qp_122012
DESCRIPTION
Quality ProgressTRANSCRIPT
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Qu
ality Pro
gress | d
ecem
ber 2012 sa
lary su
rvey vo
lum
e 45/Nu
mber 12
www.qualityprogress.com | december 2012Putting Best Practices to Work
the importance of Employee
Involvement p. 52
QUALITY PROGRESS
PGo back
to school.
know themarket.
Get certified.
Get more traininG.
2012 QP salary survey offers tips for improving earning potential p.18
Money Talks
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: Integrated modules for Quality and FDA Compliance Management:
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Supplier Management: Collaborates wit^rs troug^er
Business Intelligence in decision-making witreds of congurable carts and reports
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^nterprise Quality &
CAPAQuality Compliance Software
Receiving
QualityQMS Software
QMS
ISO/TS MRB
DiscreteCalibration
Risk Assessment
Product Data Management
Process
Product Data Management
Corrective Actions
Quality Systems Software
ISO/TS 16949
FMEA
QMS Software
QMS Software
Calibration
TL 9001
TL 9001
CAPA
Process
QualityISO 13485
ISO
ERP
Nonconforming Materials
Discrete
MES
Quality Software
Manufacturing
NCMISO
Quality Assurance
ISO 9000
ISO 9000ISO 9000
Supplier Rating
ERP
Quality ComplianceManufacturingNonconformance
QMS
CalibrationISO/TS
ISO/TS
Quality Assurance
FMEA
ISO 13485
Quality Management SoftwareCorrective Actions
AS9100
QMS Software
Quality Compliance
CAPAISO Process
PDM
Risk Assessment
FMEA
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Product Data Management
ISO/TS 16949
ERPCAPA
Quality ComplianceManufacturing
NCM
Nonconforming MaterialsISO 9000Discrete
QualityCAPA
ISO/TS CalibrationQuality Software
QualityISO
Discrete
Supplier
PDM
Materials
Inspections
QMS Software
ISO 13485
Quality AssuranceManufacturing
NCMR
Corrective ActionsMRBNonconforming
Nonconforming
Calibration ISO 13485
Calibration
ISO/TSAS9100Compliance
Compliance
Process
Manufacturing
Calibration
FMEA
PDM
ISO/TS
QMS PDM
TL 9001
QMS
QualitySupplier
Quality AssuranceERP
ISO 13485
Quality
ISO 13485AS9100
ISO/TS
CAPAFMEA
Process
Quality
Rating
Inspections
PDM
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Putting Best Practices to Work | December 2012 | www.qualityprogress.com
ContentsFEATURES
Much More to Say An additional 20 sections of the QP Salary Survey, including four devoted to self-employed consultants. The four sections printed in this issue of QP are also available in the complete online report in PDF format.
DIY Analysis Use QPs updated salary calculator tool for fast results and comparisons.
Hear, Hear Listen to a webcast that features analysis of this years survey findings.
Remote Option Read QP in its new digital format, the perfect way to access the top quality magazine not only on your computer, but also your smartphone, portable digital device or tablet.
A3 Example An example of a completed problem-solving A3 report to complement this months Back to Basics column, Breaking It Down, p. 80.
Back to Basics Translated in Spanish.
www.qualityprogress.comOnly @
SALARY SURVEY Facing Tight TimesEven though this years QP Salary Survey didnt reveal any dramatic change in average salaries, the results can serve as a wake-up call of sorts to get you to reassess your own situation and the factors you can control to improve your earning potential.
Check out all 24 sections (20 online) of the most extensive examination of quality professionals salaries, which gives you information on salaries by job title, education, years of experience and certificationand more.
by Max Christian Hansen
Crunching the Numbers Taking heaps of survey data and making it into meaningful information you can use.
Money Multiplied Salary by job title.
Location, Location, Location Salary by U.S. regions and Canadian provinces.
Earnings Rise With Experience Salary by number of years of experience in the quality field.
Certainties With Certifications Salary by ASQ and RABQSA International certification.
18
52 BEST PRACTICES Get Them in the GameA workforce that helps make decisions and contributes to improvement activities can make a difference.
by Carlotta S. Walker
24
26
31
35
43
18
52
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QP www.qualityprogress.com4
Inbox Further contact with customers.
Expert Answers Advice on audit scores. Scoring your suppliers.
Keeping Current Problems at the polls again. Four Baldrige recipients named.
Mr. Pareto Head
QP Calendar
QP Toolbox
QP Reviews
DEPARTMENTS
Up FrontMoving forward in trying times.
3.4 per Million Improve your process even when youre missing specifications.
Quality in the First PersonAs the customer, remember youre not the only one.
Career CornerMaking mentoring meaningful.
Statistics Roundtable The quality and origin of your data matter.
Standards OutlookWeighing the benefits of an ounce of prevention.
Back to BasicsFinding answers with A3 reports.
Mail Quality Progress/ASQ600 N. Plankinton Ave.Milwaukee, WI 53203Telephone Fax 800-248-1946 414-272-1734414-272-8575
Email Follow protocol of first initial and full last name followed by @asq.org (for example, [email protected]).
Article Submissions Quality Progress is a peer-reviewed publica-tion with 85% of its feature articles written by quality professionals. For information about submitting an article, call Valerie Ellifson at 800-248-1946 x7373, or email [email protected].
Author GuidelinesTo learn more about the manuscript review process, helpful hints before submitting a manuscript and QPs 2013 editorial planner, click on Author Guidelines at www. qualityprogress.com under Tools and Resources."
Photocopying Authorization Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use or the internal or personal use of specific clients is granted by Quality Progress provided the fee of $1 per copy is paid to ASQ or the Copyright Clear-ance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. Copying for other purposes requires the express permission of Quality Progress. For permission, write Quality Progress, PO Box 3005, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005, call 414-272-8575 x7406, fax 414-272-1734 or email [email protected].
Photocopies, Reprints And MicroformArticle photocopies are available from ASQ at 800-248-1946. To purchase bulk reprints (more than 100), contact Barbara Mitrovic at ASQ, 800-248-1946. For microform, contact ProQuest Information and Learning, 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, 800-521-0600 x2888, international 734-761-4700, www.il.proquest.com.
Membership and Subscriptions For more than 60 years, ASQ has been the worldwide provider of information and learn-ing opportunities related to quality. In addi-tion, ASQ membership offers information, networking, certification and educational opportunities to help quality profession-als obtain practical solutions to the many problems they face each day. Subscriptions to Quality Progress are one of the many benefits of ASQ membership. To join, call 800-248-1946 or see information and an application on p. 77.
List RentalsOrders for ASQs member and nonmember buyer lists can be purchased by contacting Michael Costantino at the Infogroup/Edith Roman List Management Co., 845-731-2748 or fax 845-620-9035.
COLUMNS
QUALITY PROGRESS
Quality Progress (ISSN 0033-524X) is published monthly by the American Society for Quality, 600 N. Plankinton Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203. Editorial and advertising offices: 414-272-8575. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI, and at additional mailing offices. Institutional subscriptions are held in the name of a company, corporation, government agency or library. Requests for back issues must be prepaid and are based on availability: ASQ members $15 per copy; nonmembers $23 per copy. Canadian GST #128717618, Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40030175. Canada Post: Return undeliverables to 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON N8T 3B7. Prices are subject to change without prior notification. 2012 by ASQ. No claim for missing issues will be accepted after three months following the month of publication of the issue for domestic addresses and six months for Canadian and international addresses.Postmaster: Please send address changes to the American Society for Quality, PO Box 3005, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005. Printed in USA.
ASQs Vision: By making quality a global priority, an organizational imperative and a personal ethic, the American Society for Quality becomes the community for everyone who seeks quality technology, concepts or tools to improve themselves and their world.
- CERTIFICATION STORIESTapping into the power of certification at different career stages.
- THE SYSTEM OF LEADERSHIPFour elements that make an effective leader.
