First Steps

Start your quality journey on the right foot.

Basic Concepts – Concise explanations of some of the bedrock principles of quality.

Glossary – A handy guide to terms unique to quality.

The First Tools to Master – Sometimes called the Essential Seven or the Old Seven, these are the first quality tools to learn.

The First Books on Quality to Read – These will provide you with a solid foundation for your quality education.

The First Case Studies to Read – ASQ offers an extensive collection of case studies, which provide real-world examples of people using quality to improve their work in many different fields and businesses. We've picked a couple to get you started. All of our case studies are available in the easy-to-use, easy-to-share PDF format. (Note: You may need to submit an email address and pick a password to access the PDFs. Don't worry, ASQ values your privacy.)

Basic Training in Quality – Whether you prefer in-class training or electronic courses delivered via your computer, ASQ has your first training needs covered.

A Brief History of Quality – A five-minute read that takes you from the formation of craft guilds in the 13th century to the latest 21st-century quality tools and concepts.