314
8 Analytical Chemistry and Quality
8.2.3 Quality Compromises
Quality should not regarded as an unreachable goal. The ideal situation is that
where high levels of the intrinsic properties of the entity concerned are obtained
in an expeditious, economical, safe manner. The actual situation is usually that
intrinsic, economic, temporal and safety characteristics are usually mutually
contradictory. These contradictory relationships are schematically depicted in
the tetrahedron of Fig. 8.3. At each vertex is one of the previous performance
characteristics; between each pair of vertices, the contradictions reflected on the
tetrahedron edges arise. When one, two or three characteristics must be enhanced, it has to be at the expense of the rest and the tetrahedron is distorted as
a result. A lower cost or more expeditiousness, for example, can never be
achieved without lowering the levels of the other performance characteristics.
Quality compromises, which constitute an essential component of quality,
must be dearly reflected in the different types of quality described in the previous section.
Box 8.4
Quality Compromises
The mutual contradictions between the characteristics depicted in Fig. 8.3 require that those
which are to be favoured at the expense of the rest be clearly established. In making the
decision,one adopts a"quality compromise:Below are briefly described some typical situations.
If the quality of a product, system or service is to be maximized as regards intrinsic properties, then the client or end user will have to pay more, the process will be slower and the
personnel wil l have to be more deeply involved in it.
Properties inherent
in entity
~_--.f--::-:7~ Cost-effectiveness
Expeditiousness ~
Personnel
safety/comfort
Fig. 8.3. This tetrahedron schernatizes the contradictory relationships among the intrinsic
characteristics of an entity, the expeditiousness with which they are achieved, the costs incurred and the environmental and health hazards involved. These relationships should be
clearly reflected in quality processes. The shaded triangle represents the productivity of the
body that supplies the entity
8 Analytical Chemistry and Quality
8.2.3 Quality Compromises
Quality should not regarded as an unreachable goal. The ideal situation is that
where high levels of the intrinsic properties of the entity concerned are obtained
in an expeditious, economical, safe manner. The actual situation is usually that
intrinsic, economic, temporal and safety characteristics are usually mutually
contradictory. These contradictory relationships are schematically depicted in
the tetrahedron of Fig. 8.3. At each vertex is one of the previous performance
characteristics; between each pair of vertices, the contradictions reflected on the
tetrahedron edges arise. When one, two or three characteristics must be enhanced, it has to be at the expense of the rest and the tetrahedron is distorted as
a result. A lower cost or more expeditiousness, for example, can never be
achieved without lowering the levels of the other performance characteristics.
Quality compromises, which constitute an essential component of quality,
must be dearly reflected in the different types of quality described in the previous section.
Box 8.4
Quality Compromises
The mutual contradictions between the characteristics depicted in Fig. 8.3 require that those
which are to be favoured at the expense of the rest be clearly established. In making the
decision,one adopts a"quality compromise:Below are briefly described some typical situations.
If the quality of a product, system or service is to be maximized as regards intrinsic properties, then the client or end user will have to pay more, the process will be slower and the
personnel wil l have to be more deeply involved in it.
Properties inherent
in entity
~_--.f--::-:7~ Cost-effectiveness
Expeditiousness ~
Personnel
safety/comfort
Fig. 8.3. This tetrahedron schernatizes the contradictory relationships among the intrinsic
characteristics of an entity, the expeditiousness with which they are achieved, the costs incurred and the environmental and health hazards involved. These relationships should be
clearly reflected in quality processes. The shaded triangle represents the productivity of the
body that supplies the entity