scholarly journals Whatever can go wrong, need not go wrong: Open Quality approach for epidemiology

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Alba ◽  
Masja Straetemans

AbstractQuality assurance is one of the most important aspects of an epidemiological study, as its validity is largely determined by data quality. The mounting success of quality management in the industrial sector caused a rapid spread throughout manufacturing industries and beyond. Yet, little has been published so far on quality assurance in epidemiology. In this article we review three models for quality assurance (Juran, Donabedian and ISO 9000) and showcase how these can be brought together in one intuitive, systematic and flexible approach to quality assurance in epidemiology. The resulting Open Quality approach refers back to the three processes identified by Juran (planning, control and verification). During the planning stage, we propose a subdivision of the study process in a set of steps and a definition of quality attributes corresponding to activities in that step as suggested by the ISO approach. We refer to the Donabedian model to determine the level at which the control/monitoring should take place—structure, processes or outcomes. Along with an overview of the Open Quality approach we propose an Open Quality tool to support the definition of quality attributes, failure modes, preventive strategies, verification activities, and corrective actions, which form the backbone of the Open Quality approach.

Author(s):  
Jason Millar

This chapter argues that, just as technological artefacts can break as a result of mechanical, electrical, or other physical defects not fully accounted for in their design, they can also break as a result of social defects not fully accounted for in their design. These failures resulting from social defects can be called social failures. The chapter then proposes a definition of social failure as well as a taxonomy of social failure modes—the underlying causes that lead to social failures. An explicit and detailed understanding of social failure modes, if properly applied in engineering design practice, could result in a fuller evaluation of the social and ethical implications of technology, either during the upstream design and engineering phases of a product, or after its release. Ideally, studying social failure modes will improve people’s ability to anticipate and reduce the rate or severity of undesirable social failures prior to releasing technology into the wild.


Author(s):  
Rachid ELKACHRADI

The university reform in Morocco introduced principles of quality assurance into the Higher Education System. In this regard, the law 01-00 has set up a device which is mainly articulated around the establishment of a system of accreditation of training and the establishment of a global system of evaluation in the whole system. However, Human Resources Management, the keystone of any change project, is not put at the center of the operationalization of reform projects. In our research, we will look at the factors that impede the operationalization of the principles of quality assurance to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the HR function. Based on the results obtained within the framework of this exploratory study, we let's propose the key determinants for the implementation of a quality approach in Human Resources Management within Moroccan universities.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanita Baranova ◽  
◽  
Baiba Kaļķe

The paradigm shift in higher education pedagogy and policy has been a subject of discussion for 30 years, during which time the emphasis has been placed on the transition to student-centred education. The implementation of this approach requires the democratisation of the study process and a shift towards performance-based outcomes, thus promoting students’ research capacities, well-being, personal growth, and quality of life. The most important document on the subject, which was developed in collaboration with the leading organisations of the Bologna Process, is the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area. This describes the common understanding of student-centred learning, teaching, and assessment. The standards and guidelines are also incorporated into the Latvian higher education quality assurance regulations. The authors of the present study are involved in the development and approbation of a new master’s study program, in which special attention is paid to the implementation of the principles of student-centred education. The central aim of the present study was to study the experience of lecturers in the implementation of the principles of student-centred education in the programme. The relevant literature and documents were surveyed and data from questionnaires (distributed to programme participants) were analysed. Using the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area and the Science, Technology Development and Innovation Guidelines 2021−2027 approved by the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science, the present study sets out 10 basic principles of student-centred education. A survey was created for lecturers who are implementing the newly created master’s programme over one semester. Seventeen lecturers participated. The analysis of the questionnaire results indicated that promoting mutual respect in student−academic staff relations and students’ active engagement in the study process were considered to be the most important principles. The results also revealed that lecturers applied every student−centred principle, but it is necessary to promote a common understanding by developing a mechanism for evaluating them and to improve the competence of teachers in implementing them.


Author(s):  
Kosuke Ishii ◽  
Burton H. Lee

Abstract This paper describes a schematic representation of product retirement specification that aids in design for recycling and reuse. In the past decade, a graphical representation of the assembly process, called the assembly fishbone diagram, has effectively assisted engineers to conduct design for assembly (DFA) and process failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA). On the other hand, environmentally conscious manufacturing requires engineers to make advanced planning for product retirement. This study investigates the use of the reverse fishbone diagram to model the disassembly and reprocessing sequence of a product at the end of its useful life. An industry-provided student project guided us to an initial definition of the reverse fishbone diagram that effectively led the students to analyze the recyclability and make practical redesign suggestions. The diagram is continuously adding more rigorous definitions and promises to be a central tool for evaluation of recyclability in a simultaneous engineering setting.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 311-324
Author(s):  
Bondan Sutiarso ◽  
Arief Daryanto ◽  
Rizal Syarief

