Keys to Quality: The Relevance of Reliability M Contents 1 Reliable Technology Makes a Difference 7 Quality Counts: A Look Inside 4 The Keys to Quality 16 Get Reliable, Get Happy Reliable Techology Makes a Difference 1 Reliable Techology Makes a Difference 9:00 a.m. As Sue sits in the airport waiting for her fl ight to Chicago, she pulls out her cell phone to make a quick call. Just as the phone starts to ring, an unruly child slams into her suitcase, knocking her leg and bumping the phone out of her hand. Sue fumbles for the phone, but it drops onto the fl oor, breaking into countless pieces. Shocked by how easily the phone shatters, she frantically wonders what to do next, since all her contact numbers were stored in the phone. Technology has become mainstream: Grandfathers are e-mailing grandkids; moms are using portable devices to keep track of soccer practice; professionals are tapping into work from the road. In fact, more people worldwide own both a mobile phone and a computer than own a credit card.1 People are relying on technology products — from computers and cell phones to handheld devices — for their daily activities as much as they do a car or microwave. The only difference is that when they turn the key in the ignition or reheat leftovers, they don’t even think about whether the product will work. The same isn’t always true for technology devices — but it should be. 1 Vin Crosbie, DigitalDeliverance.com, Dec. 3, 2002 2 Reliable Technology Makes a Difference Not only do most people use technology products every day, but they rely so heavily on these devices that they can barely function without them. All communication ends if their cell phone breaks. All computing stops if their keyboard stops working. Many offices will close if their server is down. Did you know? A recent survey found nearly one-quarter of American employees have had to leave work because their office equipment broke down.2 Because few people have time to worry about whether their devices will work, considering a product’s reliability and quality is paramount when making purchasing decisions. Reliable devices keep consumers connected with little to no hassle. In addition, product reliability directly affects businesses’ return on investment (ROI); unreliable products mean support costs and wasted time that drain ROI, while reliable products increase productivity, which boosts ROI. 2 InsightExpress, January 2005 (commissioned by Microsoft) 4 The Keys to Quality The Keys to Quality 12:57 p.m. Her heart was racing and she hadn’t had time to look in a mirror all morning, but at least Karen had fi nished the presentation in time to print it before the conference, thanks to an all-nighter at the offi ce. Two weeks of 10-hour days, fast food, and a neglected dog culminated in a presentation due in three minutes. And then it happened. “Printer error 113. Lift console and press Help.” 12:59 p.m. and the clients were waiting in the conference room. For many companies, at least some level of attention is given to quality control. It generally holds true that the more rigorous the testing, the more reliable the product. Still, most people are unaware of the reliability testing process behind product development, especially when it comes to technology. Technology companies that place high importance on quality design test their products for reliability, compatibility and functionality. Each part of the device and the device itself are tested — in the environments in which the device will be used (e.g., in an offi ce, in a home or on the road) and for the length of time it will be used — to ensure it continues to work for a long time. What Is Quality? Quality is . .3 • Based on customers’ perceptions of a product’s design and how well the design matches the original specifi cations. • The ability of a product or service to satisfy stated or implied needs. • Achieved by conforming to established requirements within an organization. 3 American Society for Quality, 2004 Quality Counts: A Look Inside 7 Quality Counts: A Look Inside 8:34 p.m. “I’ve already written this twice!” Sitting frustrated at the computer in his bedroom, Mark began to rewrite a message to his parents back home. They’d been clamoring for a week to see pictures of their new grandson, and Mark had fi nally found time to send an e-mail with hospital photos. As the keyboard froze yet again, Mark lowered his head into his hands and caught a glimpse of his favorite plastic Knicks cup, which he’d knocked over a few days earlier, spilling water all over his desktop. As he typed, “I’ve already written this three times,” his love for the cup began to fade. When people buy a product — whether it’s a cell phone, remote or mouse — they expect it to work, and to work for a long time. Microsoft Corp. recognizes this expectation and works hard to deliver high-quality hardware products that work