Much has been written and discussed about “risk” being the future of “quality.” But what does this really mean, and how does it work?

Definitions of quality

Let’s us look at common working definitions of quality: zero defects, customer satisfaction, control of process variance, reliability, security, and fit for purpose. These are all objectives a quality program is aimed at satisfying. ISO 9000:2005—“Fundamentals and vocabulary for quality management systems” defines quality as the “degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.”

BusinessDictionary.com states this definition of quality: “In manufacturing, a measure of excellence or a state of being free from defects, deficiencies, and significant variations, brought about by the strict and consistent adherence to measurable and verifiable standards to achieve uniformity of output that satisfies specific customer or user requirements.”

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