
talk through the situation with those affected, keeping the bigger picture in mind, and
allowing them to share their perspective with you. Ask yourself how you can turn the error
into an opportunity that will lead you to achieving your career goals.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF-CHECK 1.2-3

How can you manage your error at workplace?

ANSWER KEY # 1.2-3

 Admit the mistake

 React and Resolve
 Learn from the error
 Keep the error in perspective
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

LEARNING OUTCOME 3 –Engage in quality improvement

Learning Activities Special Instructions

1. Read, analyze and understand If you have some problem on the content
Information Sheet No.1.3-1 of the information sheet don’t hesitate to
Process improvement procedures are approach your facilitator.
participated in relative to workplace If you feel that you are now
assignment. knowledgeable on the content of the
information sheet, you can now answer
self-check provided in the module.
2. Answer self-check 1.3-1 Refer your answer to answer key 1.3-1
3. Read Information sheet 1.3-2 on If you have some problem on the content
Work is carried out in accordance with of the information sheet don’t hesitate to
process improvement procedures. approach your facilitator.
If you feel that you are now
knowledgeable on the content of the
information sheet, you can now answer
self-check provided in the module.
4. Answer self-check 1.3-2 Refer your answer to answer key 1.3-2
5. Read Information sheet 1.3-3 on If you have some problem on the content
Performance of operation or quality of of the information sheet don’t hesitate to
product of service to ensure customer approach your facilitator.
satisfaction is monitored If you feel that you are now
knowledgeable on the content of the
information sheet, you can now answer
self-check provided in the module.
6. Answer self-check 1.3-3 Refer your answer to answer key 1.3-3
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.3-1

Process improvement procedures are participated in relative to
workplace assignment.
Learning objectives: After reading this information sheet, the learner should

1. Improve workplace

Continuous improvement in the workplace

1. Seek continuous improvement: Step by step

Continuous improvement isn’t about setting a high pace.

It’s about finding a rhythm that works for your organization, it’s about changing
everyone’s mindset to a systematic way of finding better ways to do things.
What we hear from our users is that over explaining the Why helps, as does showing that
employees are important and that their thoughts, ideas and questions all matter.
How do they best show this? By taking action to fix the stuff their employees think needs
fixing at work. Measure, talk, improve. Repeat.
Everything will be more fun if you get your team to take a greater interest in the group’s
results and achievements, instead of just the individual members’ goals.
Improve your workplace step by step, build trust, and adjust as you go along.

2. Open and ongoing dialogue

Many of our users share progress and results with everyone. They embrace a transparent
attitude at work. They encourage everyone to make their voice heard and chip in.
Sometimes the loudest voices aren’t the one’s that needs to be heard the most.
Our users do their best to find formats where everyone feels confident to share.
It could be an informal chat with the first colleague you meet in the corridor, all-hands
meetings, group meetings… Our data that show that companies that use face-to-face
interactions are the one’s that improve their employee morale the fastest.
An ongoing dialogue where everyone shares their finding will help your team to learn from
others mistakes and wins. This way you can improve your effectiveness and productivity
to meet both internal and external needs.
Don’t fear conflict, not speaking up can result in more conflicts later on.
Just address it in the open.
Related: companies that use continuous improvement

3. A great workplace is everyone’s job

Do you have a company culture where people have more ‘green’ days or ‘red’ days?
You as an employer have the obligation to provide the conditions for people to thrive at
work, but let’s face it, you can only take it so far: Motivation also has to come from within,
you can’t force people to be motivated at work.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

People need to want to be held accountable. We are driven by intrinsic motivators, not the
stick and the carrot.
Great teams and leaders make sure that everyone in the group is held accountable to
their commitments – no one wants to let down a coworker.
What would happen if you paved the way for people to find their voice within the
organization? If you could get themselves to start defining both problems and solutions at
work to continuously improve?
Well, it would probably give them a sense of ownership, which would lead to higher level
of achieved business objectives.
How can employees be involved in continuous improvement? We love it when we see
leaders that give up some of their control and empower their employees!

