WHY IS QUALITY IMPORTANT FOR YOU?

EXACTLY WHAT DOES QUALITY MEAN IN THE CONTEXT OF ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
HEALTH, OR HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS OR INITIATIVES?
A quality program:

Responds as effectively as possible to the needs it was designed to meet

Is totally consistent with the mission and philosophy of the organization or group
carrying it out
Is sensitive to the needs and culture of the target population
Is a model of ethical behavior
But why is quality important for a grass roots organization?

Quality makes a group more effective at meeting the needs it's concerned with
Quality adds strength and credibility to your organization or initiative
Ethically, you're bound to provide the absolute best quality of service or advocacy
you can
Quality is always more economical in the long run
Developing a "culture of quality" can have a number of positive effects on your
organization itself

If staff members and volunteers know that they and the organization are doing the
best job possible, it builds their morale and makes them proud of themselves and
the organization
Striving for quality helps to develop organizational and individual competence,
thus continually improving the organization
A quality program continually increases its performance level and improves its
service delivery, which gives your organization credibility and ultimately benefits
your target audience
WHAT ARE THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF TQM?
(Much of the following discussion is based on material contained in Introduction to
Total Quality: Quality Management for Production, Processing, and Services, 2nd
Edition. Full source citation can be found under Resources.)

There are some basic assumptions that underlie the idea of TQM. In this section,
we'll look at how they might relate to your organization or initiative.

KEY ELEMENTS OF TOTAL QUALITY

Customer Focus: Everything an organization does should have the needs of the
customer as its starting point. In your work, the "customer" is the target
population or the community that will benefit from what you are offering or doing.
What are the needs to which you are responding? How can you meet those needs
effectively, appropriately, and with respect for the people you're intending to
serve?
Obsession with Quality: Quality has to be something that's considered from the very
beginning and built into everything a business or organization does. Planning
carefully, monitoring your work, and constant reevaluation and adjustment are all
extremely important. You don't ensure quality by catching mistakes before they
reach the customer; you ensure it by setting up a system in which you don't make
the mistakes to begin with. Everyone in the organization must understand and adopt
this point of view if the organization is truly going to have quality performance.
Continual Improvement of Systems: The work of an organization must be viewed as a
process that is never finished. Any program can always be improved, and must be
changed as the needs of the community or the target population change.
Unity of Purpose: In order for quality to be achieved, everyone in an organization
or business has to work together toward common goals. That means mutual support
throughout the organization, not turf battles, not jealousy, not unnecessary
competition. All interactions among people in the organization should be mutually
helpful and aimed at achieving the best possible performance of the organization as
a whole.
Teamwork: Working in teams, rather than individually, people make better
connections with their colleagues and the organization, and create better results.
Teamwork removes performance pressure from the individual and usually coaxes better
performance from everyone.
Employee Involvement: If everyone in an organization is to be committed to quality
performance, then all staff members should have the ability to contribute to its
achievement. That means that people must have enough control over their own jobs to
do them effectively, and that everyone's opinions and ideas must be respected and
taken seriously.
Education and Training: Achieving quality requires constant learning for everyone
in an organization, and that learning needs to be part of the organizational
culture. Not only should staff members be learning from others in the organization,
but they should also be encouraged to take courses, to attend organization-
sponsored trainings and workshops, to visit other organizations, etc., to
continually learn more about their work, and to get new ideas and perspectives on
it.
Scientific Approach: For grass roots and community-based organizations, this means
using the best research available, as well as the experience of others, to
construct an effective program or initiative. That approach is much more likely to
result in success and high quality than relying only on intuition or on what seems
politically correct.
The founders of a Massachusetts community-based adult literacy program, with
backgrounds in both developmental psychology and reading theory, based their
program on the best available research in both areas. They made sure that the
educational and support elements of the program fit together properly, and trained
staff with that in mind. Initially, since it was doing something that hadn't been
done with adults before, the program was severely criticized by others in the
field. The founders were accused of cheating their students by not using a strict,
phonics-based approach to reading, and by paying too much attention to other
matters - students' concerns, community issues, etc. As time went on, however, and
the program's drop-out rate remained extremely low and its students' success rate
extremely high, others began experimenting with similar ideas. 15 years later, the
program is a model for the state, but it keeps changing, responding both to student
needs and feedback and to new research findings.

Long-Term Commitment: The best work in the world is ultimately useless if it's not
maintained. Quality is a long-term concept: you have to keep striving for its
improvement, even after you've achieved an acceptable level of performance.
"Acceptable" is never good enough. In fact, you're never really at an endpoint,
because the level you're trying to reach is "the best that can possibly be."
THE DEMING CYCLE
The assumptions above underlie the "Deming Cycle," which is really a process for
creating and selling a quality product. We'll revisit the Deming Cycle later to
examine how it can be used in an advocacy, community development, health, or human
service context.

