QBOK^® Subsystem: Strategic Identification of Topics

To help facilitate the continual advancement of the body of knowledge on quality, ASQ engages in the strategic identification of emerging topics for research and content development.

About the Process

Purpose: In addition to contributing to the advancement of quality knowledge, the strategic identification of topics helps set the future direction for ASQ content development and unite content-producing groups around common themes.

Key activities:

Scan the landscape to identify new ideas, tools, and concepts that can have an impact on the way people and organizations approach quality improvement
Prioritize emerging topics for exploration and development
Issue calls for research and content development
Assess changes to the QBOK framework of topics

Frequency: Topics are assessed annually

Suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers:

QBOK Future Topics Subsystem

Current Topics of Interest

Here's a look at topics that are gaining in relevance and influence in the quality community in 2016.


Topic	Key resources and starting points
Complexity/complex systems theory	Complexity Theory Simplifies Choices (PDF, open access), QP
Accelerated change/accelerated improvement	Change Ability (open access), QP
Culture of quality	Portfolio summary: resources on culture

Submit a Topic for Consideration

What topics or focus areas does ASQ need to pursue to keep quality knowledge advancing? If you are aware of topics that are newly emerging or gaining new relevance for quality, please email them to knowledgecenter@asq.org

Before completing your submission, you may wish to review the current structure of the Quality Body of Knowledge to see how the topic might fit in.