Steve Williams’ Quality 101 publication certainly captures the time warp of Quality Performance and Lean Manufacturing over several decades within the electronics manufacturing arena. The transition of quality references over time; whether it be Deming, Philip Crosby or the Toyota gold standard are the building blocks of the future. Steve really connects their attributes to setting the early direction to achieving "The Quality 101" vision he is so passionate about today.
Having just finished Steve Williams’ latest book on quality, my first emotion was gratitude for another message of hope from an industry expert. After some reflection I knew my gratitude was much more specific! I took time to re-read Steve’s earlier book “Survival is Not Mandatory” and a number of his articles I have saved over the years.
Once I started reading the Quality 101 Handbook, I felt hard pressed to put it down. As the pages melted away, I began to realize that Quality 101 Handbook could have been written to describe my company facing the complexities of change in today’s competitive environment. Needless to say, Steve spiked my interest! “We are creatures of habit”, as Steve reminds us, and then goes on to point out that shedding the existing corporate culture is a major first hurdle to clear when determining the best quality philosophy overall.
Quality 101 Handbook is a must for everyone’s Quality library. Steve presents key quality concepts necessary in a concise, easy to understand format. It can be used for specific answers to quality questions, historical reference and inspiration from someone who has fought the fight. But training is the big bargain here.
Sometimes “Quality” is difficult to pinpoint, because it can mean different things to different people. Using various examples and illustrations, Quality 101 covers many concepts and topics that are commonly used by quality professional today. This book pragmatically outlines the critical thinking concepts that are essential to build a quality oriented culture within a company.
Steve Williams does it again by taking a complex subject and creating the clear, concise and easy to comprehend “Quality 101 Handbook”. I don’t have time for training classes or reading thousands of pages that have been written on the subject of quality. What I need is a guide to the fundamentals that gives me the knowledge base to quickly manage our organization through the quality process. Steve delivers that message in a one-two-three knockout punch.
To the Point, Useful and Fun
Steve Williams' "Quality 101 Handbook" is a pleasure to read. It is packed with practical, hands-on information presented in a concise," this is how you do it” format. His book is obviously written “from the trenches” based upon his 35+ years of electronics industry experience.
Steve Williams' newest book, "Quality 101 Handbook", fills two important gaps in the culture of Quality. I am often asked to recommend one book for someone interested in learning what Quality is all about. But how to choose between legendary Founding Fathers of modern quality such as Crosby, Deming, Ishikawa, Juran, Ohno, Shewhart, Shingo? Steve's book is the answer.
Quality, like beauty, is often in the eyes of the beholder. We can have differing views on what it is depending on whether or not an item meets our needs and expectations. In fact, one definition of quality is simply "Fitness for use".
Steve Williams Quality 101 Handbook is an easy read and a great resource, providing the essential basics of all quality programs past and present in a format appropriate for the beginning student or the seasoned quality professional. The many useful examples lend insight into Steve’s clever wit while accessing his wealth of practical experience and expertise in this field. In my experience Steve correctly advocates the success of any quality program is “all about the dollars” and this handbook gives the practitioner the tools to successfully promote their ideas to any audience.