What is Quality?

When we say something is “high-quality”, what do we mean, really?

For some, it’s a clear set of metrics by which a product or service fulfills its intended purpose and meets or exceeds expectations. For others, it’s a bit more ineffable than that: something that puts a smile on your face every time you use or experience it, something that makes you feel good that you chose it, something that makes you feel good about yourself.

Quality is all of the above. It’s tangible and intangible; it’s real and perceived; it’s objective and subjective. And none of those attribute pairs are mutually exclusive. Sometimes they build upon each other, sometimes they might even cancel each other out, and sometimes one type of attribute may completely dominate the other, which leads to things being “overrated” or “underrated”. But we digress…

Tangible vs. Intangible Quality

Tangible quality includes physically measurable attributes and/or concrete features that can be directly observed or quantified, usually using standardized techniques. Common real-world examples include weight, size, speed, durability, and chemical composition.

Intangible quality encompasses abstract attributes that can’t be physically measured, and/or experiential or conceptual aspects, i.e., things you have to “feel”. Common examples include: user satisfaction, brand reputation, aesthetic appeal, and emotional resonance.

Subjective vs. Objective Quality

Subjective quality is based on personal opinions, tastes, or experiences and can vary from person to person. For example: the comfort of a chair, the taste of food, the level of enjoyment of a song, a play, or a movie.

Objective quality is based on factual, measurable criteria, and is generally consistent across different observers. A lot of commonly used products (typically bestselling ones) fall into this category. Example criteria include: energy efficiency rating, processing speed, and nutritional content.

Real vs. Perceived Quality

Real quality is the inherent value of a product or service. Based on tangible features and objective measures, it may require expertise or testing to fully assess, but can be regarded as more robust and repeatable across more conditions. Scientific facts & figures for vehicles, buildings, and devices fall squarely in this category.

Perceived quality is how the value of something is interpreted or understood. A classic case of “in the eye of the beholder”, if you will. Often influenced by marketing, personal expectations, and context, perceived quality may not always align with real quality, which can be a very good or very bad thing depending on your viewpoint. Luxury brands are past masters in perceived quality, and on a very different note, so are placebos in medical research.

General Implications

There are multiple takeaways from all of the above:

• While tangible, objective, and real qualities can often be measured directly, intangible, subjective, and perceived qualities require more nuanced assessment methods.
• Companies often focus on enhancing perceived quality through intangible and subjective aspects, even when real, tangible, and objective quality remains unchanged.
• Purchases are frequently based on a mix of real and perceived quality, with subjective and intangible factors playing a significant role.
• Organizations must balance improving real, tangible, and objective quality with managing perceived, intangible, and subjective quality aspects.
• Perceived quality and the importance of various subjective factors can vary significantly across different cultures and markets.
• As technology and society progress, the balance between these different aspects of quality continues to shift, requiring ongoing adaptation from businesses and consumers alike.

What this means for Personal Injury Lawyers

PI lawyers have a pretty good sense of what a high-quality work product output looks like when it comes from them, along all three of the attribute pairs discussed. It’s important to keep the same sense in mind for the inputs into their work product, including deposition summaries, chronologies, and more. Some examples that help in assessing quality include:
1. Time savings: Would a given product or service save the attorney the most valuable asset of all — time? This is a largely objective measure.
2. Higher win probability: Does a given offering increase the probability of the PI lawyer meeting their own quality metrics, i.e., winning the case, increasing the settlement size, etc.? This is partially objective and partially subjective.
3. Engendering trust: Does a given offering feel “well put together”? Does it make you feel like it’s got your back? Would you grant it the privilege of more of your time and attention? This is quite subjective.

Ultimately, everyone’s quality equation varies somewhat; if it didn’t, we’d all be clones of one another, consuming the same things without exception. That said, there are some products and services that should be high on everyone’s list of what is considered “high quality”. At Threadeo, we’re committed to making sure that every aspect of what we do — our products, our support, and your experience with us — is unquestionably high quality.

Email us at hello@threadeo.com and we’ll be happy to share more.

Have a high-quality day.