Quality

An expression of a grade or value of something. An additional descriptor needs to be added because it may mean Basic Quality, Low Quality, Standard Quality, High Quality, or any other interpretation. A quality playing surface might be considered one which is safe; fit for purpose; provides a satisfactory or greater playing experience; has an appropriate carrying capacity and receives satisfactory comments from players.

  Quality Assurance

A process which aims to prevent errors, defects and problems arising in products and services. The outcome should be the consistent maintenance of the desired standards and requirements for a product or service delivery, ensuring customer satisfaction is maintained and expectations continually met, if not exceeded. The focus of quality assurance is on process improvement. The process is a proactive one and will involve a range of stages including planning (for example, who will undertake the QA, when and where it will take place, and what is to be involved), the implementation by monitoring

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  Quality Control

A reactive process that aims to detect defects, errors or problems and either reject a product or prevent a service from falling any further below desired standards and correcting whatever is needed to return the product or service to the desired standard. The process will occur at various stages of production or service delivery to verify compliance, or not. Once an issue had been identified, then as part of a quality management system, steps would be rapidly taken to improve the situation. The focus of quality control is on the physical product or how the service is delivered, as it arises.

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  Quality Function Deployment

A process and set of tools, especially the ‘House of Quality', which can be used to capture the needs and desires of a customer and turn these into a product, with measurable criteria, to best meet those needs.

  Quality Plan

A document that describes the full range of activities and resources used to achieve a desired outcome to a defined standard. Policies, procedures, processes, specifications, performance standards, roles and responsibilities, document control procedures, health and safety requirements, schedules, monitoring activities, defect management, and more can be included within a well described quality plan.

  Quality Product

A product that satisfies a customer’s expectations.

  Quality Standards

Characteristics which identify if a defined level of outcome has been achieved. In the grounds care industry, there is a range of quality standards which can be utilised, including BS7370 for amenity grass surfaces and the industry quality standards of PQS for sports turf situations. The term quality can cover a range of interpretations, from low quality to high quality, although there is an inference that if something is said to be a ‘quality product’ then it is a good product. The use of measurable characteristics will enable a product to be clearly described by the parameters used and this

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  Quality Surface

What is a quality surface? This can have numerous interpretations, but a useful and simple definition is “A surface which adds value”. Obviously, we can then argue what is meant by value, and whose value, but as a general position the definition is quite suitable. What other characteristics can be included to help better define a quality surface? Having a surface that is safe will be important, as will it being to a good standard (although good would need defining). Other characteristics would be a surface that is fit-for-purpose, has a suitable carrying capacity (or sustainable use), and p

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  Rails

A presentational quality performance standard which states that horse racing running rails are within a stated degree of variance from 90 degrees to the upright and also the upright rails are at 90 degrees to the surface.

  Rebound Bounce

The distance that a ball dropped from a predetermined height, bounces back upwards after hitting the ground. The measurement of rebound bounce is usually given as a percentage, or a measurement in centimetres if the drop height is explicitly stated, such as using a 2-metre drop height. Another formal test measures the time difference of a sound wave from the ball first hitting the ground to when it falls back and hits the ground a second time. The time recorded is then used within a formula to determine height of the rebound bounce height. This is also referred to as Ball Bounce or Rebound Bounce Resilience.