With the start of a new year, it’s common to start planning for the next few months. You are certainly already thinking about what to do to optimize your company’s operation in 2025 – and then it is normal for questions to arise. That’s why we’ve prepared a list of the main trends and quality management tools that you and your team need to know about.
Keep reading and see how the quality sector should increasingly adopt the use of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, cloud solutions and many other technologies. Also, see how to choose the best quality management solution for 2025 by comparing the main options on the market.
See also: Quality Management toolkit templates
7 trends that will drive quality management systems in 2025
As technology evolves on several fronts, it starts to be used even more prominently in the Quality sector). For 2025, the main novelty – which is not that new – is the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), but it doesn’t stop there.
In addition to this type of tool, more solutions promise to be present in the daily life of every professional in the area. The implementation of the Internet of Things, the use of Virtual Reality equipment and even a simple (but not easy) change of mindset to have a greater focus on the customer will help companies get ahead of the competition in 2025.
Below you know seven tips for tools, technologies and strategies that should be part of your arsenal next year.
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
A McKinsey survey shows that 40% of organizations plan to increase their investments in AI due to advances in generative AI. In other words: if until recently AI was just a futuristic and unknown technology, now it has become a great ally for those looking to add efficiency, agility, and autonomy to their operation.
The so-called Quality 4.0 integrates machine learning and other technologies (which you will learn more about later) to provide:
- Automatic identification of risks according to the characteristics of a process;
- Understanding the context and directing problems to the most appropriate treatment flow, as well as suggesting corrective actions.
- Advanced, real-time data analysis;
- A proactive approach to quality management;
- Continuous monitoring of your processes;
- Automated identification of potential problems before they impact your corporation.
2. Internet of Things (IoT)
For this AI performance to truly build a Quality 4.0 mindset in your company, it is also necessary to use the Internet of Things (IoT). This technology allows, in short, several devices to connect and, thus, transmit and access relevant information.
IoT-enabled quality control systems can use this data and advanced analytics to monitor production in real time, identify potential quality issues, and provide feedback so that corrective action can be taken.
With this data and advanced analytics, you can perform predictive maintenance. Thus, you can predict when a machine is likely to fail and take preventive measures, for example.
In addition, IoT also helps in quality control in manufacturing. This technology helps ensure that products meet the required standards and specifications (whether internal to the company itself or from regulatory agencies).
With it, you can, for example, connect the machinery of the manufacturing sector to your Quality Management System (QMS). In this way, IoT-enabled quality control can significantly improve product quality.
By monitoring production in real-time, companies can identify and fix quality issues before they become more significant, reducing the risk of defective products and non-conformances and saving money on recalls or repairs.
In addition, IoT can also help manufacturers reduce production costs, as it avoids waste and optimizes the production of products/services.
In other words, with this quality management tool, you can:
- Collect data in real-time, ensuring uniform product quality;
- Improve operational efficiency;
- Reduce downtime and eventual failures/errors in equipment;
- Increase quality control;
- Improve product safety and reduce manufacturing costs.
3. Customer-Centric Quality Management
As has already been happening this year, in 2025 the culture of putting the customer at the center of everything will be very strong. In the area of Quality, this is called Customer-Centric Quality Management.
The key differentiator of Customer-Centric Quality Management is to go beyond checking products or services for defects, and also listening to what customers want and need.
This philosophy considers the behavior, preferences and pains of consumers to develop the practices, routines and strategies that encompass the company’s Quality.
To do this, organizations will invest in tools such as AI to analyze customer feedback, behavior, and expectations. With this information, it is possible to make personalized offers, ensure that products/services are aligned with the needs of the clientele, and make improvements before problems arise.
The main benefits of this type of quality management strategy are:
- Actively address customer concerns and exceed expectations;
- Build stronger loyalty and foster long-term relationships with consumers;
- Increase brand reputation and attract new customers;
- Make data-driven decisions, using customer feedback to develop products, strategies, and quality improvement initiatives;
- Drive innovation by creating innovative solutions that address real customer challenges.