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ASQS RECRUITMENT DIRECTORY p. 57
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upfront
Earning potentialHints at how to get ahead in trying timesThis years survey of the salaries of quality professionals in the United States and Canada showed little movement over the prior year in terms of average salary, holding
firm at about $87,000 from last year. But wait right there! Before you dejectedly slap
this issue closed and toss it on the recycling stack, consider this: Stagnancy in salaries
doesnt mean you cant make more. And thats where this years results come in. Sifting
through the numbers and dicing up the data, trends emerge. Chief among them:
With age and longevity in the profession come higher salaries, but the choices you make
along the way with regard to education and training can nudge salaries upward.
Certifications and Six Sigma training are correlated with higher salaries.
Consulting can be lucrative, either as an add-on beyond regular employment or
full time.
Max Christian Hansens analysis of the survey results, Facing Tight Times, p. 18,
summarizes several of these levers to greater earning potential. Beyond the four sec-
tions of results presented in the print edition, go to www.qualityprogress.com for 20
additional sections, further breaking down the results and providing interpretation of the
findings. At the website, youll also find links to a webcast further explaining the results,
as well as past surveys and our updated salary calculator.
Questions and comments? You can post them on the website.
For many people, their first-ever job was working in a fast-food restaurant, and if that
describes you, you know how daunting the job can be. One study, cited in the article
Get Them in the Game, p. 52, says 50% of fast-food restaurant employees turn over in
any given year. That is substantial and, obviously, costly to the franchise in direct costs,
customer service lapses and training.
But how can that be addressed when its considered the norm? The answer? Employ-
ee engagement. Involving employees can make all the difference.
The article describes methods and tips for improving employee engagement in the
fast-food environment, but the takeaways can stretch further into other organizational
settings, helping you expand your knowledge of ways to engage employees. After all, ev-
eryone wants to be trusted and empowered and to feel theyre a part of making decisions
that affect them. QP
Seiche Sanders
Editor
PublisherWilliam A. tony
executive editor andassociate PublisherSeiche Sanders
associate editorMark Edmund
assistant editorBrett Krzykowski
manuscriPt coordinatorValerie Ellifson
contributinG editorAmanda Hankel
coPY editorSusan E. Daniels
art directorMary uttech
GraPhic desiGnerSandy Wyss
Production Cathy Milquet
advertisinG ProductionBarbara Mitrovic
diGital Production sPecialistLaura franceschi
media salesnaylor LLCLou BrandowKrys DAntonionorbert Musialrob Shafer
media sales administratorKathy thomas
marketinG administratorMatt Meinholz
editorial officesphone: 414-272-8575fax: 414-272-1734
advertisinG officesphone: 866-277-5666
asQ administrationceo paul E. Borawski
managing directorsJulie GabelmannBrian J. LeHouillierMichelle MasonLaurel nelson-rowe
to promote discussion of issues in the field of quality and ensure coverage of all responsible points of view, Quality Progress publishes articles representing conflicting and minor-ity views. opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of ASQ or Quality Progress. use of the ASQ logo in advertisements does not necessarily constitute endorsement of that particular product or service by ASQ.
QualitY ProGress
QP
December 2012 Qp 5
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Featured Resources From the ASQ Knowledge Center
Access this months featured content and more Web exclusives in the ASQ Knowledge Center at asq.org/knowledge-center/featured.html.
FEATURED CASE STUDYSerigraphs Universal Language of Quality and Sustainability
As vice president of corporate compliance environmental health and safety at Serigraph, Nick Leifeld has earned five ASQ certificationsCQE, CQT, CQA, CMQ/OE, and CSSBBand led training for other Serigraph employees seeking certifications.
FEATURED WEBCASTBest Practice in Team Excellence
In this first webcast of a three-part series, Laurie A. Broedling and Vern Goodwalt, authors of the ASQ Quality Press book Best Practice in Team Excellence, introduce you to the International Team Excellence Award framework. You will also learn how you can harness the frameworks power to continuously improve your teams and your organization.
FEATURED BEnChmARkingASQ Knowledge Center Offers Collection of APQC Benchmarking Reports
APQC is recognized as the primary provider of benchmarking studies related to quality and metrics. Visit the ASQ Knowledge Center for more than 350 benchmarking reports and additional APQC content, including articles and webinars.
CERTiFiCATiOn mEmBERShiP PUBLiCATiOnSTRAining COnFEREnCES
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Additional contactThe rigorous analyses in Mak-
ing Contact (October 2012,
pp. 26-31) and the description
of the tools used yield an ex-
ceptional starting point. Devel-
opment of the customer touch
point business model (CTPBM)
process maps and identifica-
tion of all the customer touch
points is a relevant and valuable first step.
Regarding customer contact, the article
said: A unique customer motivator may
not exist for each individual touch point
because some touch points might have the
same underlying customer motivator. The
output of the QFD (quality function deploy-
ment) in regards to the CTPBM is a ranked
list of customer motivators and technical
requirements.
Application of QFD would nominally
involve customers as key participants, yet I
did not sense they had a significant role or
presence in any of the analyses described.
I recommend greater customer involvement
in these analyses. Share the touch points
with them and ask the following questions:
What have we left out that might be
important to you?
Which of these are most important to
you?
What metrics should we use to measure
our success in meeting your needs at
these important touch points?
Determine which customers to involve
by selecting your largest, newest, oldest,
most or least vocal on past surveys, or by
choosing whatever criteria make sense. But
get them involved.
The article also discussed strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats
(SWOT) analyses, and possible, implement,
challenge and kill (PICK) charting. The latter
is essentially an exercise in
establishing priorities based on
bang for the buck. I recom-
mend the cross-functional
SWOT and PICK teams include
key customers.
Overall, CTPBM, QFD, SWOT
analysis, PICK charting and
attraction, interaction, transac-
tion and reaction scoring all
make great technical sense. Applying these
tools makes for a great lean Six Sigma proj-
ect, yet they might not be required at the
level of effort indicated in the article.
Consider the following statement from
the article: Cameron successfully improved
its customer relationships after instituting
the CTPBM. CTPBM has obvious potential
value for engaging customers in the VOC
(voice of the customer) discussion.
Saying QFD and SWOT analyses will
shed light on which areas need the most
focus begs the question: Would greater
customer participation make these analy-
ses less burdensome?
Surveys can be useful. Having customers
help develop surveys and recommend what
questions to ask makes the surveys more
valuable. Camerons indicating it no longer
needs to rely on vague and potentially
misleading survey results implies CTPBM
analyses might have helped in this area.
I sense an underlying desire to apply
rigorous technical methods to study cus-
tomers. Rigor is fine and appropriate, but
customers are not machines. Even though
they might represent corporate entities, the
actors are human subjects, and their be-
haviors are strongly influenced by emotion,
as well as logic. They also like to be asked
what they want.
John Adkisson
Titusville, FL
INBOx QPQUALITY PROGRESS
PAST CHAIRE. David Spong, The Boeing Co. (retired)
CHAIRJames J. Rooney, ABS Consulting
CHAIR-ELECTJohn C. Timmerman, Marriott International Inc.
TREASURERWilliam B. (Bo) McBee, Hewlett-Packard Co. (retired)
PARLIAMENTARIANKarla Riesinger, ASQ
DIRECTORSJ. Michael (Mike) Adams, Allegheny Energy Inc. (retired)Belinda Chavez, United Space AllianceDarlene Stoddard Deane, Automotive Components
Holding LLCAlexis P. Goncalves, Pfizer Inc.Kathleen Jennison Goonan, Goonan Performance
StrategiesHarold P. Greenberg, American Certification Corp.Eric A. Hayer, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLCMarc P. Kelemen, NanoSynopsis LLCLou Ann Lathrop, Chrysler LLCJoanne D. MayoElias Monreal, Industrial Tool Die & EngineeringRichard A. Perlman, Bayer HealthCareArt Trepanier, Lockheed MartinG. Geoffrey (Geoff) Vining, Virginia TechJ. Eric Whichard, JE Whichard & AssociatesSteven E. Wilson, U.S. Department of Commerce
Seafood Inspection Program
QP EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARDRandy Brull, chair
Administrative Committee Brady Boggs, Randy Brull, Jane Campanizzi, Larry Haugh, Jim Jaquess, Gary MacLean,R. Dan Reid, Christine Robinson, Richard Stump
Technical reviewersI. Elaine Allen, Andy Barnett, David Bonyuet, John Brown, Bernie Carpenter, Ken Cogan, Linda Cubalchini-Travis, Ahmad Elshennawy, Tim Folkerts, Eric Furness, Mark Gavoor, Kunita Gear, Lynne Hare, Ron Kenett, Ray Klotz, Tom Kubiak, William LaFollette, Shin Ta Liu, Pradip Mehta, Gene Placzkowski, Paul Plsek, Tony Polito, Peter Pylipow, Philip Ramsey, R. Dan Reid, Wayne Reynolds, John Richards, James J. Rooney, Anil Sengupta, Sunil Thawani, Joe Tunner, Jeffrey Vaks, Manu Vora, Jack Westfall, James Zurn
December 2012 QP 7
-
QP www.qualityprogress.com8
Keeping scoreQ: My organization began formally auditing
its suppliers 18 months ago. Each supplier is
assigned an audit score based purely on the
maturity and execution of its quality system,
without direct regard for actual product
quality, using measures such as yields, re-
ject rates and customer-reported failures.
