Continuous Improvement vs. Quality: What’s the Difference?

Although they often travel in the same circles, continuous improvement and quality are not the same. While continuous improvement and quality are related, they have different objectives. Let’s dive in and discuss those differences with respect to manufacturing, and the tools that are used to achieve both.

• Manufacturing quality refers to the level of excellence in the production process and the final product, ensuring that it meets or exceeds the desired specifications. Quality can be defined in various ways, such as reliability, durability, performance, safety, and usability.
• Continuous improvement identifies areas of improvement, analyzing root causes, and implementing changes to eliminate waste, reduce costs, and increase productivity.

While both are essential components of successful manufacturing, quality assurance ensures that the final product meets the desired standard, whereas continuous improvement focuses on making the production process more efficient and effective, leading to long-term success and sustainability. Similar differences exist in design quality and CI in the office – not just in manufacturing specifically. In summary, manufacturing quality is a result, while continuous improvement is an ongoing process.

Where CI and Quality Overlap

Continuous improvement is a key driver of quality. By constantly striving to improve processes, products, and services, organizations create higher quality outcomes. Alternatively, quality is a key goal of continuous improvement. By implementing continuous improvement processes, organizations can enhance quality by identifying and addressing issues before they become major problems.

Learn how a leading global manufacturer of electronics standardized its quality management systems and continuous improvement programs for cross-organization visibility.

Read the Case Study

Different Methodologies Used

Different methodologies are used for quality and continuous improvement, but there is also some overlap as you will see:

• For quality assurance, methodologies like Six Sigma, Total Quality Management (TQM), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Lean Manufacturing are commonly used. These methodologies focus on identifying and eliminating defects, reducing variability, and improving process stability to achieve consistent and high-quality production outcomes.
• Continuous improvement methodologies like Kaizen and Lean Manufacturing focus on optimizing the production process to eliminate waste, reduce cycle times, and improve efficiency. These methodologies rely on a problem-solving approach that involves identifying opportunities for improvement, testing potential solutions, and implementing changes in a continuous feedback loop.

Both quality assurance and continuous improvement methodologies are designed to enhance manufacturing processes and improve product quality. However, the specific techniques and tools used may differ depending on the specific goals and objectives of each approach.

How the Tools are Different

Quality tools and continuous improvement tools are each essential to different aspects of research to improve processes and quality.

• Quality tools are used to ensure that research results are accurate, reliable, and valid. They can help identify potential sources of bias, measure the consistency of data collection, and evaluate the accuracy of statistical analyses. Examples of quality tools used in research include control charts, Pareto charts, Ishikawa diagrams, and statistical process control.
• Continuous improvement tools are used to optimize the research process, making it more efficient and effective. They can help identify areas of waste, reduce cycle times, and improve productivity. Examples of continuous improvement tools used in research include Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing, and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle.

Meet Minitab Engage: Your End-to-End Improvement Solution from  Idea Generation Through Execution

Watch the Webinar

Both quality tools and continuous improvement tools are necessary to ensure the quality of research and improve the research process. Quality tools help ensure the accuracy and validity of research results, while continuous improvement tools help optimize the research process to achieve better results with less time and effort. Therefore, researchers should use both types of tools to achieve high-quality research outcomes.

As you can see, continuous improvement and quality are quite different, and you cannot have one without the other. If you would like to see how Minitab can help you with your continuous improvement or quality initiatives, talk to us!

Talk to Minitab