Quality Journeys – University of Minho
On February 19, 2025, NIT-NITextile participated in a great knowledge sharing event organized by students of the Master’s Degree in Engineering and Quality Management at the University of Minho, the Jornadas da Qualidade.
With key insights into the role of quality in an ever-changing world, this event explored topics such as digitalization, leadership, sustainability and traceability in different sectors.
1. Reflections from the Quality Journeys
✅ Digitalization in the quality process: Companies such as Leica Portugal, ISQ and CITIN have demonstrated how the adoption of new technologies is essential to detect errors and anticipate failures.
✅ Leadership and training: Continuous training is essential for making agile and effective decisions in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world, without compromising quality.
✅ Continuous improvement as a strategy: Real cases from Vinco Valves and Grupo ADA demonstrated how constant optimization increases organizational excellence.
✅ Communicate with the same language and share knowledge: A common language and the sharing of knowledge between sectors, companies and partners are vital for the evolution of quality.
2. Trends and challenges: Digitalization, Sustainability and Traceability
✔️ Digitalization: Process optimization, automation, use of collaborative robots and support for data-based decision making are fundamental to excellence in quality. Real-time analytics and collaborative AI are essential for detecting failures and making agile decisions.
✔️ Sustainability: The circular economy and operational efficiency must be integrated into business strategies to ensure competitiveness.
✔️ Traceability: Transparency and regulatory compliance are essential, especially in critical sectors.
✔️ Physical, cognitive and organizational responsiveness: Quickly adapting processes and teams to new challenges improves resilience and efficiency.
✔️ Knowledge transfer and retention: Strategies for maintaining knowledge within teams are crucial to ensuring continuous innovation.
✔️ Data and stock management: Improve the efficiency and sustainability of the organization through integrated solutions.
✔️ Emotional leadership and resilience: Inspire and captivate employees to maintain commitment and face uncertainties with strategic and operational vision.
✔️ Networking: Continuous sharing between sectors and partners strengthens ties and the exchange of good quality practices.
3. Changing Challenges
💡 Quality and Digitalization: The impact of AI, IoT and automation on quality was discussed. The challenges of the digital transition and how to overcome them with continuous innovation were also shared.
🌟 Leadership in Times of Change: The importance of strategic leadership in times of change and how to inspire teams to maintain high quality standards was highlighted.
🎯 The Future of Quality: Future trends such as ESG, circular economy, innovation in sustainability and the importance of a holistic and systemic vision were explored.
The Quality Journeys initiative provided a holistic and in-depth view of the role of quality in the present and future. Digital transformation, leadership and sustainability are the pillars that shape quality in modern organizations.
💡 Find at NIT – NITextile an excellent partner to enhance quality management in your organization!