We have found that to date there is
no correlation between a suppliers audit
scores and its product quality. For example,
some suppliers with relatively high audit
scores have been responsible for consider-
able breakdowns in product quality, while
others whose quality systems score low
provide consistently high-quality product.
Is this unusual? If studies have been
conducted on this topic, do they indicate
product quality does rise when an organi-
zations quality systemor audit score
improves? If so, how long does that take?
Daniel Mueller
San Diego
A: If the audit scores your organization
assigns to suppliers are based on the matu-
rity and execution of their quality systems,
product quality also should be reflected in
those scores. Assigning a maturity score
essentially requires evaluating effective-
ness. For a quality management system,
assessing effectiveness means determin-
ing the extent to which customers and
other stakeholders expectations, including
expectations for product quality, are met.
The objective of any supplier assessment
system is to remove or at least minimize
the effects of supplier deterioration in areas
such as product quality, reliability and on-
time delivery. The design of your supplier
assessment and scoring system should
enable your organization to achieve this and
identify potentially low-performing suppliers.
But some degree of disconnect between
supplier scores and the quality of delivered
product is not unusual. In fact, you can not
design a system that perfectly aligns audit
scores and actual effectiveness from the
start.
A well-planned design can help you
reach 80 to 90% alignment, but the balance
must happen based on cycles of learning.
Full alignment can require months or even
years of adjustments. I believe you are cur-
rently in this stage of post-implementation
learning and improving.
If your system shows no correlation
between supplier audit scores and product
quality, either you are asking the wrong
questions during the audit, or your auditors
competency is in question. A disconnect
also can happen due to a poorly designed
scoring system. For instance, higher weights
for scoring may be assigned to audit sec-
tions that do not have a direct impact on
actual product quality, such as yields, reject
rates and customer-reported failures.
A well-designed supplier assessment/
auditing system will include a defined
objective, an infrastructure, a trained cross-
functional team of auditors, a score review
process, and an effective corrective and
preventive action system. The supplier au-
dit score review process must be dynamic.
When you see a trend suggesting
deteriorating product qualitysuch as
declining yields, increasing reject rates and
increasing customer-reported failuresyou
should revisit the suppliers score. Similarly
when a supplier consistently meets or
exceeds goals, its score should reflect that.
Suppliers scores also should reflect the ef-
fectiveness of closure of audit findings and
corrective and preventive actions.
The Baldrige Criteria for Performance
Excellence, although not an auditing
system, is an example in which process
and results are tied together to achieve
an overall score. QP has published several
case studies from Baldrige recipients link-
ing business excellence to results.
In a nutshell, processes and results are
important for a well-functioning system.
Processes without results are useless, and
results without processes are unsustainable.
Govind Ramu
Director, quality assurance
SunPower Corp.
San Jose, CA
BiBliographyBossert, James L., ed., Supplier Management Handbook, ASQ
Quality Press, 2004.U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology, 2011-
2012 Criteria for Performance Excellence, www.nist.gov/baldrige/publications/business_nonprofit_criteria.cfm.
Supplier inspectionsQ: I need to develop an inspection plan for
incoming supplier checks. Im looking for
frequency suggestions and sample sizes
that are realistic, bearing in mind some
suppliers are more critical than others.
Stacy Gregory
Cartersville, GA
A: Your question contains individual parts
that may lead you to an appropriate sam-
pling plan.
First, you noted this is for checking
incoming supplier material, so you can elimi-
nate in-process and finalor auditinspec-
tion. Next, you mentioned youre interested
in frequency inspection, which implies it will
be performed on a series of lots from the
supplier. The need for realistic sample sizes
indicates inspection costs are a concern.
Finally, the last part of your request
about dealing with suppliers that are not
all criticalindicates you want a sampling
plan that is flexible enough to deal with
exPerTANSWe rS
-
December 2012 QP 9
exPerTANSWe rSinspection that is more or less stringent.
Based on those three facets, there are a
couple of options to consider.
One may be the use of a skip-lot sam-
pling plan. These plans were developed by
Harold Dodge and work well if the supplier
generally has good quality. Like chain
sampling plans, skip-lot sampling plans also
are called cumulative result plans, which
typically involve lot-by-lot inspection of a
stream of product.
In general, such plans require certain
assumptions be met regarding the nature
of the inspection process:
The lot should be one of a continuing
series of lots.
You expect these lots to be of the same
quality.
The consumer should not expect that
any lot is any worse than any of the im-
mediately preceding lots.
The consumer must have confidence in
the supplier not to pass a substandard
lot, even though other lots are of ac-
ceptable quality.
Under these conditions, you can use the
record of previous inspections as a means
of reducing the number of inspections
performed on any given lot.
Applications may involve situations in
which extensive and costly tests would
be needed on the characteristics of bulk
materials, such as chemical analysis of
incoming raw material composition, or
products made and shipped in successive
batches from fairly reliable suppliers. Just
as units are skipped during the sampling
phase of a chain sampling plan, lots may be
skippedand passedunder a correspond-
ing skip-lot plan.1
Another option is using a published
sampling plan, such as Mil-Std-1916.2 Your
question does not indicate whether you
are doing attribute or variables inspection.
The smallest sample sizes can be found
under variables inspection, but many
organizations now rely on c = 0 attributes
plans, which typically are based on minimal
sample sizes.
Mil-Std-1916 addresses the importance
of statistical process control in modern
acceptance control by incorporating an
evaluation of the quality management
system (QMS) along with c = 0 attributes
sampling, variables sampling and continu-
ous sampling plans as alternate means
of acceptance in one standard. Thus, the
standard is unique not only because there
is switching among plans, but also because
different alternate acceptance procedures
may be selected from this standard.
Mil-Std-1916 provides two distinct
means of product acceptance:
1. Acceptance by contractor proposed
provision, which requires qualification
and verification of the QMS associated
with the product.
2. Acceptance by tables, which relies on
traditional sampling plans for acceptance.
The contractor and the customer must
decide which approach to use at the out-
set. If the contractor elects to rely on the
quality system to demonstrate acceptabil-
ity of the product, quality system documen-
tationincluding a quality planwill be
required to show the system is prevention-
based and process-focused.
In addition, evidence of the implementa-
tion and effectiveness of the quality system
will be required. This includes evidence of
systematic process improvement based on
process control and demonstrated product
conformance.
If the contractor and customer decide to
use tables for the acceptance of product,
the approach is more conventional. Given lot
size and verification level (VL), a code letter
is selected from Table I of Mil-Std-1916.
The standard provides seven verifica-
tion levels, with level seven being the most
stringent. The VLs play a role similar to the
acceptable quality levels of Mil-Std-105e,
and they allow for adjustment of the sever-
ity of inspection. If no VL is specified, the
default levels are critical (VII), major (VI) and
minor (I).
In addition, tables are provided for three
different sampling schemes: attributes,
variables and continuous. each is indexed
by verification level and code letter. They
are matched so it is possible to switch eas-
ily from one to another. All attributes plans
in the standard have c = 0.
Dean V. Neubauer
Engineering fellow
Corning Inc.
Corning, NY
reference and note1. For more information on the construction of these plans,
see Edward G. Schilling and Dean V. Neubauer, Acceptance Sampling in Quality Control, second edition, CRC Press, 2009.
