Let’s get Brazil talking about quality!

The advantages of new technologies for quality professionals around the world are clear. However, not every country is moving at the same pace, and in some countries technological developments are not keeping up with quality professionals’ demands.

In Brazil, for example, public and private organisations are still not up-to-date when it comes to new technologies and large investment is needed to modernise Brazilian institutions, says Basilio Dagnino, CQP FCQI, former President of the Brazilian Academy for Quality (ABQ), Fellow at the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and Associate Environmental Auditor for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.

There are also management limitations, due to lack of knowledge in modern management techniques and governance across the country, he adds. These limitations curb the potential new technologies can bring to the quality profession in Brazil, he suggests.

Dagnino highlights the advantages of the Internet of Things (IoT) to monitor processes; artificial intelligence (AI) to carry on repetitive tasks and supply chain management technologies, such as blockchain. “These technologies will help quality professionals with routine tasks, allowing them to allocate their time to strategic thinking about the future of their organisation, developing innovative and creative approaches to quality improvement.”

He is keen for progress to be made. New technologies applied to quality management was the focus of last year’s ABQ seminar Quality in the 21st Century. The seminars, organised by the Brazilian Academy for Quality, have been held each year since 2014 in different cities in the country, and anyone can participate through the internet (the presentations are held in Portuguese).

“I think the most important thing is to communicate in terms that the business person understands, instead of using technical terms that only the quality professional comprehends”

ABQ decided to organise these seminars because they believe Brazil needs a national quality programme, where public and private organisations come together to improve quality management in the country, explains Dagnino. They felt that Brazil was becoming less competitive in the international market and believed better quality management could make a difference. The seminars encourage public and private organisations to discuss quality together, and promote the ABQ’s activities and the importance of quality for the social and economic development of Brazil. This year they also want to expand ABQ’s number of partners. In fact, the large number of organisations that sponsor the event show that there is an interest in the Brazilian business community.

Quality professionals still struggle to get themselves heard by senior management in their companies in Brazil, and elsewhere, he suggests. “I think the most important thing is to communicate in terms that the business person understands, instead of using technical terms that only the quality professional comprehends,” ABQ’s President advises.

Quality professionals have to include profit in their speech and show its connection with sustainability and ethics, he says. “After all, don’t forget that money talks louder.”

The ABQ is holding the 6th ABQ seminar Quality in the 21st century, on 6 November 2019. The event will focus on how quality improvement could help Brazil gain competitive advantage in the international marketplace. The event will include case studies of Brazilian companies that are using quality to improve their processes and grow.