Technology is a useful tool in quality. That said, there are limits to what technology can do. Here’s my summary of its advantages and disadvantages for quality professionals.

1. Data and measurements. Technology can help you automate measurements and analysis of data (Minitab statistical software and other types of software can do this). However, technology can’t tell you what to measure in the first place; you have to figure out important quality- and customer-related performance measurements based on your business, strategy, competition, and other factors. Technology can help you automate the actual measurement and reporting. Again, you will have to act on the data and opportunities for improvement shown by the data and analysis. And finally, technology can be a useful aid but never a substitute for the CEO’s and other leaders’ personal involvement and review of quality dashboards.

2. Product quality. Technology can help improve product quality, but we need to build an organizational attitude of listening to customers to ensure that we don’t lose any opportunity for continuous improvement. For example, many customer complaints can actually be opportunities to improve product quality, but how many of these opportunities are missed simply because we don’t treat complaints as opportunities?

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