2. U.S. Department of Defense, Mil-Std-1916: Department of Defense Test Method Standard, http://guidebook.dcma.mil/34/milstd1916(15).pdf.
Processes without results are useless, and results without processes are unsustainable.
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The QualityTechniciansHandbook
ISO Primer
Quality SystemHandbook
by Tracy OmdahlMore than 2500 definitions. Great for any ASQ certification.
by Tracy OmdahlContains 2800 definitions. Helpful for Reliability and Quality Engineers.
ISO
by Bensley & WortmanPresents a thorough treatment of the ISO implementation and documentation process.
There are generic manuals on the CD.
by EdenboroughDetails the selection, organization, and writing of quality documents. The disk contains procedures and work instructions.
QSH
by Greg Wies & Bert ScaliA convenient book for training internal auditors to the ISO 9001 expectations.An instructor CD is available.
6th Editionby Juran & De FeoThe essential quality reference for most ASQ exams
The Spanish version of the CSSGB Primer.
2nd Edition by Forrest W. Breyfogle, IIIA great CSSBB reference
6th Edition by Gary K. Griffith
Great for CQT and CQI exams.
Reliability & MaintenanceAnalyst CD
Measurement Analyst CD
by Bryan DodsonSolve your Weibull, reliability, warranty, Bayesian & Maintenance, prediction & estimation problems.
Performs all measurements required in the AIAG manual. Contains ANOVA methods and excellent graphs.
Site and global license available!!!Used by Chrysler, ITT, FedEx, Ford, TRW, GM, HP, U.S. Postal Service
-
AQP www.qualityprogress.com12
elections
Gray AreaAgainSunshine state clouds another Election Day
keePingcurre ntAs Americans woke nov. 7 to another four-
year term for President Barack obama, most
undoubtedly flipped on the news or logged
on to their website of choice to see the
ubiquitous u.s. map with the electoral votes
broken down. they saw a swath of blue in
the Midwest, east coast and West coast for
obama, and stretches of red in the coun-
trys midsection and south for republican
challenger Mitt romney.
And there, at the bottom of the map,
bathed in the gray shading of the undecided,
was Florida. the sunshine state was still
too close to call the day after the election,
a situation many blamed on problems that
are becoming as much a part of presidential
election cycles as attack ads and robocalls.
How is it that the state continues to
be the poster child for voting gone awry?
in some cases, the snafus are self-made,
such as the decision by gov. rick scott to
shorten the early voting period from 14 days
to eight, while also eliminating the abil-
ity to vote on sundays. While that change
maintained a total of 96 hours for citizens to
cast their votes, cramming it into a smaller
window was cited as a primary reason for
waits that lasted as long as six hours.1
those who eschewed early voting
because of the interminable lines didnt
have much better luck on election Day. in
Miami-Dade county, another six-hour wait
greeted voters, forcing many polling places
to remain open well after the polls officially
closed at 7 p.m. At West kendall regional
library, for example, the last voter left after
1 a.m.nearly two hours after obama was
declared the winner.2
Frequently cited as a reason for adding a
late-night shift was a 10-page ballot domi-
nated by 11 state constitutional amend-
ment questions posed by the republican-
controlled state legislature. Miami-Dade
election supervisor Penelope townsley said
it was the largest in Miami-Dade county
history, and that has contributed to the
length of time it has taken.3
not helping matters was a system voters
called understaffed, ill-equipped and poorly
organized. At the utD tower in Brickell,
Fl, workers had difficulty locating voters
names in the hard-copy registry, and just
two of the eight ballot scanners were func-
tional, meaning only two people could vote
at one time. the result was a wait that at
times exceeded six hours.4
granted, Florida wasnt the only state en-
countering problems at the polls. in Pennsyl-
vania, a controversial voter iD law the courts
had suspended was cited anyway at some
polling places, including several that had
signs posted that said voters must show iD.
officials said the signs were printed before
the law was suspended, and their use was
the result of miscommunication.5
in ohio, voter registries were a sore point
at one columbus location. there have been
a lot of young first-time voters coming in
who are very excited to vote, and theyre
not in our poll books, said sarah Biehl, vot-
ing location manager at Blackburn recre-
ation center.
theyre not in the rolls. or theyre in the
wrong place. For some of them, the address
is incorrect. Weve had a lot of issues, and
its not just young people. We had other
people who had been voting here for years,
and now theyre not in the poll books. And
its not clear to me why.6
things were predictably difficult in
hurricane-hit new Jersey, where one elec-
tion official called a last-minute decision to
allow email voting a catastrophe. tradi-
tionally, the state allows only residents who
are overseas or serving in the military to
request an electronic ballot, but it extended
the program to those who were displaced
by Hurricane sandy. instead, the system
was overwhelmed by requests from people
who didnt fall into any of those categories.
Part of the problem was that a county
clerks office is required to respond to each
request. At the Hudson county clerks
office, for example, eight workers tried to
respond to 3,000 email requests on election
Day.7
still, despite the troubles, 49 states and
Washington, D.c., were color-coded by the
end of election night, leaving Florida the
only one shaded gray.
From now on, easy access to the ballot
should be the governing principle for elected
officials and voting supervisors, proclaimed
the Miami Herald editorial board. Avoid
(continued on p. 16)
-
December 2012 QP 13
keePingcurre ntNAME: stephen n. luko.
RESIDENCE: terryville, ct.
EDUCATION: Masters degree in math-ematics from central connecticut state university in new Britain.
CURRENT JOB: statistician, product safety and industrial statis-tics, utc Aerospace systems in Windsor locks, ct.
INTRODUCTION TO QUALITY: luko said he considers himself fortunate to have been surrounded early in his career by mentors and other professionals who had been
involved in quality activities throughout their careers. in addition, he was introduced
early to several influential authors, such as eugene grant, richard leavenworth,
Acheson Duncan and W. edwards Deming. From these thinkers and from his own
personal study, luko learned the importance of quality in all quarters and its ties to
his specialty field of statistics.
PREVIOUS QUALITY EXPERIENCE: over the years, he has taught many industrial short courses on using statistics in engineering and quality applications to engineers
and managers. He also has participated on national committees, presented at confer-
ences and taught many college-level courses on math and statistics.
ASQ ACTIVITIES: luko, a senior member of AsQ, is the education chair of the Hartford section, a member of international organization for standardization technical com-
mittee 69, and the editor of the reviews of standards and related materials section for
Quality Engineering. He is also a certified quality engineer and reliability engineer.
OTHER ACTIVITIES: luko is a long-time member of American society for testing and Materials (AstM) committee e11 on quality and statistics. He is also a fellow of AstM
international, the past chair of committee e11 and the recipient of several awards for
standards development and writing.
PUBLICATIONS: Luko Has written several technical papers, shorter magazine articles and reviews of standards. luko also contributed to recent editions of ASTM
Manual 7 on presentation of data and control chart analysis.
RECENT AWARDS: He was named a fellow of AstM international in 2009, AsQ Dorian shainin Medalist in 2010 and this years recipient of the Harold F. Dodge Award
from AstM committee e11.
PERSONAL: Married for 33 years and has two sons.
FAVORITE WAYS TO RELAX: reading, walking, classical music and classic movies.
QUALITY QUOTE: Quality and leadership go hand in hand. in quality matters, leader-ship is about excellence in development, presentation and execution. it is about
showing what quality is by providing examples of the thing being producedwhether
goods or services. one way people can contribute to quality is by acquiring deep
knowledge and experience in their field and by showing superior task execution in
that field. others will see the example. excellence is quality.(continued on p. 16)
Q Whos Who inBAlDrige4 HONORED AS 2012 AWARD RECIPIENTSFour organizations from four different catego-ries have been named recipients of the 2012
Malcolm Baldrige national Quality Award.
the recipients, announced nov. 14, include:
lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire control,
grand Prairie, tX (manufacturing category).
MesA Products inc., tulsa, ok (small busi-
ness category).
north Mississippi Health services, tupelo,
Ms (healthcare category).
the city of irving in texas (nonprofit cat-
egory).
the four organizations recognized today
with the 2012 Baldrige Award are leaders in
the truest sense of the word and role models
that others in the health care, nonprofit and
business sectors worldwide will strive to emu-
late, said Acting u.s. commerce secretary
rebecca Blank. they have set the bar high for
innovative practices, dynamic management,
financial performance, outstanding employee
and customer satisfaction, and, most of all, for
their unwavering commitment to excellence
and proven results.
