Total quality management (TQM) is the term used by many to indicate an organization-wide effort of continuous process improvement. The Federal Quality Institute defines TQM as a strategic, integrated management system for achieving customer satisfaction, which involves all managers and employees and uses quantitative methods to continuously improve an organization's processes.

Some additional thoughts on TQM include:

The improved performance is directed toward satisfying such cross-functional goals as quality, cost, schedule, mission, need and suitability.

TQM is a process of controlled change.

Central to the TQM approach is the change in management philosophy regarding the "responsibility for quality." Formerly it rested with a separate group of individuals in a department/directorate/division often designated as quality assurance. Under TQM, the responsibility rests with every employee, beginning with top management. Skill Category2 provides additional insight into the change in management philosophy, new behaviors for management and leadership.

TQM is accomplished using a team organization; both management and the employees are members of "quality teams" (also called process improvement or process action teams), that focus on continuous process improvement. Suggestions to improve the quality of a particular process should come from the employees and the managers who work in the process, as they know it best.

Communication must be encouraged to allow employees and management to work together to reach the mutual goal of continuous process improvement.