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Zero Defects

A quality management philosophy focused on preventing defects rather than detecting and correcting them after they occur.

Definition

Zero Defects is a quality management philosophy that emphasizes defect prevention through disciplined processes, continuous improvement and individual accountability rather than reliance on inspection to identify defects after production. The objective is to achieve consistent quality by designing processes that prevent errors before they occur.

Why It Matters

Zero Defects promotes defect prevention through disciplined quality management and continual improvement.

In Practice

Originally popularized by Philip Crosby, Zero Defects emphasizes doing work correctly the first time by preventing errors rather than relying solely on inspection and rework.

Common Misuse

Zero Defects focuses on preventing defects through disciplined processes, whereas Quality Control verifies that completed work satisfies specified quality requirements.

Term Details
Synonyms:
Zero Defects; Defect Prevention; Right First Time; Crosby Zero Defects
Classification:
Quality Assurance
Methodology
Intermediate
Applications

Quality Management; Continuous Improvement; Business Management.

Where It's Used

Manufacturing.; Construction.; Oil and gas.; Infrastructure.; Engineering.

References

ISO 9001

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