Guiding Process Quality Focus
The process of organising (= organisation) cannot avoid making decisions regarding the quality of results. Even if it is tried again and again, it is impossible to pursue a goal quickly and at the same time, thoroughly. The guiding question is simple: “Should you set the quality focus to speed or to the quality of the product/service?”
It is not difficult to identify organisations which stand out by the clear positioning of their brand to one of these two poles. There are those who appear on the market with innovations (still underdeveloped), whereas for others only the best (or nothing) counts. Both can be successful. Both have dark sides. Trying to do both at the same time incurs costs to both poles. In some organisational environments quality deficiencies are punished without mercy (automobile industry, infrastructure goods, administration, groceries), in others those that arrive onto the market too late are punished (mobile telephones, fashion, media).
Just as important for understanding organisations is that sub-systems (areas, departments, teams) must often decide differently about their quality focus. They then immediately incur difficulties with each other. Whilst the organisation would like to present their offer to the client quickly, the legal department values a thorough study of the contract. To decide, or to implicitly and collaboratively decide, which quality focus should be chosen during individual decisions, is of the highest significance for consistent decision-making behaviour and for the avoidance of unfruitful ongoing conflicts.