Having got my CEO on board with our transition to TS 16949 I have got stuck on how to build resource management into our processes.

I am also unsure as to how to advise him on the best way to link the company's strategic plan to our QMS.

Can anyone help?

Nette

Having got my CEO on board with our transition to TS 16949 I have got stuck on how to build resource management into our processes.

I am also unsure as to how to advise him on the best way to link the company's strategic plan to our QMS.

Can anyone help?

Nette

Welcome to the Cove, Nette:bigwave:

Congratulations on having gotten your CEO "on board." I'm always a little dismayed when I hear that executives must be coaxed into doing things that should have been their ideas to begin with, but I feel your pain.

Why not start by telling a little more about your operation, what you mean by "resource management," and if there's anything in particular about the strategic plan that makes it difficult to link it with the QMS. In general, I can tell you that you should start from the top and go down; start with the overarching business plan and build the QMS from there. It's a lot easier than doing it the other way around, IMO.

Welcome to the Cove, Nette:bigwave:

Congratulations on having gotten your CEO "on board." I'm always a little dismayed when I hear that executives must be coaxed into doing things that should have been their ideas to begin with, but I feel your pain.

Why not start by telling a little more about your operation, what you mean by "resource management," and if there's anything in particular about the strategic plan that makes it difficult to link it with the QMS. In general, I can tell you that you should start from the top and go down; start with the overarching business plan and build the QMS from there. It's a lot easier than doing it the other way around, IMO.

Just to clarify the earlier response; I understand you're referring to Resource Management in the 16949 context, but if you could explain a bit more about the difficulty you're have integrating it into the QMS we could offer more directed help.:D

Hi :bigwave:

We are an injection moulding company that makes a combination of interior and exterior parts for the automotive industry.

By resource management I mean section 6.1 Provision of resources. Like a great many of company's that were effected by the demise of Rover last year we have had to down size in order to bring the business inline with our sales. As a result we don't have as many people as before (everyone doing 3 jobs kind of thing). As a result anything above and beyond day to day job has to be assessed and different people are asigned each time depending on current work load and skills. Basically I need to make sure that there is a process in place that ensures they look at what people are needed and then do something about it.

I am not sure what our company's strategic plan is but I do take on board your comments that we should make sure our QMS supports our plan rather than the plan supporting the QMS.

Nette

PS This forum is great! It is really good to be able to "talk" to people who know what I am going through.

Hi :bigwave:

We are an injection moulding company that makes a combination of interior and exterior parts for the automotive industry.

I once worked for a molding house that did interior automotive components.

By resource management I mean section 6.1 Provision of resources. Like a great many of company's that were effected by the demise of Rover last year we have had to down size in order to bring the business inline with our sales. As a result we don't have as many people as before (everyone doing 3 jobs kind of thing). As a result anything above and beyond day to day job has to be assessed and different people are asigned each time depending on current work load and skills. Basically I need to make sure that there is a process in place that ensures they look at what people are needed and then do something about it.

Sounds like maybe the downsizing went a little too far :nope: . That's fairly common these days, though. Use the standard as your guide. It has some fairly simple statements about adequate provision of resources, training and competence, etc. Perhaps to get your CEO ever further on board (sounds like he might still have one foot on the dock :D ) you might want to consider a gap analysis--a determination of the current state of things with regard to resources, and what you'll need to be able to comply with the standard (and not work people to death).

I am not sure what our company's strategic plan is but I do take on board your comments that we should make sure our QMS supports our plan rather than the plan supporting the QMS.

It might be a good idea, if you can, to take it up directly with the CEO. Explain the issue--that you have to make sure that the QMS will feed the Big Plan, and that you'll need his help to make it work. If you don't know the details of the plan--what the company's important objectives are--you have no way of supporting them.

PS This forum is great! It is really good to be able to "talk" to people who know what I am going through.

Yes, it's part of the glory of the Cove. You'll find lots of helpful experience people here who are glad to help.

On certain days it definately feels like we have not enough people.

I know this may be a stupid question but how do you carryout a gap analysis?

I think the CEO will get further on board as he has asked me to find out more on these two items. He has also sat down and determined the process he wishes to follow with regard to monitoring the QMS and what to do if it isn't working.

Are you still in the automotive industry?

Nette

I know this may be a stupid question but how do you carryout a gap analysis?

Not a stupid question at all. Basically, a gap analysis is an audit of your current system or practices against the standard you're hoping to adopt. Because 16949 is process-based, you should do it by process (in this case, provision of resources). Compare what the standard expects against what you actually do now. If you search the Cove (click on the Search button on the blue bar above) for "gap analysis" (no quotes) you'll find a lot of information.


Are you still in the automotive industry?
Nette

Yes, sort of. I work for a large motor vehicle OEM, and the vehicles have two wheels, but not what you would call mainstream automotive. I don't share the particulars here because I don't want anything I say interpreted as being representative of the company.

Thanks for that. :thanx: I have done the search and it has answered a lot of questions.

I now feel ready to go back to my CEO.

Sorry didn't mean to be nosy in asking you questions about where you worked. I understand you can only give limited information.

Once again thanks for your input.

Nette

Thanks for that. :thanx: I have done the search and it has answered a lot of questions.

I now feel ready to go back to my CEO.

Sorry didn't mean to be nosy in asking you questions about where you worked. I understand you can only give limited information.

Once again thanks for your input.

Nette

Glad we were able to help. Feel free to ask questions as you go along. I didn't consider the question nosy at all; I just wanted to explain why I wasn't providing more information.

Having got my CEO on board with our transition to TS 16949 I have got stuck on how to build resource management into our processes.

I am also unsure as to how to advise him on the best way to link the company's strategic plan to our QMS.

Can anyone help?

Nette


To evaluate the effectiveness of any process, and to improve it, requires that the process owners consider what level of staffing, equipment and funding is needed to achieve the planned results. To increase the throughput of a process, may need an increase in resources.

In your case, to decrease it also requires a thoughtful consideration of how much is needed to bring it in line with current realities. Too much is wasteful, but too little could destroy it even more.

That is why managing a process effectively is difficult.

Hi Nette

I am going to look at this from the business point of view for I believed that once the business is stabilized, the rest should fall into place.

You are in a crisis and crisis situations call for radical solutions and actions. Perhaps this is the best chance to prove that your QMS can act as a strategic tool.

Having access to the CEO is good and if I were you, the first thing I'll do is to volunteer to be part of the 'crisis action team'. Life at the top is lonely (JSW05) and this is the time your CEO needs company most.

Two things are citical - Marketing (and I am guessing that your CEO plays a part here) and production. Marketing is going to face tremendous problems getting new sales and keeping existing customers as the marketing may be wondering if your company is going to survive. And you need to do a **** of a lot of PR/communication to convince people that you are not only surviving but pressing ahead with your transition to TS inorder to serve them even better.

You have now position your QMS to be in a key role in this survival or turnaround game. Work your guts out to support all marketing efforts (income for company) and if you survive the crisis, everybody is going to recognise the part you and your QMS plays.

With regards to resources, you should be able to plan well having benefit of first hand information even though the situation is so fluid or dynamic. Short term planning with frequent reviews should help. Don't worry to much about upcoming audits for most auditors do interpret the 'bible' vis-a-vis the situation of the market you are in.

Best wishes to you and your company.