Plan - conduct consumer research and use it for planning the product
Do - produce the product
Check - check the product to make sure it was produced in accordance with the plan
Act - market the product
Analyze - analyze how the product is received in the marketplace in terms of
quality, cost, and other data
WHAT IS TQM AND ITS RELEVANCE TO YOUR ORGANIZATION?
It is important to note that the principles of TQM were designed for the business
sector, so while some aspects are relevant to organizations concerned with
advocacy, community development, health, and human services, other aspects may be
contrary to the goals of those organizations.

Some elements of TQM that would work toward quality in any environment include:
The need for careful planning, monitoring, evaluation, and adjustment
Teamwork and the empowerment of all in the organization
Constant education and training for all staff
Attention to the needs of the target population and to the results for them
Identifying and changing what doesn't work well
Encouraging and rewarding, rather than discouraging, new ideas
Developing an organization-wide culture of quality
Keeping at it over the long term
Some elements which may not work toward quality for your organization are those
that assume that the goal is the success of a business, such as:

The emphasis on products and production, which may take the focus off the human
needs and consequences your organization is concerned with
The assumption of a hierarchical structure where those in authority "let " others
have a say in the achievement of quality, and where leadership always comes from
the top, which may conflict with the way your organization operates
The definition of everyone as either a supplier or a consumer/customer, which may
provide the wrong metaphors for grass roots work where everyone is, on some level,
a participant
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE QUALITY PERFORMANCE, USING TQM AND OTHER PRINCIPLES?
Using the Deming Cycle while keeping some of the basic TQM principles in mind can
help you design, deliver, refine, and maintain an effective program or initiative.

PLAN
Conduct consumer research and use it for planning the product. The "product" here
is the actual program you intend to conduct, and the "consumer research" is an
examination of actual needs of the target population, the community, and others who
will be affected.

Thus, the "Plan" part of the cycle might include the following:

Conducting a needs assessment, involving everyone concerned

Deciding what the desirable outcomes are, from the perspectives of the target
population, the organization, and the larger community
Determining ways to reach those outcomes that are feasible, consistent with the
guiding principles of the organization, inclusive (respectful of all and beneficial
to as many people and groups as possible), and consistent with the needs and
culture of the target population
Developing indicators to show when you have reached either outcomes themselves or
significant points on the way to reaching those outcomes
Inviting all stakeholders to participate in the development of the plan
DO
Produce the product. The "production" part of the process is the actual design of
the program, outreach effort, treatment strategy, etc. that will meet the need
determined in the "Plan" part of the cycle. Much of the actual work here depends
not only on TQM principles (teamwork, employee involvement, scientific approach,
obsession with quality, and customer focus), but also on common sense and
organizing principles.

The following are important elements of designing an effective program:

Finding out what has already been tried in the community, and how well it worked
Discovering whether there's any residual bad feeling attached to certain methods or
approaches -- or people -- which may resurface if they're proposed again
Using as examples other communities that have successfully mounted similar
programs, while remaining aware that not everything that works in one place will
work in another
Consulting the research to see what has worked in this situation
Involving all stakeholders in the development of the program or initiative,
especially the people who will do the actual work
Taking care of the logistics: a place to operate, equipment and supplies, the
proper staff and/or volunteers on board, etc.
CHECK
Check the product to make sure it was produced in accordance with the plan. Compare
the details and overall shape of the program or initiative to the plan. Does it
align with the needs assessment? Does it look like it will address the desired
outcomes in desired ways? Is it inclusive? Was everyone involved in its
development? Is it feasible? Is it ready to go?

ACT
Market the product. "Marketing the product" here means actually running the program
or initiative that you've planned.

If it's going to work well, there are some non-TQM standards that need to be
applied:

Everyone involved should understand the process that led up to this program, as
well as the philosophy, concept, and workings of it
Everyone involved should be committed to making every effort to bring about
success. A program or initiative should never fail because people don't follow
through or do their jobs. (This doesn't mean that you shouldn't expect mistakes; it
means, rather, that mistakes shouldn't happen just because people weren't trying,
or because they simply didn't bother to do something they knew they had to do.)
All the planning in the world is useless if everyone involved doesn't go into the
experience expecting to do their best, and if there aren't good people implementing
the functions of the organization
ANALYZE
Analyze how the product is received in terms of quality, cost, and other data.
Analysis in this context - looking at what you're doing, evaluating it, and trying
to improve it - needs to be conducted on the basis of the original plan, with
discussions among participants, staff, and others.

Consider:

Does the program or initiative actually address the identified needs? Are these
needs the same as when the original assessment was conducted?
Does the program or initiative reach, or help participants reach, the desired
outcomes? Were those outcomes the right ones to aim for, or do they need to be
changed? (Looking at the indicators you've developed should help you answer both
these questions.)
Is the plan in fact feasible? Can the program or initiative be run with the time,
resources, and personnel available? Is it accessible to participants? Are staff and
volunteers able to do their jobs without having to work to exhaustion, or beyond
reasonable expectations? Is the program or initiative accepted by the community and
other organizations?
Is the program or initiative consistent with the vision, mission, philosophy and
guiding principles of the organization (and are those still the same as when the
plan was formulated)? Does what actually goes on in the program or initiative --
working conditions, empowerment, relations among staff, participants, volunteers,
and the community -- mirror its desired effect on the community and society?
Is the program or initiative inclusive and respectful of the target population and
the community?
Is the program or initiative ethical? Are you skirting your own principles in any
way? Are you ignoring basic principles of fairness, honesty, civility, democracy,
or responsibility for your actions?
Although the two are usually congruent, ethical is not always exactly the same as
legal. The exercise of civil disobedience may be profoundly ethical, while being,
at the same time, inarguably illegal. The civil rights marches and actions led by
Martin Luther King and others during the 1950's and 60's often fell into this
category.

