Quality Assurance Impact: Can It Be Measured?

Most quality assurance professionals can rightly claim that their units and the laboratories they inspect work in compliance with good laboratory practice (GLP) regulations. However, compliance itself is only the beginning. Quality assurance (QA) should now turn its attention to the process of optimizing operations in the industry by identifying weak links in the quality chain and working to remove the likelihood of failures and wasted time. Part of this process involves measuring QA impact. Impact can be evaluated in terms of effectiveness or efficiency. The difference between effectiveness and efficiency is discussed here. Measuring effectiveness involves quantifying effects; measuring efficiency involves quantifying the relationship between effect and effort. Some practical approaches to the collection of suitable data are outlined. There are no clear-cut rules for measuring QA impact. So far, the techniques available for assessing impact are rudimentary. However, it is important that all quality assurance professionals tackle the problems of evaluating their impact in order to strive toward higher standards of performance and toward greater understanding of the role of QA within the industry.