Is the product relatively easy to maintain and repair?Īs end users become more focused on Total Cost of Ownership than simple procurement costs, serviceability (as well as reliability) is becoming an increasingly important dimension of quality and criteria for product selection. Requirements for product durability are often included within procurement contracts and specifications.įor instance, fighter aircraft procured to operate from aircraft carriers include design criteria intended to improve their durability in the demanding naval environment. How long will the product perform or last, and under what conditions?ĭurability is closely related to warranty. If it’s developed based on a performance specification, does it perform as specified? If it’s developed based on a design specification, does it possess all of the features defined? Dimension 5: Durability Dimension 4: Conformanceĭoes the product or service conform to the specification? Reliability is a major contributor to brand or company image, and is considered a fundamental dimension of quality by most end-users. For instance, a product specification may define parameters for up-time, or acceptable failure rates. Reliability may be closely related to performance. Will the product consistently perform within specifications? Thus, it’s important that suppliers designing product or services from performance specifications are familiar with its intended uses, and maintain close relationships with the end-users. While this dimension may seem obvious, performance specifications rarely define the features required in a product. Dimension 2: Featuresĭoes the product or services possess all of the features specified, or required for its intended purpose? As such, many contracts or specifications include damages related to inadequate performance. The performance of a product often influences profitability or reputation of the end-user. Performance is often a source of contention between customers and suppliers, particularly when deliverables are not adequately defined within specifications. Dimension 1: Performanceĭoes the product or service do what it is supposed to do, within its defined tolerances? In order to develop a more complete definition of quality, we must consider some of the key dimensions of a quality product or service. However, even this definition is too high level to be considered adequate. The most fundamental definition of a quality product is one that meets the expectations of the customer. While it may seem intuitive, when we get right down to it, “quality” is a difficult concept to define with any precision. The definition of quality is often a hotly debated topic.