RESTART THE CYCLE

Your analysis should naturally lead into a new planning sessions, and where
necessary, lead to rethinking and reworking the program or initiative, or even the
task of the organization itself.

HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN QUALITY PERFORMANCE?

While the maintenance of quality is, to some extent, built into the Deming Cycle,
it requires some particular commitments and action.

INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF DYNAMISM
An organization needs to be dynamic, always moving and always seeking continued
improvement, and to institutionalize its dynamic character.

This means:

An assumption of dynamism needs to be part of the organizational culture, with

everyone understanding and buying into it.
Encouraging and providing support -- to staff, volunteers, and participants -- for
learning.
Organizational support for education includes providing, or coordinating with
another organization's provision of, professional development or university
courses, training, certification, etc., that help staff and volunteers to build
their skills. If financial resources are not available, other means of
institutional support -- release time or leave time, special recognition, a library
for the organization, study circles or reading groups, etc. -- need to be
considered. Everyone in the organization, including administrators and Board
members, should be encouraged to take advantage of learning opportunities and to
model learning behavior.

Listening to and carefully evaluating ideas from everyone.

Encouraging openness to change and experimentation with new ideas and strategies
Administrators and Board members need to model such openness by being willing to
reexamine and change procedures, policies, etc. when needed. Staff and volunteers
should be given room to try out even things that others may be skeptical about, as
long as they can justify the attempt ("It worked elsewhere" and "I learned about it
in a course" are both reasonable justifications.). If such an attempt is honestly
carried out, it should be seen as a positive even if it fails: it provided new
information, and is another building block in the construction of a quality
program.

Never being complacent and always being open to the idea that the work could be
done differently -- and better.
Incorporating constant reevaluation, including feedback and ideas from the target
population.
Always being aware of the original mission, but not being afraid of change. While
the mission itself may change as the community and circumstances do, it should
nonetheless remain consistent with the principles and philosophy upon which the
organization was founded.
LONG-RANGE STRATEGIC PLANNING
To maintain quality, an organization needs to continually look at itself over and
for the long term.

It needs to ask some questions about its role and its future:

Is it meeting an ongoing need effectively? If not, what does it need to do to

become more effective?
Have community needs changed? Are they likely to? If so, how can the organization
regroup to meet new needs?
Are there more or different things it should be doing? Does it need to expand its
present activities to meet current or projected community needs?
Does it need more resources, or will it in the future? What are some likely
sources?
Is its structure appropriate to what it's doing, and consistent with its mission
and guiding principles? (An organization dedicated to empowerment, for instance,
may not be consistent if its internal structure is hierarchical and authoritarian.)
Are its goals, vision, and philosophy still relevant to the realities of the
community and in keeping with its organizational mission and guiding principles?
SWOT ANALYSIS
One way to explore these questions is through the use of another device partially
borrowed from TQM: SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats. Each of the questions above can be examined in the
light of SWOT analysis. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your organization
in regard to each question? What opportunities exist for the organization in each
area of its functioning? And what threats or challenges will the organization have
to overcome if it is to continue to be successful, and to maintain quality
performance?

Strengths and weaknesses: Strengths and weaknesses may be trends, rather than
specifics. A level of service that is currently appropriate, for example, is not a
strength if it is more or less than will be needed in a year. A new program that's
not ready to implement yet is not a weakness if it's unready because the developers
are taking the time necessary to make it effective.

By the same token, strengths and weaknesses don't necessarily lie only in the
success of programs or the skills of staff members, but in such areas as
relationships, contacts, and reputation. An organization running a great program
may still be have serious weaknesses because it lacks some of these other features,
no matter how well it carries out its day-to-day activities.

Opportunities: Opportunities can take many forms.

An organization may be able to meet other needs with its current structure. For
instance, an organization that publicizes and provides prenatal care to pregnant
teens could be in an excellent position to also publicize and provide vaccinations,
nutrition information, and help with parenting skills after the babies are born.
It may be possible to expand into other areas of service, or into a larger arena
(another town, another county, national instead of just one state).
Increased funding may be available from new sources, or because of changed
circumstances. A new census, for example, can result in an increase in federal
funds to a region, or an economic downturn may bring a demand -- and increased
funding -- for adult education or retraining.
Collaboration with other groups, leading to increased resources, may become a
prospect.
Invitations or awards offered to your organization or staff members or good press
may lead to your organization being viewed as more "legitimate."
Taking advantage of any opportunity can have both positive and negative
consequences for your organization, so it's important to analyze the situation
carefully before committing yourself.