Professional recognition and respect through quality--Reilly

Reilly, Annette. 1993. Professional recognition and respect through quality. Technical Communication. 40(2): 231-33.

Here are some questions we bring to the study of quality:

• What features characterize the quality of documentation? (Are there field marks for quality like those that distinguish a scarlet tanager or a Baltimore oriole?) 
• How can we measure quality in communication? Are there objective standards? 
• How are quality communications produced? Is there a standard process? 

How we answer these questions depends on where we expect to find and improve quality:

• In the product 
• In the process 
• In the users' perceptions 
• In the professional communicators 

While the ISO 9000 approach is appropriate for standardized production processes, it may prove unworkable in markets with rapidly changing products, technology insertions, and frequent product obsolescence. These components are mutually exclusive.