By utilizing quality tools and inheriting a zero defect mentality, ASQ member Govind Ramu's company went from accepting bad parts and rejecting good parts to having zero defects during a high production period for the business.

The last line of defense for QuadraMed, a leading provider of healthcare technologies, before their software is released to the marketplace is Quality Assurance. ASQ member Zubair Haque and his team think outside the box to test innovative software that is enhancing the medical field.

ASQ member Kumud Dutta explains how quality is one of the most important tools used at Suncor Energy, Inc. Utilizing a six-step, gated quality process, Suncor is continuously measuring and evaluating the success of its projects. Specifically, Dutta's company has used quality tools for sustainability and for the reduction of wasted resources.

ASQ member Govind Ramu's company went from accepting bad parts and rejecting good parts to having zero defects during a high production period for the business.

ASQ member Ved Munbodh discusses how there are hazards present in almost every step of the food supply chain. Utilizing a Cause and Effect algorithm, potential hazards are easily identified and dealt with.

Since 1984 the Alexandria National Iron and Steel Company has been diligently using quality tools and methodologies across the company. Not only has this contributed to the company's success, but as their Quality Manager, Mr. Mamdouh Gomaa, shares, their focus on quality has led to higher quality standards in the Egyptian steel industry--and a safer product for their customers and for the Egyptian people.

ASQ member Jesus Gilberto Concepcion Garcia believes in having fun. Fun helps develop better management, innovation, and, yes, quality.

Early in his career, ASQ member Joe Sorrentino encountered a submarine accident cause by poor quality control. This taught him the uncompromising importance of quality assurance.

ASQ member Puneet Wadhwa is impressed with how Disneyland Resorts listens to the Voice of the Customer. He took that example of listening to the customers and applied it to continuous improvement projects at his own organization.

A story of how quality took Rahul Iyer from uncertainty to success

Rahul Iyer, 28, of India, is manager of quality and reengineering at one of the world’s leading wholesale banks based in the United States. He has earned numerous certifications, including Six Sigma Black Belt certification from ASQ, Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification from the Indian Statistical Institute, and a Six Sigma Black Belt certification from Wipro Ltd., Lean Specialist. In addition, Rahul has earned an Internal ISO 9001:2008 Auditor certification. As part of World Quality Month, Rahul submitted the following story of how quality has changed and positively impacted his life.

Based on what people see of me today, I am called a success. At 28, I hold a respectable and stable position, earning a fine salary. But this was not the case when I started my career. When I was 17, my family faced tremendous financial constraint. We were deprived of many of the basic needs of life. The struggle continued for more than five years until I embraced quality as my subject and next career move.

Prior to starting my life in quality, I worked in marketing and joined a software training firm to sell computer software courses. About a year later, I joined a booming industry in India—business process outsourcing. I worked for a collection agency, technical helpdesk, and an airline.

As I become a team lead of operations for one of the leading airlines in the United States, I started to envision a life beyond the four walls of operations. I wanted to do something different that would not only cater to my career aspirations but also give me a platform to perform beyond expectations. I started searching for alternatives.

Search for the Right Career Move

I had the opportunity to continue working in operations and work my way up the ladder. Other options included conducting software courses and becoming a software professional. I also considered an option of becoming a bank officer.

However, these were not lucrative options to me.

At that time, one of my friends pursuing his Six Sigma Black Belt certification from ASQ introduced me to Six Sigma. Looking at the books he had and listening to the future prospects of being a CSSBB, I decided quality would be my next career move.

Journey to Become a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt

I did not have the money to undergo any professional Six Sigma training. Having earned a degree in mathematics, I felt that studying statistics and its applications could be done through self-learning.

My research indicated that ASQ certification was comprehensive and becoming ASQ certified required relevant experience and knowledge. I began a Six Sigma project in my organization with the help of the quality resource aligned to my process. While I focused on completing the project successfully, I studied for the Six Sigma Black Belt exam with a goal of completing the certification from Mikel Harry’s Six Sigma Management Institute by the end of my project.

My family and I continued to face financial crises, and I worked overtime to gain additional income. During these times, entering the quality domain became a burning desire for me as I completely believed it would change my life. Hence, even when I spent more than 14 hours a day at work, I spent a minimum of two hours each day studying for Six Sigma.

In November 2007, I enrolled for a Black Belt exam and that same month successfully became a certified Six Sigma Black Belt from SSMI.

Hunting for a Quality Job

I was ecstatic about being a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. I was highly enthused to create my new résumé calling out "Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (SSMI)" right at the top. I posted my résumé on all available job portals with an expectation of gaining a high-paying quality job quickly.

Unfortunately, my enthusiasm was short lived.

As I started facing job interviews, I realized that the market required experience and not just a single project coupled with certification. In this phase of looking for a quality job, an internal job posting was released by the organization where I was working as a team lead. They needed an assistant manager for quality to be hired internally. When I saw the posting, I knew this was the posting I needed to crack. I prepared well and in May 2008, I was elevated to assistant manager for quality in the same organization.

Early Days of Being a Quality Professional

My background was in operations. I was task oriented and had the ability to make front-line agents perform better. I also was able to manage the performance of my team very well. With that said, I did not have change management skills and I lacked a strategic and holistic view of looking at situations. I was not good with Microsoft Excel, Minitab, or presentations. My communication skills were commendable, however, speaking to the point with stakeholders needed improvement. According to my boss, I was not "quality material" when I joined the quality team.

Amidst these challenges, I had an invincible desire to be the best quality resource in the organization and the strong belief that I could accomplish this.

As a first step, I made my boss my mentor. I asked him to be my quality guru, and things started to change. From focusing on learning to making impactful presentations, analyzing data to managing change effectively, my learning continued to increase as each day passed. Soon I became a part of the organization’s key projects. I was promoted to deputy manager and started handling one of the key businesses in process excellence.

Meanwhile, I finished my Black Belt certification again. This time the certifying body was my organization. I completed my Lean Specialization and Internal ISO 9001:2008 Auditor certification. Some of my projects also won awards in the best projects category.

I was then offered a position as manager in a leading U.S. bank, and I thought it was the right time to make this career move. After accepting the offer, I completed my Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification from the Indian Statistical Institute. My next goal was to complete the CSSBB and CMBB from ASQ. On October 13, I earned my Six Sigma Black Belt certification and in the latter part of 2013, I hope to earn my Master Black Belt certification from ASQ.

How Quality Changed My Life

Quality helped me break the four walls of operations. It enhanced my creativity and visualization skills, and has helped me view situations with a broader perspective. Every day is a new learning day in quality. Most importantly, quality gave me the life that I wanted to live.

In the healthcare field, the pursuit of zero defects is the difference between life and death. At the James Cancer Hospital on the Ohio State University campus, ASQ member Sally Ceselski is working to improve patient treatment and satisfaction using quality tools such as Six Sigma, DMAIC, and Lean.

Public employees and government agencies are not seen as examples of high quality work, yet pockets of excellence exist, says ASQ member Bruce Waltuck. Hear about the process improvement projects he worked on while at the U.S. Department of Labor.

Quality is not a destination, it's a journey. See the journey of Dr. Omer Tigani and the quality tools he implemented at his organization in Qatar.

Quality tools are known to help trim waste, but what about using quality to help trim that pesky waistline? Hear from ASQ member Roberta Pek, who lost weight as a teenager and has kept it off for more than 30 years using quality tools.

Imagine trying to deliver a package of life-saving supplies in a country where there are no street names. When a large earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, this scenario became a reality. Hear how ASQ member Doug Wood used quality tools to make a difference in Haiti.