Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

None

Co Requisite Comment

None

Aims

To provide a comprehensive understanding of the role and function of quality strategies and application of continuous improvement methodologies and statistical techniques in organisations.

This module is designed to develop an understanding of the issues in quality strategies, process improvement and applied statistics within organisations both within the manufacturing and service sectors.
The module introduces and demonstrates a series of management, improvement and statistical methods that are used to choose and implement an appropriate continuous improvement strategy, improve processes effectively and quantify benefits.

Outline Of Syllabus

1. Quality Strategies (SPC, Shainin, TQM, Six Sigma, Lean, Quality Circles)                                                      
2. Managing and Improving Performance                                    
3. Improvement Priorities                                                
4. Project Scoping                                                      
5. Problem Definition                                                      
6. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)                                    
7. Pareto Analysis                                                      
8. Quality Function Deployment (QFD)                                          
9. Probability Distributions                                                
10. Reliability Analysis                                                      
11. Capability Analysis                                                      
12. Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA)                                    
13. Sampling                                                            
14. Confidence Intervals                                                      
15. Hypothesis Tests                                                      
16. Correlation                                                            
17. Regression Analysis                                                      
18. Multivariate Techniques                                                
19. Design of Experiments (DoE)                                                
20. Control Charts                                                            
21. Sustainability                                                            
22. Standards

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of this module students will have:
• a deep understanding of quality and continuous improvement strategies
• knowledge of techniques for managing and improving performance
• an understanding of strategies for prioritising improvement activities
• a strong awareness of a broad range of process improvement techniques for continuous improvement
• an understanding of techniques for project scoping and establishing problem definition
• a deep understanding of techniques for analysing process and system failures
• a strong awareness of how to establish organisational performance measures
• a strong awareness of a range of techniques for process improvement
• an understanding of strategies for managing improvement activities
• an understanding of strategies for managing sustainability
• knowledge of techniques available for evaluating performance and realising benefits

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of this module students will be able to:
• use a statistical software package for measuring, analysing, improving and controlling process performance
• apply management, lean and statistical techniques for continuous improvement
• critically evaluate process performance
• apply analysis tools to evaluate and improve service and product reliability

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The lectures will provide a theoretical framework for this module. These sessions will use practical exercises and workshops to emphasise the application of the strategies and techniques discussed.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The coursework will assess whether the students have understood and can apply the techniques to practical situations

The coursework will consist of one project with three sections as detailed below. Students will be awarded one overall mark for the project based on the sections and weightings below:-

Section A (10%) – short questions related to the key points for each topic (approximately 500 words)
Section B (70%) – longer questions requiring software to complete and each student would be given a different dataset
Section C (20%) – critique of a published paper (of the student’s choice) that features the tools & techniques being utilised within Quality Management (maximum 1000 words)

Formative feedback
Ongoing throughout module: assessment of student progression during lecture / seminar sessions where students are supported through a number of exercises using various software packages. Interventions occur to support students so that equal progression occurs across the group. Learning checks as summative assessment are linked to suitable progression of each student in addressing set tasks. Post teaching communications occur through the Blackboard site.

General Notes

N/A