How do you cope with changing customer expectations and requirements in SPC?

1 Use control charts with care

Control charts are one of the most common and useful SPC tools. They plot the measurements of a process or product over time and compare them with predefined limits, called control limits. Control charts help you detect whether your process is in control (stable and predictable) or out of control (unstable and unpredictable). However, control charts are not foolproof. They can sometimes give you false signals or miss important changes. You need to use control charts with care and check for other factors that may affect your data, such as outliers, trends, shifts, or cycles.

2 Update your specifications regularly

Specifications are the criteria or standards that define the acceptable quality of a process or product. They are usually based on customer requirements, industry standards, or regulatory guidelines. Specifications help you set the control limits for your control charts and determine whether your process or product meets the expectations of your customers. However, specifications are not fixed or permanent. They can change over time due to market trends, customer feedback, technological innovations, or competitive pressures. You need to update your specifications regularly and communicate them clearly to your team and your customers.

3 Involve your customers in SPC

SPC is not only a technical or statistical method. It is also a customer-oriented and collaborative approach. You need to involve your customers in your SPC activities and processes, such as setting specifications, collecting data, analyzing results, and implementing improvements. By involving your customers in SPC, you can gain their trust and loyalty, understand their needs and preferences better, and align your goals and strategies with theirs. You can also get their feedback and suggestions on how to improve your quality and performance.

4 Apply SPC to new processes and products

SPC is not only applicable to existing or established processes and products. You can also use SPC to design and develop new processes and products that meet or exceed customer expectations and requirements. By applying SPC to new processes and products, you can ensure that they are built with quality in mind, prevent or reduce potential problems, and optimize their efficiency and effectiveness. You can also test and validate your new processes and products before launching them to the market.

5 Learn from best practices and benchmarks

SPC is not only a method of monitoring and controlling quality. It is also a method of learning and improving quality. You need to learn from best practices and benchmarks in your industry or field and compare your performance and results with them. By learning from best practices and benchmarks, you can identify gaps and opportunities for improvement, adopt proven solutions and strategies, and set realistic and challenging goals for yourself. You can also learn from other industries or fields that use SCP successfully and adapt their methods and techniques to your own context.