4. Understand what motivates your employees

Best-selling author Daniel Pink lists the three elements of true motivation. Performance
increases dramatically when these three elements are present and promoted:
Autonomy, or the desire to be self-directed, assuming we are built with inner drive;
Mastery, we want to get better at things that are important to us; and
Purpose, people who find purpose at work unlock the highest level of the motivation
game, we get more motivated by connecting to a cause that’s larger or more meaningful
beyond ourselves. This is when money isn’t an issue any longer (e.g. your team gets a
decent pay check, they have enough). Motivated staff will dramatically smooth the process
of continuous improvements.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF-CHECK 1.3-1
Learn your mastery in Information Sheet 1.3-1 by answering the questions below:

Test 1. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and write FALSE if the
statement is incorrect.

1. Continuous improvement isn’t about setting a high pace.

2. People need to want to be held accountable.
3. Improve your workplace step by step, build trust, and adjust
as you go along.
4. Motivated staff will dramatically smooth the process of
continuous improvements.
5. Motivation also has to come from within, you can’t force
people to be motivated at work.

The trainee’s underpinning knowledge was

□ Satisfactory
□ Not Satisfactory
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

ANSWER SHEET 1.3-1

1. True
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. True
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.3-2

Work is carried out in accordance with process improvement
procedures.
Learning objectives: After reading this information sheet you should be able to
1. Process of improving work.

Continuous improvement
Once you have your volunteer program up and running it is a good idea to develop and
implement a continuous improvement process.
Continuous improvement is an ongoing cycle of review and evaluation of your processes
and procedures in your organisation. Having a continuous improvement policy helps you
to refine the way you do things to make it as effective and efficient as possible.
Having an improvement process means that all volunteers (and staff) can contribute to
the improvement of the way you work.
This relates to National Standard # 8 – Continuous improvement.
Getting started
Probably the most important things to remember when you start thinking about
implementing a continuous improvement process are:

 It is cyclical
 It is measurable
 It is incremental
 Everyone is involved.
It’s basically about collecting information about day to day operations, and having an
ongoing process for improving how things are done. This can be applied to all aspects of
your work activity, from small initiatives to agency-wide processes.
The aim is to make all organisational functions and resources work better and more
efficiently over time. Having a continuous improvement process can also help to:

 Encourage participation from staff and volunteers

 Improve communication between volunteers, staff and management
 Reinforce your commitment to creating a positive work environment
 Provide an objective basis for decision making
 Create a proactive and planned approach to improving how things are done.
Collecting feedback
The first step is having processes in place to regularly capture feedback and information
about how your program is working. You could do this by:

 Having regular surveys

 Organising focus groups or more formal feedback sessions
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

 Collating any feedback sent through your complaints or compliments systems – or

if you don’t have these systems think about making a form available through your
website or intranet
 Completing a volunteer exit interview when a volunteer leaves, or a feedback
session when their probation period comes to an end
 Making it a part of your performance management process
 Holding a consultation phase and speaking to people in your organisation and key
clients
 Conducting regular internal audits
 Having an external agency conduct a full service audit for you.
Identifying improvements

When you have collected the information you need, think about how you can both correct
and prevent issues that have been identified. Sometimes it will be something simple like
fixing a step in a process map or assigning responsibility for a task; but sometimes you
might have to think more broadly about your resource availability or business
requirements.

Continuous improvement is about improving the processes and procedures in the

workplace. And the best way to work out what isn’t working well is to ask the people
doing the job! Having good communication with your volunteers will help the process
enormously, as will acting on the feedback that you receive.
Planning

The first step of being able to act on your feedback is deciding who is responsible for
planning, managing and coordinating improvement activities. You should also have some
guidelines around:

 How to work out the impact of change

 How you will communicate the change
 The time periods for implementing change
 How you will evaluate the change.
It’s also important to keep all the information the you collect and document changes that
you make, the rationale behind them and the expected outcome of the change. Then when
you do your next review you can easily measure how effective the change really was.
Making changes
One approach that larger organisations might like to take is to implement changes on a
smaller scale first – so for example, make the change in one team and see how it goes,
before spreading it across your whole organisation.

This follows a basic Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process. This is a cycle which tests change
in the real work setting – by planning it, trying it, looking at the results, and acting on
what is learned.
Remember that all improvement requires making changes, but not all changes result in
improvement! That is why it is a continuous process.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

The importance of communication

As with all your policies and procedures, it’s important to communicate with your
volunteers. This is particularly important with continuous improvement. Some volunteers
might not like all the change, or might think it’s because they are not doing a good job –
especially if you have people volunteering part time or for projects, where they might not
get to see the bigger picture.
Make sure you let your volunteers know what continuous improvement is, why it is
important and how it is being used to make it a better place to work. And most
importantly, let them know that their feedback is integral to the success of the process.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF CHECK 1.3-2

What are the processes of improving your work?

