Long-time quality professionals agree: the industry is not the same as when they started. No longer are quality managers seen as the police officers of the plant, checking to make sure nothing has gone wrong. Instead, the quality field has gotten much more proactive, aiming to prevent problems before they take place. Quality spoke with a group of quality experts to learn more about the current state of the profession.
The field continues to change. The state of the quality profession in 2019 doesn’t look much like it did in 1989, and it will likely look far different in 2049. As Jane Keathley of the ASQ Board of Directors, says, “As always, it’s in some transition, changing and adapting to current business and organizational needs. It’s always been that way, nothing is ever static.”