More than the inspection and testing procedures associated with quality control; involves a comprehensive, structured approach to quality, including planning for prevention of poor quality. It includes the establishment of: effective processes for converting customer needs into products and processes for their achievement; efficient systems for determining the capability and effectiveness of processes, detecting, and correcting any errors / deviations; appropriate measures of performance for control of processes. It also includes external providers of goods and services and setting minimum quality standards for suppliers to meet, as well as identifying, discussing, selecting and implementing ways to improve quality on an on-going basis eg through the use of kaizen groups.