For the first time this year, Baldrige judges
also recognized organizations that excelled in
one or more of the Baldrige criteria catego-
ries. the three organizations honored include:
Maury regional Medical center, columbia, tn
(strategic planning and workforce focus cat-
egories), northwest Vista college, san Antonio
(leadership and customer focus categories)
and Pricewaterhousecoopers Public sector
Practice, Mclean, VA (leadership and work-
force focus categories).
A ceremony honoring the organizations
will take place during the 25th Quest for
excellence conference April 7-10, 2013, in
Baltimore. For more information about the
recipients, visit www.nist.gov/baldrige/
baldrige_recipients2012.cfm.
-
QP www.qualityprogress.com14
keePingcurrentASQNEWSAUTO AWARD rick Dauch, president
and ceo of Accuride corp., has received
the Quality leader of the Year Award
from AsQs Automotive Division. the
award honors outstanding industry lead-
ers and dedicated volunteers who have
made significant contributions to auto-
motive quality. Dauch was recognized
for launching a companywide initiative
to adopt consistent quality systems
and lean manufacturing principles as
part of Accurides push to deliver more
dependable performance for customers.
Accuride, based in evansville, in, makes
steel and aluminum wheels.
DOE WORKSHOP AsQs reliability Divi-
sion will offer an eight-hour workshop
on design of experiments following its
annual reliability and Maintainability
symposium in orlando. the workshop
will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Jan.
31 and 8 a.m. to noon on Feb 1. the
symposium itself will be held Jan. 28-31.
For more on both events, visit www.
rams.org.
EXAM DEADLINE March 23 is the
deadline to apply for certification exams
that will be administered at next years
AsQ World conference on Quality and
improvement. AsQ will offer the 16
certification exams sunday, May 5, in in-
dianapolis. For more details, visit http://
wcqi.asq.org/certification.html.
ITEA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED the inter-
national team excellence Awards (iteA)
committee is looking for AsQ members
to volunteer to assist in the iteA pro-
cess. Members can become judges or
serve on subcommittees that focus on
the overall process, training and criteria
management. the committee also is
looking for individuals with special-
ized skills in excel and data analysis.
For more information, contact geetha
Balagopal at [email protected].
HEALTHCARE QUALITY WEBINARS
AsQ has released a series of free we-
binars featuring Baldrige recipients ad-
dressing critical healthcare quality top-
ics, including patient safety, innovation,
aligning physicians with organizational
strategy and customer relationships.
the series spotlights best practices from
Henry Ford Health system (HFHs) in
Detroit, schneck Medical center in sey-
mour, in, and southcentral Foundation in
Anchorage, Ak. All three were recipients
of the 2011 Malcolm Baldrige national
Quality Award. For more information
about the series, visit http://asq.org/
hctopics.
MORE LMCs two new local member
communities (lMc) have been formed
in MexicolMc Quertaro and lMc
chihuahua.
JD MARHEVKO (LEFT), ASQs Automotive Division awards chair, presents Rick Dauch with the divisions Quality Leader of the Year Award at a ceremony last month in Rochester Hills, MI.
WORDTOTHEWISEto educate newcomers and refresh
practitioners and professionals, QP
occasionally features a quality term
and definition:
Nagara systemsmooth production flow, ideally one
piece at a time, characterized by syn-
chronization (balancing) of production
processes and maximum use of available
time; includes overlapping of operations
where practical. A nagara production
system is one in which seemingly unre-
lated tasks can be produced simultane-
ously by the same operator.
SOURCE Quality Glossary, Quality Progress, June 2007, p. 51.
gloBAl stAte oF QuAlitY
QUALITY RESEARCH PROJECT BEGINS AsQ and several high-profile partners
and sponsors have embarked on a qual-
ity research project to help organiza-
tions worldwide benchmark their use of
quality tools, methods and processes,
and to identify challenges and future
opportunities.
the AsQ global state of Quality
research project will assemble data and
case studies, and help organizations
compare their own quality processes,
programs and resources to other com-
panies within their industry, region and
economic sectors. the research plan will
encompass data gathered from corpora-
tions in at least 16 countries.
results will be unveiled at AsQs
World conference on Quality and im-
provement in May 2013 in indianapolis.
AsQ is partnering with the American
Productivity and Quality center (APQc)
to conduct and manage the research
and report. to participate in the study,
visit www.asq.org/globalresearch.
-
December 2012 QP 15
keePingcurrentShORtRUnSTHE AMERICAN SOCIETY for testing
and Materials (AstM) international is
now offering a new academic offering
for university professors to include
technical standards as part of their
engineering and business curricula.
the AstM Professors tool kit contains
informational tools to help educators
promote awareness of standards in
the classroom. For more information,
visit www.astmnewsroom.org/default.
aspx?pageid=2943.
THE AMERICAN BAR Association
(ABA) has become the first not-for-
profit organization in the country to be
certified for disaster preparedness and
response under the Voluntary Private
sector Preparedness (Ps-Prep) Pro-
gram. ABA is the second u.s. business
to achieve this distinction. Adminis-
tered by the Department of Homeland
securitys (DHs) Federal emergency
Management Agency, Ps-Prep is a
voluntary accreditation and certifica-
tion program that promotes prepared-
ness standards and best practices for
private-sector recovery from natural
disasters and other business interrup-
tions. under an agreement with the
DHs, AnAB developed a program to
oversee the certification process, man-
age accreditation, and accredit qualified
third parties to carry out certification.
For more information, visit www.anab.
org/news/2012/10/american-bar-associ-
ation-earns-ps-prep-certification.aspx.
THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
organization of the united nations
and the international Association for
Food Protection have signed a pact to
share technical and scientific expertise
related to food quality and safety. the
memorandum of understanding will
help the organizations prevent and
address the increasing risks related to
food safety and quality and their impact
on public health and consumer protec-
tion. For more about the pact, signed
in August, visit www.foodprotection.
org/about-us/news-releases/107/two-
world-organizations-join-forces-for-
food-safety.
leAn AnD siX sigMA conFerence
LSS CONFERENCE FEATURES 50+ PROGRAMS, SPEAKERS
More than 50 sessions and hands-on workshops focused on lean
and six sigma techniques, applications and best practices will be
featured at the 13th annual AsQ lean and six sigma conference
slated for March 3-5, 2013, in Phoenix.
in addition to these programs, two keynote speakers are
already scheduled to present at the event: stacy Aaron, a partner
at change guides llc in cincinnati and an expert in the field of
organizational change; and Jeffrey liker, author and a professor of
industrial and operations engineering at the university of Michigan.
Watch for more updates on the conference and announcements
about other speakers at http://asq.org/
conferences/six-sigma.
aaROn
LikER
HeAltHcAre rePort
HIGHER QUALITY SERVICE TO PATIENTS CAN SAVE MONEYimproving the quality of service for
patients will make healthcare less
expensive, according to a new report
released by kPMg Healthcare.
in todays healthcare systems, we
tend to pay for piecemeal activities, or
for a building or an organization. We are
paying individual providers that will do
their best on a small portion of the work
surrounding a patients problem, said
Mark Britnell, co-author of the report
and a partner with kPMg.
We do not pay for the integration of
all these individuals activities and ef-
forts, nor do we pay for the results that
all this work delivers.
Healthcare systems can deliver bet-
ter patient outcomes and reduce costs
by defining, measuring and rewarding
the delivery of quality care, Britnell said.
the report, titled contracting Value:
shifting Paradigms, also examines the
root causes of suboptimal healthcare
around the world and identifies three
core principles that can show a clear
path to driving value in healthcare sys-
tems: integrated care must be the new
unit of payment; meaningful outcomes
must be defined and measured; and
adding value must be rewarded.
For more information from the re-
port, visit www.kpmg.com/global/en/
issuesandinsights/articlespublications/
contracting-value/pages/default.aspx.
Healthcare systems can deliver better patient outcomes and reduce costs by defining, measuring and re-warding the delivery of quality care.
