ASQ

What does quality have to do with winning Jeopardy!? For Jared Watson, quite a lot.

In June 2023, the senior quality engineering specialist stepped onto the Jeopardy! stage and put quality methods to work, resulting in a three-day championship run. But Watson says the real win wasn’t the final score; it was the process.

Read “The Daily Double on Improvement” in Quality Progress to discover how quality principles helped turn preparation into Jeopardy! success: https://tinyurl.com/MQSJeopardy

This ASQTV episode explores 5S, a workplace organization method that helps create cleaner, safer, and more efficient work environments.

Learn the five pillars of 5S: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain, and discover how the framework reduces waste, improves productivity, and supports continuous improvement across physical and digital workspaces.

https://videos.asq.org/creating-better-workspaces-with-5s

ISO 9001:2026 is here. Are you prepared for the transition? With the new standard now published, the time to understand the changes and plan your next steps is now. ASQ’s live virtual ISO 9001:2026 transition training gives you a focused, half-day opportunity to get up to speed on:

• What’s changed in ISO 9001:2026
• How the revisions may affect organizations and auditors
• What actions to consider as you prepare for the transition

Only three sessions remain in 2026:
- October 16
- November 13
- December 11
8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST

Interest is strong and seats are limited. Register today and make sure you’re ready for what ISO 9001:2026 brings: https://asq.org/training/iso-90012026-Transition-Training

Keep an eye on our website for 2027 ISO 9001:2026 Lead and Internal Auditor Training registration to open later this year!

Fall is here at ASQ HQ!

Wherever you are in the world, a change of season is a great time to check in, take stock and think about what’s next. If your quality efforts had a season, what would they be?

SPRING | We are building something new!
Start with the fundamentals. ASQ Quality 101 covers essential quality principles, the seven basic quality tools, PDCA and improvement teams.
https://asq.org/training/asq-s-quality-101-vq101

SUMMER | Things are running smoothly!
Keep things on track. ASQ Quality Tools offers practical tools and templates to analyze data, understand processes, identify causes and support continuous improvement.
https://asq.org/quality-resources/quality-tools

FALL | It's time for us to assess and improve!
Take a fresh look at the fundamentals. Back to Basics: Essentials First from September's Quality Progress explores how the seven basic quality tools remain essential for problem solving, process improvement and operational excellence.
https://asq.org/quality-progress/articles/back-to-basics-essentials-first?id=4e967bf08021487b81f5b0ecc7bba955

WINTER | We are tackling challenges!
Solve problems at the source. The Root Cause Analysis Specialized Credential builds practical skills for investigating problems, analyzing evidence and identifying root causes that lead to lasting improvement.
https://asq.org/specialized-credentials/root-cause-analysis

Which quality season are you in?

Expand your quality knowledge with ASQ at The QualityShow, October 27–29 in Rosemont, IL.

Visit the ASQ Center (Booth #1605) for 15-minute presentations led by ASQ experts throughout the show. Looking for deeper technical education? The co-located ASQ Measurement Quality Division (MQD) Conference offers tutorials and conference sessions for measurement and quality professionals.

ASQ members receive an exclusive registration offer: Use code JOINASQ for FREE Expo Hall registration or a Quality Show Conference + Expo Pass for just $195.

Register now: https://tinyurl.com/QualityShow26

Still thinking about attending Lean Six Sigma Green Belt in Milwaukee? Now’s the time to register: https://asq.org/training/lean-six-sigma-green-belt-lssgb2025asq

Join ASQ for an instructor-led Lean Six Sigma Green Belt course and build practical skills you can put to work immediately, all while getting the chance to experience Milwaukee beyond the classroom.

📍 Milwaukee, WI
📅 September 28–October 2 AND October 26–30, 2026

Week 1: Learn + Experience Milwaukee
- Build your Lean Six Sigma skills
- Celebrate the end of the week at Milwaukee Oktoberfest
- Explore Southside Dining Week
- Catch live music around the city

Week 2: Learn + Explore Milwaukee
- Continue building your Green Belt expertise
- Catch the Milwaukee Bucks in action
- Take a Third Ward Ghost Walk
- Check out the Halloween Village downtown

Take the next step in your professional development with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. We will see you in Milwaukee!

AI. Digitalization. Automation. The quality landscape is changing fast, but the fundamentals still matter.

The seven basic quality tools remain essential for solving problems, improving processes and driving operational excellence. They provide a common problem-solving language and help teams make better, evidence-based decisions.

In this month’s Quality Progress Back to Basics column, Nikhil Pal explores why these foundational tools continue to be a lifelong investment in quality.

Read “Fundamentals First: Mastering the Seven Quality Tools for Sustained Excellence” here: https://tinyurl.com/btb-essentials-first

Crew members, report to your stations.
Quality Through Time launches November 1st.

ISO 9001:2026 is now available for purchase through ASQ's bookstore: https://asq.org/quality-press/display-item?item=T1696E

The 2026 edition builds on the foundations of ISO 9001 as the gold standard in quality management, refining how the standard is understood and applied.

This edition brings important updates, including:
• Quality culture and ethical behavior
• Clearer separation of risks and opportunities
• Strengthened management of change
• Enhanced explanatory content in Annex A

Get the ASQ/ANSI/ISO 9001:2026 standard through the ASQ bookstore today. Please note, this American National Standard (ANS) available through the ASQ bookstores is an identical adoption of ISO 9001:2026.

At ASQ's 2026 Executive Quality Forum, senior leaders spanning $1.68 trillion in combined organizational value across 8 industries (Aerospace & Defense, Healthcare & Medical, Technology, Food & Beverage, Industrial Manufacturing, Government, and Fire & Life Safety) gathered for a conversation about where quality is headed next.

Want to dig deeper? Download Shaping the Future of Quality, the new Executive Quality Forum report, here: https://members.asq.org/l/995552/2026-08-13/cyj5j