Free Ebook: Everything You Need to Know to Implement a Quality Management System
4. VR and AR in audits and training
So-called immersive technologies are not only present in video games – they are also part of the corporate world. As quality management tools, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) revolutionize employee training and equipment inspection, improving efficiency and reducing errors.
Through immersive simulations, it is possible to practice complex scenarios in a risk-free and fully controlled environment. This provides the improvement of skills and understanding of new patterns, tools, and routines without impacting the operation. This type of feature is especially useful in high-risk industries such as manufacturing and healthcare.
AR tools allow quality inspectors to use real-time overlays of specifications and diagnostics. This simplifies inspections and ensures greater accuracy. For this very reason, quality audits will expand in 2025, reducing costs and improving the efficiency of this process.
By using VR and AR in enterprise quality management, you can:
- Do immersive training in a safe virtual environment before applying it in the real world;
- Perform predictive maintenance with AR sensors and devices to monitor equipment in real-time;
- Enhance quality control with technologies that help identify defects and ensure quality standards are maintained;
- Optimize production processes with detailed and interactive visualization of workflows;
- Increase employee engagement by making training and work more engaging and modern.
5. Big Data Analytics
Along with AI, the use of Big Data Analytics will also optimize operations and provide more and more valuable insights. This quality management tool allows you to extract actionable insights from large data sets.
By 2025, organizations will use this type of capability to proactively identify risks, optimize workflows, and predict quality outcomes with greater accuracy. This technology will be especially valuable for companies in the food and beverage industry.
The analysis of large volumes of data with the help of artificial intelligence and natural language processing allows:
- Improve food safety by identifying and preventing possible contamination in inputs and products;
- Boost the traceability of food products and identify possible sources of contamination.
6. Quality management systems with cloud operation
By 2025, 85% of organizations will adopt a cloud-focused approachhttps://blog.softexpert.com/pt-br/vantagens-da-computacao-em-nuvem/, according to Gartner. In the case of quality management software, this represents a gain in agility, safety, and savings.
Especially when used in the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, your quality management system is hosted and managed by the service provider. He is the one who takes care of updates, maintenance and patches for the server, which makes everything easier, faster and more economical.
This way you and your team have more time and energy to focus on the activities that really matter to the Quality sector, thus being able to implement the other trends you have seen here. In other words: cloud technology acts as the pillar of support for all the others.
Free Ebook: The Ultimate Guide to Cloud Computing
7. Zero waste and circular economy
Finally, a trend in Quality management for 2025 will be to reduce as much as possible all waste of resources as well as the waste produced in the manufacturing process.
To do this, promote sustainable practices and optimize your operation to the maximum. Another tip is to create zero-waste initiatives and circular economy practices through tools that identify resource inefficiencies. Thus, it is possible to eliminate waste, optimize energy use and design products for reuse and recycling of inputs.
Quality management tools: how to choose?
After discovering what are the main trends that will guide quality management in the year 2025, it is also necessary to know how to choose the best tools to put all this into practice.
Of course, the choice for a certain solution will depend mainly on your needs and your company’s infrastructure, however, there are good practices that help you choose the most complete tool in most situations.
Compatibility with other systems, data security, flexibility of use, and user support are some of the features that deserve your attention. Below you can find more tips for choosing the best quality management tools in 2025!
Define your specific needs
The first step to knowing what tools you need and, in addition, how to use them is exactly to understand what your needs, pains, and expectations are.
To do this, identify which points you want to solve and the goals you want to achieve with the tool/system you are thinking of using. For example, if your need is to manage documents in an integrated way, facilitating access control and sharing, then you should look for an ECM solution that operates in the cloud and thus provides these resources.
Evaluate ease of use
However, it is not enough to just know what you need and identify a quality management tool that has the resources to meet this need. It is also vital to know if, in practice, you (and the rest of your team) will be able to use the solution easily.