-
QP www.qualityprogress.com16
keePingcurrent
SOUnd adviCE this month, listen to a webcast of Max christian
Hansen discussing the results of this years QP salary
survey.
QUiCk POLL RESULtS each month at www.qualityprogress.com, visitors can
take an informal survey. Here are the numbers from a
recent Quick Poll:
What part of your personal life could benefit from a dose of quality?
Managing time more effectively. 46.5%
organizing finances. 25%
Maintaining a tidy kitchen. 14.2%
keeping order in the garage. 14.2%
Visit www.qualityprogress.com for the latest question:
Have quality control issues and supply chain
glitches this year changed your view of Apple?
no. i will still buy its products.
not really. All organizations have occasional
problems.
somewhat. More problems seem to be cropping up.
Yes. i will no longer buy its products.
QPONLINE ONPAPER
problems. get more machines. no
more long lines. no more inter-
minable delays. no more cries of
unfairness and disenfranchisement.
no more Flori-duh.8
Brett Krzykowski,
assistant editor
REFEREnCES1. Gary Fineout, As Fla. Voters Face Long Lines,
Scott Stands Firm, Associated Press, Nov. 3, 2012.
2. Frances Robles, Martha Brannigan and Daniel
Chang, Miami-Dade Will Not Have Full Results Until Wednesday, Miami Herald, Nov. 6, 2012.
3. Ibid.4. Ibid.5. Jessica Parks, Pa.s New Voter ID Law Causes
Confusion, Voters Say, Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 7, 2012.
6. Greg Gordon and Tony Pugh, Voters Endure Delays, Lines and Misinformation to Cast Bal-lots, McClatchy Newspapers, Nov. 6, 2012.
7. Bob Sullivan, New Jerseys Email Voting Suffers Major Glitches, Deadline Extended to Friday, http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/06/14974588-new-jerseys-email-voting-suffers-major-glitches-deadline-extended-to-friday.
8. Miami Herald Editorial Board, Two Words: Easy Access, Miami Herald, Nov. 6, 2012.
Election Day (continued from p. 12)
Mr. Pareto Head By MIkE CRoSSEN
stAnDArDs
NEW ISO STANDARD TAKES ON CYBERSECURITY CONCERNSA newly released international orga-
nization for standardization (iso)
standard will help ensure the safety
of online transactions and personal
information exchanged over the in-
ternet, and protect computers when
browsing any websites.
iso/iec 27032:2012, Information
technologySecurity techniques
Guidelines for cybersecurity, pro-
vides a framework for information
sharing, coordination and incident
handling. the standard also will
facilitate secure and reliable col-
laboration, and protect the privacy
of individuals everywhere in the
world. in this way, the standard can
help to prepare, detect, monitor
and respond to incidents such as
social-engineering attacks, hacking,
malicious software, spyware and
other unwanted software.
For more information, visit
www.iso.org/iso/home/store/
catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.
htm?csnumber=44375.
-
December 2012 QP 17
keePingcurrent
December 2012 QP 17
Do the Write Thing in 2013
QUALITY PROGRESS
QPs 2013 editorial calendar is out, and were looking for writers who want to contribute articles about these topics:
March Food safety
april Basic quality
May Risk management
June Supply chain
July Careers and career development
august Future focus: how quality and quality roles are changing
September Standards and auditing
October Social responsibility
november Global quality
december Salary survey
If you want to write for a specific issue, please submit your article at least four to six months before the issue date. If you miss that deadline, dont worry. Send the article and we might use it in a different issue.
And if theres a topic you would like to write about thats not listed as one of our featured topics in the editorial calendar, dont let that dissuade you from submitting the manuscript. We will publish all accepted articles, whether they align with an issue theme or not.
Visit www.qualityprogress.com and click on Author Guidelines at the bottom of the page for more details.
-
THE MORE THINGS stay the same, the more quality professionals must look for productive
ways to change. This year, for the first time since QP
began its annual salary survey, the most important
indicatoraverage salaryhas become frustrat-
ingly stuck in place. As salaries in the United States
and Canada show no significant change from 2011,
todays quality professionals may want to seek strat-
egies to stand out and make their individual stories
different from others.
As Table 1 (p. 20) shows, average salaries for
full-time employees in the United States and Canada
didnt show much change. If a p-value of 0.05 is
taken as the cutoff for statistical significance, the dif-
ference between the 2011 and 2012 averages is insig-
nificant for both countries. When p-values are used,
smaller values denote higher levels of significance.
Part 1. Regular Employee Results Section 1 Salary by Job Title p. 26Section 2 Salary by U.S. Regions and Canadian Provinces p. 31Section 3 Salary by Number of Years of Experience in the Quality Field p. 35Section 4 Salary by ASQ and RABQSA International Certification p. 43Section 5 Salary by Six Sigma Training Online
Section 6 Salary by Number of Work Hours Online
Section 7 Salary by Nonexempt vs. Exempt Status Online
Section 8 Salary by Number of Years in Current Position Online
Section 9 Salary by Number of Years in Current Position and in the Quality Field Online
Section 10 Salary by Number of Employees Overseen Online
Section 11 Salary by Division Size, Organization Size and Location of Headquarters Online
Section 12 Salary by Industry Online
Section 13 Salary by Geographic Location Online
Section 14 Salary by Organizational Quality Infrastructure Online
Section 15 Salary by Extent of Quality Responsibilities Online
Section 16 Salary by Highest Level of Education Online
Section 17 Salary by Highest Level of Education and Number of Years in Quality Online
Section 18 Salary by RABQSA International Certification Online
Section 19 Salary by Gender and Age Online
Section 20 Size of Raise and Additional Annual Payments Online
Part 2. Self-Employed Consultant Results Section 21 Consultant Overview Online
Section 22Base Earnings by Years of Experience Online
Section 23 Base Earnings by Education and Training Online
Section 24 Base Earnings and Rates by Age, Gender and Geographic Location Online Note: All sections printed in this issue of QP are also available in the online report in PDF format at www.qualityprogress.com/salarysurvey.
Salary Survey Table of conTenTS
Tight Times
Facing
-
December 2012 QP 19
by Max Christian Hansen
QP Salary Survey
20
12
SPONSORED BY
should you look at other industries?
are you making what
you should be?become a standout.
are you willing to
move?
Taking control of your career as salaries show lagging effects of recession
-
QP www.qualityprogress.com20
The averages for other coun-
tries arent addressed here because
there werent many respondents
from outside the United States
and Canada, and between-country
variation is too high to supply good
significance levels without large
sample sizes.
Adjusting to hard timesOf course, the salary stagnation
stems from the economic times in
which we live. When the QP Salary
Survey was distributed mid-year
in 2008, many organizations and
individuals still hadnt felt the full
effects of the recession that was
just getting under way. The next
year, the story was very different: 86% of survey re-
spondents reported their organizations were planning
some type of cost-cutting measure in response to the
recession.
Weve continued to ask about cost-cutting mea-
sures and, as Figure 1 shows, the percentage of re-
spondents who said their organizations were taking
such steps has declined steadily since 2009, so that
appears to be a positive sign. But its difficult to say
what the level might have been in better economic
times because the question wasnt asked before the
start of the recession.
What is clear, however, is that the number is de-
creasing and shows signs of leveling off. When a re-
cession hits, cost-cutting at the organizational level
is one of the first effects quality professionals should
expect to encounter.
For individuals, unless you are laid off, the effects
of an economic downturn can be slower in coming.
In 2009, for example, only 1.9% of survey respondents
said they expected a pay cut, while 60.1% expected a
raise of some kind. Two years later, the percentage
of respondents expecting a pay raise of less than 2%
reached a new high of 23.6%. This year, that number
went even higher: Respondents who expected a pay
raise, but one not more than 2%, made up 26.4% of this
years respondents. More information about raises
can be found in section 20, available online at www.
qualityprogress.com.
Levers of career controlEven during booming economic times, QPs Decem-
ber issue has long been the years most popular issue
as people snap up the latest salary survey results. But
especially in these uncertain times, a salary survey re-
port such as thischock-full of data to help you com-
pare where you stand with otherscan be even more
valuable in your career management. Salary matters
become even more urgent in an uncertain, stagnant
economy.