in any imaginable scenario for as long as necessary. The company employs a unique approach to reliability testing, based on industry standards as well as its own proprietary criteria, which are devoted to and modeled on customer experiences. This approach ensures that customers can take comfort in Microsoft quality for better ways to access information and entertainment, at home, in the offi ce and on the go. 8 Quality Counts: A Look Inside Did you know? A recent survey found that more than 80 percent of people polled think their mouse and keyboard are important factors in their ability to be productive at work or home.4 In the same survey, among four companies that develop peripheral devices, nearly two-thirds of respondents said they associate Microsoft® products with reliability and quality. More than 10 years ago the Microsoft Hardware group hired its first testing engineer. Since then, the reliability engineering group has been responsible for analyzing reliability-related issues as well as driving design verification and product qualification. The team has a strong engineering background and industry experience; its core members have post-graduate degrees in the areas of reliability and electronic packaging. 4 InsightExpress, January 2005 (commissioned by Microsoft) Quality Counts: A Look Inside 9 “ At the core of most every buying decision, people expect their devices to do one thing: work. We continually look for ways to exceed that expectation, often creating new tests to ensure our products work in any environment, under any stress, for as long as they are needed.” Pavan Davuluri, Reliability and Component Lead, Microsoft Hardware Microsoft Hardware implements a holistic approach to product reliability testing. Unlike some other peripheral manufacturers, at Microsoft test engineers are part of product development from the beginning of the process, rather than just at the end. Their goal is to design quality and robustness into the products they build. They plan and manage mechanical and environmental tests for all product parts and the overall product to verify that the design is solid and mechanisms are durable. 10 Quality Counts: A Look Inside Reliability Engineering in Microsoft Hardware Development Initial product Product development Product testing Finished product prototype/design > DESIG > N D > L > E I A F N > Risk analyses A > L Y T S S I E S T > > Identify design/ Numerical analysis Modifi cations Customer application inadequacies of design to design feedback In addition to standard physical lab tests, the Microsoft Hardware reliability engineers use advanced computer-aided engineering (CAE) simulation to perform virtual tests and understand product performance in specifi c user scenarios even before product prototypes are available. During the early design phase, using the computer simulation tool, they can identify design weaknesses and make corrections before a model is even created. This early testing enables designers to create better products in less time. Quality Counts: A Look Inside 11 The near-final products are subjected to 24 tests that impose excessive physical, chemical, mechanical and other environmental stresses, including temperature, humidity, chemical, mechanical wear, vibration and shock. Did you know? The Industrial Age was easing into its second century when a young engineer named Walter A. Shewhart altered the course of industrial history. Shewhart successfully brought together the disciplines of statistics, engineering and economics, and became known as the father of modern quality control.5 The Microsoft Hardware group puts each of its mice and keyboards through rigorous reliability testing in labs and at many production facilities worldwide to help ensure the products can withstand years of everyday use. Using principles of accelerated testing and wear throughout a couple of weeks of testing, the group can establish long-term durability. Microsoft Hardware lab-approved products follow the lab’s Keys to Quality, to help ensure products are reliable and durable. 5 American Society for Quality, “Walter A. Shewhart,” (http://www.asq.org/join/about/history/shewhart.html) 12 Quality Counts: A Look Inside Keys to Quality Microsoft pays close attention to customer tests that show how products are used, where they are used and how often they are used. For example, Microsoft’s mice and keyboards are rigorously tested to ensure reliability in some of the harshest conditions: those found in the modern home and office building. Included in the process are the following: 1 Type Test Each keyboard product is required to pass millions of cycles of key pressing — more typing than any person does in a lifetime — while maintaining superior performance. 2 Button Test Every mouse must withstand millions of cycles of button actuations and hundreds of thousands of scroll-wheel rotations.