Reform in the field of budgeting is characterized by a paradigm shift in the field of budgeting planning set out in law No. 17 of 2003 which is indicated by 3 (three) approaches, namely the implementation of integrated budgeting, the implementation of medium-term spending frameworks and the implementation of performance-based budgeting. But there are some problems encountered such as there are revisions to activities in the current budget year, performance-based budgets are so detailed in the planning stage but when accountability becomes administrative, the pattern of budget absorption that accumulates at the end of the year and the distribution of budgets that are not appropriate are part of the obstacles in improving the industrial sector. This research has the aim (1) of evaluating the suitability of budgeting of the Ministry of Industry with a budgeting approach; (2) Analyze spending activities at the Ministry of Industry that significantly affect the SMEs sector. The results showed that all the principles and components that make up the concept of integrated budgeting, performance-based budgeting and medium-term spending framework have basically been implemented by the Ministry of Industry in the preparation of work plans and budgets. The results of the double linear regression analysis showed that the realization of the Ministry of Industry's spending on HR development spending and technology spending significantly negatively affected the productivity shown performance in the SMEs sector. Managerial implications that can be given, namely the need for increased awareness and high commitment from all ranks in the Ministry of Industry in the implementation of performance-based budgeting systems through the provision of rewards and punishments at the internal level of the Ministry of SMEs. Keywords: Budget, Ministry of Industry, Multiple Linear Regression, Small and Medium Industries.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Luca Bonaiti ◽  
Ahmed Bayoumi Mahmoud Bayoumi ◽  
Franco Concli ◽  
Francesco Rosa ◽  
Carlo Gorla

Abstract Gear tooth breakage due to bending fatigue is one of the most dangerous failure modes of gears. Therefore, the precise definition of tooth bending strength is of utmost importance in gear design. Single Tooth Bending Fatigue (STBF) tests are usually used to study this failure mode, since they allow to test gears, realized and finished with the actual industrial processes. Nevertheless, STBF tests do not reproduce exactly the loading conditions of meshing gears. The load is applied in a pre-determined position, while in meshing gears it moves along the active flank; all the teeth can be tested and have the same importance, while the actual strength of a meshing gear, practically, is strongly influenced by the strength of the weakest tooth of the gear. These differences have to be (and obviously are) taken into account when using the results of STBF tests to design gear sets. The aim of this paper is to investigate in detail the first aspect, i.e. the role of the differences between two tooth root stress histories. In particular, this paper presents a methodology based on high-cycle multi-axial fatigue criteria in order to translate STBF test data to the real working condition; residual stresses are also taken into account


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Wiese ◽  
Bernard Bienstock ◽  
David Bearden ◽  
Carmen Boening ◽  
Kelley Case ◽  
...  

<p>The 2017-2027 US National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space classified mass change as one of five designated observables having the highest priority in terms of Earth observations required to better understand the Earth system over the next decade.  In response to this designation, NASA initiated multi-center studies with an overarching goal of defining observing system architectures for each designated observable.  Here, we discuss the progress made and future plans for the Mass Change Designated Observable study. Progress includes the development of a Science and Applications Traceability Matrix (SATM), the definition of three different architectural classes that are responsive to the designated science objectives, and a framework to quantitatively link the performance of specific architectures to the SATM.  We will describe the Value Framework that has been developed to assess the value of potential architectures in terms of science return, cost, risk, and technical maturity.  Results highlight the recommendation of satellite-satellite-tracking for the MC observing system, and have identified high value variants as a single in-line pair, dual in-line pairs, and pendulum architectures, which are similar to architectures studied by potential international partners.  The current status of the study process, and future plans will be discussed.</p>


Author(s):  
Anna Maria Tammaro

This paper deals with internationalisation of LIS education and its practical implementation. The author and the initiator of the ‘Bologna Process’ here explains the process herself. While an initial trend of the internationalisation of the Bologna Process is towards the harmonisation of the LIS curricula and the transparency of the minimum requisites, or what is called the core programme, an apparently opposing trend is towards the stimulation of excellence and innovation in the LIS curricula in Europe. The necessary “mutual trust” between Library Schools in Europe can stem from quality assurance systems, which are appropriately compatible and credible, and involves: conceptual definition of LIS: getting the concept of LIS related to quality is to be agreed correctly, including the core and innovation in curriculum, learning and teaching: using the best educational practices for facilitating learning, learning outcomes: ensuring that the student has a role in quality assurance.


Author(s):  
Sven Staender ◽  
Andrew Smith

Quality assurance has its roots in industry and therefore is strongly influenced by concepts from business, hence the reference to the definition of the term ‘quality’ according to the International Standard Organization (ISO), for example. In order to better understand the various concepts of quality assurance, this chapter clarifies concepts such as ‘effectiveness’, ‘efficiency’, ‘patient-centredness’, and ‘equity’. Of major importance in clinical medicine are guidelines, standards, recommendations, and their grade of evidence. Guidelines in particular have the advantage of facilitation of the practice of evidence-based medicine in that they can provide a practically orientated summary of the relevant research literature. Other important tools for quality assurance include ‘plan–do–study–act’ (PDSA) cycles, process mapping, monitoring of outcome indicators, auditing, and peer review. Patient safety is another rather young discipline in academic medicine. Triggered by the landmark publication of To Err is Human by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1999, patient safety gained widespread attention in healthcare. Anaesthesiology as a typical safety discipline was among the first to adopt safety measures such as ‘incident reporting’ or ‘human factors training’ years before the IOM report. Safety is closely related to outcome and therefore mortality, morbidity, as well as adverse events in general have to be considered. In order to improve, safety lessons can be learned from the so-called high-reliability organizations and transferred into clinical practice.


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