TASK SHEET 1.3-2

Perform how you can continue the improvements at your workplace.

 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

INFORMATION SHEET 1.3-3

Performance of operation or quality of product of service to
ensure customer satisfaction is monitored.
Learning objectives: After reading this information sheet you should be able to
1. Ensure customer satisfaction.

What Is Customer Satisfaction?

Many terms in business are nebulous and rarely are they clearly defined. Customer
satisfaction is one of those terms.

The actual definition of customer satisfaction is quite broad: It’s a measurement we use to
quantify the degree to which a customer is satisfied with a product, service, or experience.

In practice, this could be executed using many different survey design tactics, such as
differing questions, survey response scales, and collection methods. Sometimes, we collect
these measures right after a transaction, or sometimes at a fixed date in the customer
relationship. Sometimes we use a five-point Likert scale, and sometimes we use a Net
Promoter Score (NPS) survey.
The point of all this is to measure how a customer feels about a brand interaction.
In fact, there’s some ruckus around the term “customer satisfaction.” After all, as the
argument goes, customer satisfaction is simply the absence of customer frustration. If
you have a great meal at a restaurant, you don’t sit back, smile, and say, “that meal was
... satisfactory.”
The argument is that we should aim for delight.

Ways of measuring customer satisfaction include:

Survey customers
Surveying customers is the only probable way of getting customer feedback unless they
contact you.
Most people are busy and have no time to pass redress.
You can provide survey through several ways such as emails and use of phone calls.
To get credible feedback you need to allow customers to answer questions on weighted
scale.
You can conduct repeated surveys, over time, to measure changing comments from
customers.
Understand expectations

Understanding what customers expect from you will provide ground to satisfy their
expectations by giving them enjoyable service.
Making an effort to discover what customers expect from you in terms of service and
products is the way to satisfying their needs.
Find out where you are failing
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

On situations where you are not fulfilling customer requirements, it is credible to find out
where you are failing.
Incidences where products are less than advertised should not arise.
Find out if employees are making promises that cannot be met.
Take strides and attend seminars that will equip you with better managerial skills.

Know the chain of communication so as to know where communication faults are and
foster amendments.
Pinpoint specifics
Whether a customer is satisfied or not, you need to collect information to help you assess
the situation.
Collect information about what customers purchased, what they liked and they did not
like, their actual purchase expectation and their suggestions for improvement.
Assess the competition
Have the initiative to know why customers consider other brands above yours.
Through the survey, invite customers to come and compare and contrast your services
and products and make judgment on what you are not offering.
Try to measure the emotional aspect
Customer experiences after buying a given product are attributed to quality.

Feedback from customers in relation to quality, reliability and extent satisfaction should
be matched.
Comments customers make are a measure of their satisfaction.
Customers showing dissatisfaction prompts change of strategy.
Loyalty measurement
Customer loyalty is the likelihood of repurchasing products or services.

Customer satisfaction is a major predictor for repurchasing and it is influenced by explicit

performance of the product, value and quality.

Loyalty is basically measured when a customer recommends to a friend, family member

about given product.

Overall satisfaction, repurchasing and likelihood of recommending to a friend are

indicators of customer satisfaction.
A series of attribute satisfaction measurement
This strategy takes into account the affective and cognitive pattern.
Affective behavior is intrigued to liking and disliking owing the benefits the product is
attached with.
 Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

Customer satisfaction is influenced by perceived quality the product is attached with and
it is regulated by expectations of the product or service.
Customer attitude towards a product are as a result of product information through
advertisement and any experience with the product whether perceived or real.
Cognition is the judgment on whether the product is useful or not useful.

Judgment is always intended use of application and use of occasions for which the
product is purchased.
Intentions to repurchase
Future hypothetical behavior that indicates repurchasing the product is a measure of
satisfaction.

Satisfaction can influence other post purchasing trend through use of the word of mouth
or social media platform.
Monitoring
Monitoring can be directed at phone, email and chat communications.
Monitoring includes automated phone interactions designed by companies to help give
real world glimpse.
Feedback cards
Dishing out cards will help gauge customer comments.
Common Competency: Applying Quality Standards

SELF CHECK 1.3-3

How to ensure customer satisfaction?