The Evolution of Quality & Business Process Management
Many people believe that quality is a relatively new concept, but in fact quality has been evolving for centuries. In the last hundred years, the sharing of knowledge about quality and improvement methods has become extensive, providing us with a rich array of tools for managing and improving quality.
How does BPM relate to other methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma and ISO standards?
Lean aims to maximize customer value and minimise waste. Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by removing the causes of defects and minimising variability in manufacturing and business processes. ISO Standards ensure that products and services are safe, reliable and of good quality. Some or all of these methodologies will be important parts of many organisations, and rightly so. BPM relates to and improves each of them. Process is an important part of each methodology, but BPM practices and tools can help ensure they are in line with the whole organisation and can minimise any waste or duplication, while continuing to reap the rewards of each methodology's individual purpose.