Total Quality Management Total Quality

Total Quality Management Total quality The delivery of an excellent product requires the organization and its leaders to access the most valid and reliable data. This data becomes the basis for decision making. The nature of health care means that for the effective resolution of many problems a collaborative approach may be very useful. One of the basic collaborative techniques that may be used is brainstorming. Brainstorming allows for multiple views to be brought together and out of the fusion a novel solution identified.

Brainstorming is a useful solution in situations where the solution to a specific problem is not discernable through a logical process. This tool is also vital when the organization attempts to identify creative and fresh approaches to the pressing issues. What are (2005) notes that in a study of 168 studies from 36 hospital, 90% of the health quality care teams use brainstorming as a major tool. The value of brainstorming is in the simplicity of the technique and the participative nature of its execution.

Kaluzny, McLaughlin, & Simpson (1992) posit that Total Quality Management (TQM) is participative. Consequently, the use of brainstorming is consistent with this objective of the TQM. Brainstorming is a method of obtaining a large number of ideas from a group of people in a short time (Kubr 2002). The size of the group is usually between 8 and 12 persons. These individuals are given the freedom to examine an idea and provide unique if not beyond the box ideas. The particular value of this approach is that the judgments of the participants are suspended.

The ideas are not examined immediately allowing for the individuals to produce as many ideas as possible within the given time period. Thus brainstorming is a major ideas generation tool. Phenomenal ideas are often produced through the brainstorming process. Very often "wild" or "crazy" ideas can become the foundation of better ideas when they are later examined and assessed for their value. This later process of the evaluation of the ideas is possibly one of the main weaknesses of brainstorming.

The brainstorming process creates multiple ideas, and the quality of these ideas is not immediately examined. The ideas are subsequently evaluated for their relevance to the problem being discussed. Each idea must be evaluated; this process can become tedious as it appears as though one is searching for a needle in a haystack. The ability to produce good ideas is stymied by the overwhelming presence of "wild ideas" (Kubr 2002).

The guidelines for conducting a brainstorming session as identified by Brainstorming (2011), are as follows, ensure that all team members understand the objective of the session. You should also encourage each of the participants to complete engage in the session. The value of a brainstorming session exists when there is maximum participation by all the members of the group. The facilitator is charged with the responsibility for creating an environment that is conducive to brainstorming. There should be a lot of energy and enthusiasm.

Additionally the follow behaviours should be avoided, discussing ideas when they are generated, the critiquing of ideas or the complementing of individuals. These behaviors may discourage others from engaging and participating energetically and actively. The facilitator should encourage building on the ideas of others and thinking that is divergent and.