What should be prioritized over inspection to ensure product quality?

Prioritizing building quality into the product is crucial because it establishes a foundation for consistent quality throughout the production process. This proactive approach emphasizes designing processes and products in a way that minimizes defects from the outset, rather than relying heavily on end-of-line inspections to catch issues after they occur. By focusing on integrating quality at all stages of development, including design, manufacturing, and delivery, organizations can enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve customer satisfaction.

Process audits, while important, mainly assess existing processes rather than fostering inherent quality within the products themselves. Quality checks are necessary to verify product standards, but they are reactive and can lead to the identification of problems after they may have already impacted production. Customer feedback is vital for continuous improvement but is typically gathered after the product has been delivered, limiting its ability to influence the initial quality assurance actively. Building quality into the product is a forward-thinking strategy that supports sustainable operations and product excellence.