Total Quality Management (TQM) is a customer-led process improvement technique that, like Kaizen, carries a focus on continuous improvement.

TQM relies heavily on data and performance metrics to make decisions about change. It focuses on customer outcomes as the end goal, and involves asking and answering the question: How will this modification affect the end user’s experience of our product?

What sets TQM apart from other process improvement methods is that it takes a company-wide approach. In the case of a manufacturer, TQM looks at all aspects of the organisation (not just production) to create a more business-centric approach.

TQM also distinguishes itself from Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing because its primary purpose is to optimise processes and reduce inefficiencies, rather than minimising waste and preventing defects.