The employment landscape in quality includes
several factors you can control and ones likely to af-
fect salary. Obviously, there are some things you cant
change, such as age and gender. Other factors, such as
changes in average salaries for full-time employees in u.S. and canada / TABLE 1
2011 average
2012 average Difference
Significance (p-value)
United States $87,086 $86,743 $243 > 0.6
Canada 80,611 84,715 +4,104 0.08
Table 1 includes results for: xFull-time employees, Part-time employees, xU.S.employees, xCanadianemployees, Internationalemployees
Canadian salaries are noted in Canadian dollars.
P-values shown are from simple t-tests of years averages within each country.
SPONSORED BY
cost-cutting measures by respondents companies / FIGURE 1
010%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
2009 2010 2011 2012
Perc
enta
ge o
f res
pond
ents
Figure 1 includes results for: xFull-time employees, xPart-time employees, xU.S.employees, xCanadianemployees, xInternationalemployees
-
job tenure or quality experience, require staying the
course.
There are other levers that, while more directly
controllable, may not be easy to pull. Take, for exam-
ple, geographic location. For some young and single
professionals without deep roots, it may be easy to
move across the state, country or international bor-
ders for a new job and career path. For others, it may
be more difficult. Only a very large increase in salary
would make relocation more palatable.
Table 2 shows a subjective evaluation of how con-
trollable and influential some career factors are. It
should be viewed with two caveats:
1. While some variables are labeled depends on cir-
cumstances, every variable really does depend to
some extent on the individual and his or her place
in the world and stage of career. For example,
while education is readily available in many parts
of the world, it may not be attainable everywhere
or accessible to all groups of people. There also
continue to be places in which age, gender and
other factors restrict an individuals ability to ob-
tain a degree.
2. Some factors that show high statistical correla-
tion to salary are not rated as highly influential,
such as status as an independent consultant. This
could be an example of correlation not implying
causation. Quality professionals dont necessarily
receive raises because they started moonlight-
ing as independent consultants. Its more likely
that having the most valuable skills brings these
people the highest salaries, while at the same time
they have chosen to spend their precious off-the-
job hours using these skills in work for additional
clients.
Remember, these assessments are subjective, just
as your own career decisions must be. You must gath-
er the best data available to yousuch as the QP Sal-
ary Surveybut interpreting it is as much art as sci-
ence. Only you can know your own skills, limitations
and opportunities.
The education lever Year after year, the QP Salary Survey shows that high-
er levels of education bring rewards in the form of fat-
ter paychecks. Just as last years report took a deep
look into the value of certifications, this year well fo-
cus on another powerful lever: education.
To explore whether the benefits of increasing edu-
cation depend on age, we cross-tabulated education
with age. Table 3 (p. 22) shows this information for
full-time U.S. and Canadian respondents.
Table 4 (p. 22) shows a zoomed-in look at the
two education levels most commonly reached by
ASQ members between the ages of 26 and 65bach-
elors (or four-year) and masters degreesand the
QP Salary Survey
20
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career factors and effects on salary / TABLE 2Variable Controllability Effectiveness
Education level
Highly controllable
High, especially in combination with experience in quality (see sections 16-17).
Certifications/ Six Sigma training
Highly controllable
Variable, but very high when certification matched to position (see section 4); also see Land the Big One, Quality Progress, December 2011, p. 20.
Supervisory responsibility
Dependent on soft skills
High effect; supervising others brings clear rewards (see section 10).
Eligibility for overtime
Somewhat controllable
Usually a byproduct of other factors, such as overall responsibility and supervisory duties (see section 7).
Years in quality
Stick with it High; especially in combination with education (see sections 3, 9 and 17).
Organization Depends on circumstances; geography may constrain choice of organization
Bigger organizations often pay better (see section 11).
Industry Depends on circumstances
Hot industries tend to come and go, but long-range disparities do exist.
Geographic location
Depends on circumstances
Usually a matter of finding a fit with an organization.
Age Stick with it Salaries tend to increase with age until the highest age brackets (see section 19).
Gender None Decreases over time; gender disparities are smaller in recent years and among recent hires (see section 19).
Years in current position
Stick with it Low; seniority in a position is not nearly as well-rewarded as experience in the quality profession.
Independent consulting (as it affects salary in regular employment)
Depends on circumstances
Usually low.
December 2012 QP 21SPONSORED BY
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differences between the holders of the respective
degree and the holders of the next lower level of de-
gree. For example, in the 26-to-35 age group, those
who hold bachelors degrees earned an average of
$65,604 per year, or $11,283 more than those with
two-year degrees or certificates, who earned an av-
erage of $54,321.
Those respondents with less than four years of
education beyond high school are not lumped to-
gether. In other words, those with bachelors de-
grees are not being compared to those with high
school diplomas or less. If the latter had been
grouped with those holding two-year degrees, the
premium for holding a bachelors degree would
appear much greater.
For each of these premiums, a pair-wise t-test
was run on the two groups being compared to as-
sess the significance level. In all cases, the premiums
shown were extremely significant, having a p-value
of less than 0.001 in every case.
For some older quality professionals, the ques-
tion remains whether they have enough career years
left for that premium to repay the cost of schooling.
Its clear, however, that except for perhaps the most
expensive degrees and the most senior quality pro-
fessionals, four-year degrees and beyond are some
of the most effective levers to use to move your qual-
ity career toward prosperity. QP
MAX CHRISTIAN HANSEN is president of Bright Hat Communications Inc. in Sacramento, CA. The firm does communications consulting for science-based public policy, quantitative re-search and marketing. Hansen has an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, MA. He is a member of ASQ.
QP Salary Survey
20
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average salary by education level and age group / TABLE 325 or younger 26 to 35 36 to 45 46 to 55 56 to 65 66 and older
High school or less $36,2136 $46,86244 $61,14083 $65,515128 $78,39859
Two-year program 41,7208 54,32184 63,829209 71,474319 75,651162 $82,43615
Bachelors degree 49,40650 65,604418 83,679554 93,117730 94,640416 99,86715
Masters degree 55,54118 75,460249 96,379400 109,488546 105,138330 114,66630
Doctorate 45,0002 131,6007 108,15129 116,01247 119,11846 114,7508
Table 3 includes results for: xFull-time employees, Part-time employees, xU.S.employees, xCanadianemployees, Internationalemployees
Superscript numbers denote number of respondents.
Salary premiums for higher levels of education within age groups / TABLE 4
26 to 35 36 to 45 46 to 55 56 to 65
Bachelors degree
$11,283 $19,850 $21,643 $18,989
Masters degree
9,856 12,700 16,371 10,498
Table 4 includes results for: xFull-time employees, Part-time employees, xU.S.employees, xCanadianemployees, Internationalemployees
QP www.qualityprogress.com22 SPONSORED BY
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TThis years QP Salary Survey was sent to 54,337 members. Of the 6,857 individuals who started responding to the survey, 6,093 completed the questionnaire, for a response rate of 11.2%. There were 47 responses that were com-plete but unusable because they included implausible earnings data that could not be validated. This left a total of 6,046 usable responses. Each of these responses fell
into one of the employment categories in Table 1.
The data from the 5,682 full-time and part-time regular
employees and the 55 regular employees who also work
as self-employed consultants were used to create the 20
sections in Part 1. Regular Employee Results. The data
from the 158 self-employed consultants and the 55 regular
employees who also work as self-employed consultants
were used to produce the four sections in Part 2. Self-
Employed Consultant Results. Its notable that the num-
ber of regular employees who also work as self-employed
consultants was down considerably from last years 163.
Except for the information provided in Table 1, the sal-
ary survey report doesnt include data from the people
who are unemployed, retired or laid off.
The vast majority of those who participated in the sur-
vey worked in the United States and Canada. Because there
were few respondents from other countries, only a few sec-
tions in the salary survey report include results from this
group, which is labeled as International. Sections 13 and
24 include the countries represented in this group.
You can learn whether a table or figure includes interna-
tional results by glancing at the information boxes that ac-
company the graphics. These boxes also show whether the
graphics include results from full-time and part-time respon-
dents. Some boxes provide additional informative notes.
