Quality Assurance and Quality Control Training Course

Participants can map an end-to-end process and identify planned quality controls.

• SIPOC diagrams define suppliers, inputs, process steps, outputs and customers
• Swimlane maps expose handoffs, decisions, delays and responsibility gaps
• Process requirements converted into acceptance criteria at each control point
• Control points selected using risk, detectability and customer impact
• RACI matrices assign quality responsibilities for approval, checking and escalation
• Quality plans specify activities, records, methods, owners and frequencies

Participants can create controlled quality documents and records that support traceability.

• Document hierarchy links policies, procedures, work instructions, forms and records
• Version control prevents obsolete instructions reaching operational users
• Standard operating procedures define sequence, criteria, evidence and exceptions
• Traceability records connect materials, transactions, inspections and final outputs
• Retention schedules match contractual, regulatory and operational evidence needs
• Document change requests assess quality risk before approval and release

Participants can select and use basic quality tools to describe and prioritise problems.

• Check sheets capture defect types, locations, timing and frequencies
• Pareto charts rank defect categories by frequency, cost or impact
• Histograms reveal distribution shape, spread, clusters and unusual values
• Cause-and-effect diagrams organise potential causes under practical categories
• Scatter diagrams test relationships between process variables and outcomes
• Stratification separates data by shift, supplier, product, team or location

Participants can plan reliable data collection and assess measurement suitability.

• Operational definitions make defect classifications consistent between inspectors
• Data collection plans specify variables, sources, timing, samples and owners
• Calibration confirms instruments remain suitable for stated measurement tolerances
• Accuracy, precision, bias and stability distinguished using measurement examples
• Repeatability and reproducibility assessed through gauge R&R study principles
• Attribute agreement analysis tests consistency of pass-fail inspection decisions

Participants can distinguish routine variation from signals requiring investigation.

• Common-cause variation reflects the predictable behaviour of a stable process
• Special-cause variation signals an identifiable change requiring timely investigation
• Control limits differ from specification limits and customer tolerances
• Rational subgrouping preserves meaningful variation within process samples
• Run rules identify nonrandom patterns before limits are crossed
• Process stability assessed before capability calculations or improvement commitments

Participants can select, construct and interpret control charts for common process data.

• X-bar and R charts monitor subgroup averages and within-subgroup variation
• Individuals and moving range charts track single observations over time
• p charts measure changing proportions of defective units
• c and u charts track defect counts and defects per unit
• Control-chart signals trigger containment, investigation and documented response
• Chart selection follows data type, sample size and inspection frequency

Participants can assess whether a stable process can meet specification requirements.

• Cp and Cpk compare process spread and centring against specifications
• Pp and Ppk describe overall performance using longer-term variation
• Capability analysis requires stable data and appropriate distribution assumptions
• Specification limits reviewed against customer needs, risk and functional requirements
• Capability gaps prioritised using defect exposure, volume and consequence
• Improvement targets distinguish process control from specification revision

Participants can design inspection and sampling arrangements suited to process risk.

• Incoming, in-process and final inspection matched to control strategy
• First-article inspection verifies initial output against approved requirements
• Sampling plans balance inspection cost, risk and decision confidence
• Acceptable quality level and lot tolerance concepts compared carefully
• ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 sampling tables applied to attribute inspection decisions
• Inspection instructions define sample selection, criteria, disposition and records

Participants can identify failure risks and define preventive controls using FMEA.

• Process FMEA identifies potential failures, effects, causes and current controls
• Severity, occurrence and detection ratings support risk-based prioritisation
• Action priority focuses attention beyond simple risk priority numbers
• Prevention controls reduce failure causes before nonconforming output occurs
• Detection controls identify failures before release to downstream users
• FMEA actions transferred into control plans, procedures and training

Participants can contain nonconforming outputs and manage corrective action to closure.

• Nonconformance reports record requirements, evidence, disposition and accountability
• Containment actions protect customers while investigation proceeds
• Disposition decisions include rework, repair, concession, return and scrap
• Five Whys testing avoids superficial causes and unsupported conclusions
• Fishbone analysis structures investigation across people, methods, materials and machines
• Corrective action effectiveness checks confirm recurrence risk has reduced

Participants can lead evidence-based investigations of recurring quality and productivity problems.

• A3 problem solving frames background, condition, analysis, actions and follow-up
• Problem statements separate observed facts from suspected explanations
• Is-is and is-not analysis narrows possible causes systematically
• Fault tree analysis traces combinations of conditions leading to failure
• Verification testing confirms root causes before permanent corrective actions
• Action plans assign owners, due dates, measures and review points

Participants can plan and conduct internal audits that produce useful improvement evidence.

• Audit objectives, scope and criteria established before evidence collection
• Process audit trails follow inputs, controls, outputs and records
• Open questions obtain evidence without leading audited personnel
• Objective evidence distinguished from opinion, explanation and unsupported claims
• Nonconformity statements cite requirement, evidence and precise condition
• Audit reports prioritise findings, risks, actions and management follow-up

Participants can define supplier quality controls and respond to supplier performance problems.

• Supplier qualification assesses capability, controls, capacity and quality history
• Quality agreements define specifications, change notification and evidence requirements
• Supplier scorecards track defects, delivery, responsiveness and corrective actions
• Incoming quality data identifies supplier trends and containment needs
• Supplier corrective action requests specify evidence, causes and deadlines
• Source inspection and verification plans match critical supply risks

Participants can build a quality performance review that directs improvement action.

• First-pass yield measures outputs accepted without rework or correction
• Defect per unit and defect opportunities normalise quality performance
• Rework hours and failure costs expose productivity loss
• Balanced quality dashboards combine leading, lagging, risk and customer measures
• Management review inputs connect audit results, trends, risks and resources
• Escalation thresholds trigger structured decisions before performance deteriorates

Participants can build, review and present a complete quality assurance and quality control package for a selected process, product or service.

• Selected process scope defines customers, outputs, boundaries and critical requirements
• Process map identifies controls, owners, records, risks and escalation paths
• FMEA and control plan connect prevention, detection and response actions
• Measurement, inspection and sampling methods support acceptance decisions
• Control charts and quality metrics define ongoing performance monitoring
• Audit checklist, CAPA record and review plan demonstrate system readiness