The History of Quality
From the first control charts to Quality 4.0, the story of quality is the story of progress. Choose your era and discover the moments that redefined what’s possible.
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~1000-1500 AD
Medieval Guild Standards
Craftsmanship Meets Standards
Guilds enforced rules of workmanship and skill tests, proving that quality was reputation centuries before factories.
Late 1700s - 1800s
Industrial Revolution & Rise of Inspection
Inspection Becomes Industrial
Mass production scaled output but amplified flaws. Quality control meant catching defects at the end...an expensive, reactive fix.
1911
Frederick Taylor & Scientific Management
Work, Optimized
Frederick Taylor's methods measured and standardized tasks, laying the groundwork for modern process improvement.
1924
Walter Shewhart & the Control Chart
Variation Under Control
With the control chart, Walter Shewhart gave industries a way to see and reduce variation, launching statistical quality control.
1950s
W. Edwards Deming in Japan
Quality Rebuilds Nations
W. Edwards Deming's principles of systems, data, and continuous improvement helped transform Japan into a global leader in quality.
1960s
Zero Defects & Crosby's Mantra
Defects? Zero Tolerance.
Philip Crosby's rallying cry "Quality is Free" shifted focus from fixing problems to preventing them altogether.
1960s-1980s
Total Quality Management
Everyone Owns Quality
TQM turned quality from a department job into a shared responsibility across entire organizations.
1972
Minitab is Born
Data Meets Quality Software
Minitab was founded to make statistical analysis accessible, empowering professionals to turn data into decisions.
1986
Six Sigma at Motorola
Perfection in the Millions
Motorola launched Six Sigma, targeting just 3.4 defects per million—a benchmark still defining excellence today.
1989
World Quality Day is Founded
A Global Day for Quality
Established by the UN in 1989, World Quality Day shines a spotlight on quality's role in organizations and society, worldwide.
2000 Revision
ISO 9001 Evolution
Quality, Standardized Globally
The 2000 revision of ISO 9001 redefined focus, shifting from product inspection to holistic process management.
2010s - Today
Quality 4.0
Smart, Predictive Quality
AI, IoT, and Big Data transform quality from inspection to prediction, embedding excellence into every process.
2025
Minitab Solution Center
AI Meets the Future of Quality
The Minitab Solution Center is the next generation of quality management: an AI-driven, integrated ecosystem designed to accelerate insights and drive continuous improvement.
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Brad Smith
Customer Success Manager State College, Pennsylvania Liaison to Key Customer Stakeholders -
His take on quality:
Organizations that prioritize quality stand out because they focus on attributes that set their products apart as high-value commodities.
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Cheryl Pammer
Senior Advisory Statistician Oceanside, CA 32+ Years at Minitab, across many roles! -
Her take on quality:
The future of quality is being shaped by AI. The professionals who will stand out aren't just the ones using it, but the ones who know how to provide AI with the right context.
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Jenn Atlas
Director, Global Presales Chenango County, NY 26+ Years at Minitab (Training, Product & Sales) -
Her take on quality:
I love when I meet people who work in quality. They have an unapologetic passion for excellence and they never settle for mediocrity.
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Jim Oskins
Senior Solutions Architect St. Joseph, MI 20+ Years in Engineering & Quality, Six Sigma MBB -
His take on quality:
Quality isn't just a metric; it's a commitment that drives every stage of a product's lifecycle, from proactive design to reactive problem-solving.
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Jose Padilla
Senior Analytics Consultant San Jose, PR Training Customers in Statistics at Scale -
His take on quality:
Quality matters because it builds customer trust and contributes to the company's overall success.
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Josh Goodman
Customer Insights Manager Austin, TX Process Engineering, Analytics, Strategy -
His take on quality:
Quality is everyone's responsibility. From design to manufacture to delivery, every decision shapes product performance, safety and reliability.
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Josh Zable
Chief Financial & Strategic Planning Officer New York, NY Analytics and Financial Operations -
His take on quality:
Quality is an integral part of your brand and customer relationships. Are you making it integral to your operations?
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Scott Kowalski
Senior Manager, Global Services Sanford, FL Design of Experiments, Quality Improvement -
His take on quality:
Every process carries variation. Quality emerges when we understand the variation, and put plans in place to control it.
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Scott Williams
Sr. Director, Global Customer Success London, UK Analytics Leadership and Coaching -
His take on quality:
While the future of quality ranges based on industry, service and role, AI is going to play a larger and more important part.