Of the 24 sections in the salary survey results, 19 can
be found exclusively at www.qualityprogress.com under
the tab Tools and Resources. The website also includes
the entire survey report in PDF format, which you can
download. In case youre not familiar with the statistical
terms and job titles in these sections, weve explained
them here.
Statistical terms Here are brief descriptions of the statistical terms used in
the survey report:
Minimum salary: The lowest salary reported in that
particular group.
Maximum salary: The highest salary reported in that
particular group.
Standard deviation: A measure of dispersion around
the mean. In a normal distribution, 68% of cases fall
within one standard deviation of the mean, and 95% of
cases fall within two standard deviations. For exam-
ple, if the mean salary is $70,000 with a standard devia-
tion of $15,000, 95% of the cases are between $40,000
and $100,000 in a normal distribution.
Count: The number of respondents in that particular
group.
Mean salary: The average salary for that particular
group.
Median salary: The 50th percentilethat is, the sal-
ary at which half the cases fall above and half below.
If there is an even number of cases, the median is the
average of the two middle cases.
Job titles Here are the suggested definitions for the job titles used
in the 2012 survey. Some of the definitions were compiled
by an HR expert and have been revised through the years.
Crunching the Numbers
Employment status of respondents / Table 1
Count Percentage
a regular, full-time employee 5,608 92.8%
a regular, part-time employee 74 1.2
a regular employee who also is a self-employed consultant
55 0.9
a self-employed consultant 158 2.6
Unemployed, retired or laid off for more than six months
73 1.2
Unemployed, retired or laid off within the last six months
78 1.3
Table 1 includes results for: x Full-time employees, x Part-time employees, xU.S. employees, xCanadian employees, xInternational employees
QP www.qualityprogress.com24 SPonSored by
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QP Salary Survey
20
12
Based on respondent feedback, the titles will continue
to be analyzed and revised periodically. All definitions
are intended only as a guide:
Analyst: Initiates and coordinates quality-related
data from production, service or process improvement
activities and reports these data using statistical tech-
niques.
Associate: Involved in quality improvement proj-
ects but not necessarily full-time. Does not necessarily
have primary responsibility for traditional quality man-
agement, assurance or control activities.
Auditor: Performs and reports on internal or exter-
nal quality system audits.
Black Belt (BB): Six Sigma or quality expert. Of-
ten a full-time team leader responsible for implement-
ing process improvement projects in the organization
to improve customer satisfaction levels and business
productivity.
Calibration technician: Tests, calibrates, main-
tains and repairs electrical, mechanical, electrome-
chanical, analytical and electronic measuring, record-
ing and indicating instruments and equipment for
conformance to established standards.
Champion: Business leader or senior manager who
ensures resources are available for quality training and
projects, and is involved in project tollgate reviews.
Often an executive who supports and addresses Six
Sigma organizational issues.
Consultant: Provides advice, facilitation and train-
ing on the development, administration and technical
aspects of an organizations quality improvement efforts
at any or all levels. Has expertise in some or all aspects
of the quality field. This person can be from outside the
organization or can be an employee of the organization.
Coordinator: Collects, organizes, monitors and
distributes information related to quality and process
improvement functions, possibly including compliance
to and documentation of quality management stan-
dards, such as ISO 9001. Typically generates reports
using computer skills and distributes those reports to
various users in the organization or among customers
and suppliers.
Director: Oversees all aspects of the organizations
quality or business improvement efforts, such as de-
veloping and administrating the program, training and
coaching employees, and facilitating change through-
out the organization. Responsible for establishing
strategic plans, policies and procedures at all levels so
quality improvement efforts will meet or exceed inter-
nal and external customers needs and expectations.
Educator/instructor: Instructs or trains others on
quality-related topics, tools and techniques. This per-
son may be an employee of an organization, or teach in
a university or college setting.
Green Belt: Operates in support of or under the
supervision of a BB, analyzes quality problems and is
involved in quality improvement projects. Has at least
three years of work experience.
Inspector: Inspects, audits and reports on materi-
als, processes and products using variable or attribute
measuring instruments and techniques to ensure con-
formance with the organizations quality standards.
Manager: Ensures the administration of the orga-
nizations quality, process or business improvement
efforts within a defined segment of the organization.
May be responsible for dealing with customers and
suppliers on quality or performance issues. Typically
has direct reports.
Master BB: Six Sigma or quality expert responsi-
ble for strategic implementations within the organiza-
tion. Qualified to teach other Six Sigma facilitators the
methods, tools and applications in all functions and
levels of the organization. A resource for using statisti-
cal methods to improve processes.
Process/manufacturing/project engineer: Per-
forms engineering work to evaluate manufacturing
processes or performance improvement projects for
optimization. May develop processes to ensure quality,
cost and efficiency requirements are met.
Quality engineer: Designs, installs and evaluates
quality assurance process sampling systems, proce-
dures and statistical techniques. Designs or specifies
inspection and testing mechanisms and equipment.
Analyzes production and service limitations and stan-
dards. Recommends revision of specifications. Formu-
lates or helps formulate quality assurance policies and
procedures. May conduct training on quality assurance
concepts and tools. Interfaces with all other engineer-
ing components within the organization and with
SPonSored by december 2012 QP 25
The response rate for this years QP Salary Survey was 11.2%.
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customers and suppliers on quality-related issues.
Reliability/safety engineer: Uses principles of
performance evaluation and prediction to improve the
safety, reliability and maintainability of products and
systems. Plans reliability tests and conducts analyses
of field failures. Develops and administers reliability
information systems for failure analysis and perfor-
mance improvement.
Software quality engineer: Applies quality prin-
ciples to the development and use of software and
software-based systems. Designs and implements
software development and maintenance processes.
Designs or specifies test methods for software inspec-
tion, verification and validation.
Specialist: As the primary assignment, performs a
specific quality-related function in the organizations
quality program. Examples include management repre-
sentative, statistician and testing expert. Has received
direct training or has been performing the activity for
several years. Shows a high degree of skill performing
that specific activity.
Supervisor: Administers the organizations quality
improvement efforts within a defined department. Has
direct reports who implement some aspect of the poli-
cies and procedures of the quality functions.
Supplier quality engineer/professional: Re-
sponsible for all quality improvement issues related to
vendors and suppliers of materials, products or servic-
es used in development or manufacture. Assesses po-
tential new suppliers. Works with suppliers to develop
and improve the entire supply chain. May be involved
in purchasing.
Technician: Performs basic quality techniques
possibly including calibrationto track, analyze and
report on materials, processes and products to ensure
they meet the organizations quality standards.
Vice president/executive: Establishes the direc-
tion for the development and administration of the
organizations quality improvement efforts. Consults
with peers on the attitudes and practices of quality
throughout the organization to develop an environ-
ment of continual improvement in every aspect of the
organizations products and services. Acts as a cham-
pion for quality.
A note on currenciesFor Canadian employees and consultants, salaries
and earnings are noted in Canadian dollars. For all
employees and consultants outside the United States
and Canada, salaries and earnings are in U.S. dollars.
Exchange rates were supplied by the respondents on
the days they completed the survey. In the few cases in
which respondents from different countries are evalu-
ated together, all salaries are in U.S. dollars. In cases
in which QP editors needed to convert currencies, the
exchange rate used was from July 1, 2012.
MMost of the quality professionals who responded to QPs annual salary survey were full-time employees that is, they worked 36 hours per week or more for an organization. Table 1 (p. 28) shows that these full-tim-ers made up the vast majority of our respondents who were employed by others: 99% in the United States and
97.1% in Canada. That includes those who worked as
self-employed consultants in addition to their regular,
full-time employment.
An additional number of respondents were self-
employed consultants only, and the online version of
this report devotes four sections to analysis of their
demographics and earnings. But here, where we cover
employees, the small number of self-employed consul-
Money MultipliedPart 1. Regular Employee ResultsSection 1. Salary by Job Title
SPonSored byQP www.qualityprogress.com26
After validation, there were 6,046 useable responses to this years salary survey.
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december 2012 QP 27
tants who also worked as employees are worth not-
ing. In addition to the money they earned through their
self-employment, they brought home significant sala-
ries from their regular employers.
In the United States, those full-time employees who
also were s