The tool should be intuitive and easy to use for everyone who needs it. Therefore, carry out tests, do market research and try to clear up all your doubts about the daily use of the solution before hiring it.
Check compatibility with existing systems
Also, pay attention to the flexibility of using the tool you are thinking of using. Make sure it can be integrated with the systems and processes already in use in your company.
Not only does this avoid compatibility issues and rework, but it also has the potential to maximize the benefits of the new solution. That is, you can start using more than one solution in a connected way, thus being able to interconnect tasks or even centralize everything in a single application.
Consider scalability
In addition to compatibility, also evaluate whether the tool can grow along with your company, supporting an increase in the volume of data, users, and demands.
That way you have peace of mind that the solution will be able to be useful as your operation grows in size and complexity. Remember that this is an important point, especially when evaluating suppliers with lower costs and short time in the market, which tend not to support this necessary scalability.
Evaluate analytics and reporting tools
You’ve seen that Big Data Analytics is a strong trend for 2025. Therefore, prioritize tools and software that have robust data analysis and reporting capabilities.
Remember that it’s not enough to just store large volumes of data; it’s also important to have secure and easy ways to access that content, and mechanisms that make it possible to turn data into valuable information. This allows you to make more strategic decisions by analyzing truly useful reports.
Research support and training
No matter how good a tool is and how naturally it integrates into your company’s ecosystem, problems will happen. This is natural, so it is essential to know the company’s ability to help you and your team solve these issues.
When hiring a solution, research if it has good customer support and, even better, if it has training options for users. Another positive differential is having a way to add new resources and extra training – as happens, for example, in the SoftExpert Store.
Ensure data security
In addition to support during use, another essential factor when researching quality tool options is security – both of the tool itself and of the data stored in it.
Make sure the solution you choose has adequate security measures in place to protect your business and your customers. Protection against attacks, data leaks, and improper access are some of the vital features.
Attention to legal compliance
Those who work with quality know how essential compliance is. Being within the most diverse rules and legislation that apply to an industry not only avoids legal sanctions, but also helps protect customers and creates a positive reputation for the company.
Therefore, only use a quality management tool that can be customized to meet your company’s specific compliance needs. For example, make sure that the solution is compliant with standards and regulations such as ISO 9001 (which will be updated in 2026), LGPD, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, ISO 27001, and many others.
Read reviews and request demos
Finally, a tip that applies to any purchase: listen to those who already use what you are thinking of buying. Consult reviews from other users, talk to other professionals in the field and ask for their opinion, and make demonstrations to evaluate the tool in action.
The more information and context you have, the greater the chances of making a good choice.
What is the best quality management system for 2025?
Now you know what the quality management trends will be next year and know the golden tips to hire exactly the solution that best suits your needs.
However, what type of system to choose when there are so many options on the market? The secret here, as you have seen, is to consider the specifics of your company and the sector in which it operates.
And to make this task even easier, we have made a comparison with the main solutions on the market. Check out the strengths and weaknesses of the systems that are a reference in quality management below and choose the ideal one for your company.
Conclusion
As we move into the year 2025, the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and big data analytics will continue to transform quality management.
These tools not only increase efficiency and accuracy but also allow for a more proactive and customer-centric approach. Companies that adopt these technologies will be better prepared to anticipate problems, optimize processes, and offer products and services that exceed customer expectations.
In addition, sustainability will become a central pillar in quality management. Zero-waste initiatives and circular economy practices will be essential to meeting consumer demands and environmental regulations. Organizations that embrace these trends and tools will be prepared to lead in an increasingly competitive and conscious market.
And to maximize the benefits of these trends, you need to rely on the best solution on the market. And as you have seen from the chart above, SoftExpert will help your company implement new technologies and methodologies and make this process much easier, automated and more efficient.
Looking for more efficiency and compliance in your operations? Our experts can help identify the best strategies for your company with SoftExpert solutions. !
