Quality Control & Process Improvement Flashcards

What distinguishes quality assurance from quality control in Certified Diamond Grader practice?

Answer: QA prevents defects through process design while QC detects defects through inspection

Quality assurance is proactive (preventing defects) while quality control is reactive (detecting defects), and both are essential in Certified Diamond Grader practice.

Which method is commonly used for root cause analysis in CDG quality management?

Answer: The Five Whys technique or fishbone diagram for systematic investigation

Structured root cause analysis methods like Five Whys and fishbone diagrams systematically trace problems to their fundamental causes rather than symptoms.

What is a corrective action in Certified Diamond Grader quality systems?

Answer: A systematic response to eliminate causes of nonconformity and prevent recurrence

Corrective actions address root causes of quality issues to prevent recurrence, going beyond temporary fixes to create lasting improvement.

How do CDG professionals establish measurable quality objectives?

Answer: Defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound targets

Quality objectives in CDG practice follow SMART criteria to ensure they can be tracked, achieved, and meaningfully evaluated.

What is the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle in quality management?

Answer: A continuous improvement methodology with iterative planning, execution, evaluation, and refinement

PDCA is a cyclical methodology where improvements are planned, implemented, evaluated, and refined in an ongoing loop of continuous improvement.

How does benchmarking support quality improvement in Certified Diamond Grader practice?

Answer: It identifies best practices by comparing performance against industry leaders or standards

Benchmarking compares current performance against best-in-class standards, identifying gaps and improvement opportunities in Certified Diamond Grader practice.