The book argues that quality is enabled by the design decision process but one that looks along the complete lifecycle and production stages, including re-cycling at the end of first life. It discusses ways to use statistical variation from the demand and supply capability distributions to create a zero reject process and uses examples from product areas to highlight decision areas. Topics covered include innovation, globalization, global trade and new technologies requiring a more inclusive approach to designing things right from the beginning to deliver customer satisfaction.

About the author

With a background in engineering and manufacturing management, he has worked in universities in Europe and the USA as well as founding and selling a consultancy company in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. He has researched and consulted in a wide range of sectors in large and small organisations. He is currently co-lead academic on a MOOC on Contract Management in collaboration with the International Association of Contract and Commercial Management and the UK Government Cabinet Office.

1. Introduction and Definitions
   1. Quality
   2. Products and services
   3. Quality - but defined from which viewpoint?
   4. Design as a choice making process
2. Business Need, Intent and Boundaries: the context for quality and design
   1. Business and Service objectives
   2. Value proposition
   3. Value through transfer or by usage
   4. Firm boundaries: Make/Buy and Do/Trade
   5. Geographical, Economic and Political constraints on business operations
   6. Cost of quality
   7. Customer satisfaction
3. Innovation
   1. Pull from Market
   2. Push from Technology
   3. Drive from Competition or by Collaboration
   4. Intellectual Property (IP)
4. Design for ‘X’
   1. Design for Function
   2. Design for Production
   3. Design for Supply Chain
   4. Design for Risk and Security
   5. Design of Packaging for Distribution and Display
   6. Design for Delivery
   7. Design for Use and Sustainability
   8. Design for End of First Life and future possibilities
5. Randomness and Design for Quality
   1. The nature of natural and human made processes
   2. Dealing with imprecisions and variations
   3. Process Capability and Rejects
   4. Robust design of manufactured goods
6. Quality Control, Improvement and Business Impact
   1. Quality of Conformance
   2. Service Quality and the SERVQUAL model
   3. Quality Control
   4. Quality Improvement
   5. Total Quality Management. TQM
   6. Competing on Quality Performance
7. New Technology Implications
   1. Robots as products / process assistants or replacements
   2. Additive manufacture
   3. The internet of things
8. Conclusions and Final Thoughts

• References