Today, not only the natural environment and political and economic conditions, but also the technological environment such as AI is changing rapidly. In the midst of these environmental changes, the power of quality is becoming increasingly significant for opening up the future. Quality may be interpreted as the ability to evaluate outcomes and processes from multiple perspectives and connect those evaluations to improvement. In addition, quality is not limited to the merits or shortcomings of products and services; it also has the power to create trust and joy by connecting people inside and outside organizations, including customers, and enabling cooperation. However, the power of quality may not be fully realized if one thinks and acts alone.

To maximize the power of quality, “co creation” is now critical. Co creation refers to people and organizations from different positions and industries working together to create new products, services, and values. Creating customer value and social value through collaboration is co creation. Efforts to improve operation processes in the workplace, advancing improvements through cooperation while responding to environmental changes, and learning from past failures to reduce mistakes are also forms of co creation. Furthermore, leveraging new technologies and information such as DX and AI to generate new value is another example of co creation. To promote such co creation, TQM continues to evolve, and new initiatives are already being implemented.

Through co creation, mutual trust is deepened, and people can become aware of the joy of working together. There is a sense of fun and possibility in achieving what one might have given up on alone through cooperation. There is growth and a sense of achievement that come from expecting the best from one another as a team and responding to those expectations. If Quality Month can serve as an opportunity for everyone to exercise the power of quality and co create with a sense of joy as we move toward the future, there could be no greater satisfaction.

Shohei Ishizu
Professor Emeritus, Aoyama Gakuin University
Chair the 67th Quality Month Committee