Celebrating Quality:  Past, Present and Future

Encompassing more than manufacturing integrity, today’s concept of quality represents an enterprise-wide philosophy encompassing all facets of organizational excellence. In recognition of the vital connection between excellence, digital transformation, and deep cultural improvement, WCQI 2021showcased quality’s myriad contributions to organizational excellence, and celebrated 75 years of bringing quality professionals together to explore quality’s distinctive ability to transform people, processes, and organizations. 

The 2021 conference agenda offered actionable strategies and deep insights into organizational excellence, disruptive technologies, leadership and change management, and quality fundamentals. Attendees came away with vital tools and tactics to affect change, increase value, and drive their organizations toward quality goals.

For this event ASQ provided up to 5.0 RU (3.0 RU is populated within your Recertification Journal online) with attendees earning 0.1 RU per hour for additional Professional Development activity attended (max of 2.0 RU)for the World Conference on Quality & Improvement 2021. Attendees should keep a copy of their registration confirmation as proof of participation in this event as a Recertification Activity for inclusion in your Recertification Journal. RUs are provided to individual registrants only.

 

The global COVID-19 pandemic continues to create uncertainty across organizations. Now more than ever quality professionals must demonstrate the unique value they contribute to their enterprise. Attending WCQI 2021 can enhance your quality body of knowledge with access to best practices, must-have soft skills, current quality tools and access to a forum of quality peers eager to communicate and collaborate—all in a safe, virtual platform. 
 
Attendees will come away with vital tools and tactics to affect change, increase value, and drive their organizations toward quality goals, and engage with their peers in a variety of interactive networking activities. A fully virtual expo hall will provide a deeper understanding of the technologies and solutions available to drive innovation and improvement throughout an enterprise.  

Your WCQI 2021 registration includes: 

Virtual opening session 

2 keynote presentations 

25 live presentations 

70 on-demand presentations 

Access to presenters via the WCQI Speakers Lounge 

Access to exhibitors and ASQ resources in the WCQI Virtual Expo Hall 

Daily peer-to-peer networking and live entertainment 

Up to 5.0 RU 

Member access to all presentation materials for one year; non-member access for 90 days.

Quality Foundations

As organizations increasingly rely on quality practices to navigate today’s digital challenges, it is essential to firmly grasp how, when, and why to apply those fundamental tools and techniques within their own teams and organizations. These sessions emphasized quality’s nuts and bolts.

• What every quality professional must know (concepts, team basics, roles and responsibilities)
• Current and emerging skill sets for quality professionals 
• Essential tools and terms (fishbone, Pareto, lean, Six Sigma, continuous improvement)  
• Quality systems in use (Baldrige criteria, case studies)



Strengthening the Supply Chain with Quality Risk Management

Quality Risk Management identified factors that can cause deviation from a quality management system’s original plan, resulting in supply chain instability, vendor volatility and decreased customer satisfaction. When implemented effectively, QRM mitigates risk and creates stability throughout the supply chain, from pricing to purchasing to procurement. This focus area offered real-world examples of how organizations apply QRM and tapped into risk-based approaches to provide better outcomes for their customers, stakeholders, and quality teams. 

• The use of machine learning and AI to speed decisions
• Creating ethical, reliable supply chains
• Establishing a culture of risk-based thinking
• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis 



The Quality Revolution will be Digitalized

The COVID-19pandemic expanded the digital transformation already underway, with emerging technologies increasing the rate of change across every business sector—and the skills needed to support them. An explosion in data gathering and new computing capabilities — along with advances in AI, automation and robotics, additive technology, and virtualization — continue to impact the quality landscape. This track explored the transformative change taking place across the quality landscape and showcased the use of digital, virtual, and internet-based tools to increase value throughout an enterprise. Bigdata and analytics 

• Bigdata and analytics 
• Artificial intelligence, machine learning, AR/VR 
• Virtual Quality Management tools and strategies
• The new skill set for emerging quality roles 



Profiles in Excellence

Celebrate winning approaches to process design, program implementation, team building and continuous improvement in this collection of sessions highlighting the best of the best in quality. Attendees learned how an organization can build a framework of quality standards and processes that exceed customer expectations, enhance culture, embrace innovation, and ensure continuous process improvement. 

• Leadership and engagement strategies
• Integrating innovation and advanced technology into current processes 
• Change management  
• Sustaining organizations of excellence through quality
• Building customer feedback into quality processes