All of the various statements of Quality can be classified into three Quality categories, Q1, Q2 and Q3, which are pertinent to three main corporate activities as outlined below. Several Quality statements from the previous list are categorized here as examples:

The Q1 category statements are value-based definitions, Mission Statements, State of mind concepts, proverbs, platitudes, etc.:

• "Do it right the first time." (Price, 1985)
• "The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to meet a stated or implied need." (ISO 8402 3.1, 1986)
• Quality engenders trust.
• "Pride in workmanship" (W. Edward Deming)

This category is actually half-reality based and half feel-good. The reality is that serious Mission Statements from which corporate guidelines are generated and employees are stimulated to perform can include these definitions (see: "CONGRUENT CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTS... Exercising Mission through the working environment", Ms. Melissa Grimes, June 1999). The feel-good half is that some of these definitions are too abstract and are very difficult to relate to tangible concepts.

The Q2 category statements comprise customer and market-based definitions, fitness for use and need and attitude satisfaction concepts:

• "…those product features which meet the needs of customers and thereby provide product satisfaction." or "freedom from deficiencies." or "fitness for use" (Dr. J. Juran, 1988)
• "Quality should be defined as surpassing customer needs and expectations throughout the life of the product." (Howard Gitlow and Shelly Gitlow)
• "A Company quality plan must include those of its customers'; if it doesn't - it's useless."

This category contains all those definitions, which can be mapped into real user and market measures, with which to 'validate' that the correct product is designed.