The Quality Manual (please keep this document simple and user-friendly)

Stijloor.

As a new Quality Manager I am having some trouble understanding this concept.

I was taught ISO 9001 by auditors, and they prefer the 'regurgitation' of the standard format for a QSM.

And honestly, i can't think of another way to be compliant unless i have a procedure that covers every clause in the standard.

I understand the thought process behind keeping a QSM user-friendly: accesibility to non-QA types, a document that is actually usefull to a company, etc.

But really, how do we insure compliance with ISO without covering every topic. and it is un-feasable to cover every subsection with a seperate QP.

Especially for someone in my position in that the management wants a simple QSM that everyone can understand ("what does this mean in english?"), and at the same time something that we can send out (uncontrolled) to prospective clients with what he likes to call "thump factor" ( a large document 50+ pages.)

So the question i ask everyone who preferes a short and simple QSM that is readily understandable to every employee, and likes to post to the nubies about making a QSM that is simple (KISS).....................how?


Also, i would like to thank the poster of the Road Map. I was looking for the perfect way to visually explain the process to non-QA types. The road map is wonderful.

One of the reasons I don't like to write procedures around each clause of the standard is that you end up with a system that looks like the standard rather than looking like your own company.

Certainly there are some which often fit well e.g. design, purchasing, but others don't fit so well. I have attached a procedure which I created for a (very) small company to address their main processes. The company manufacture plastic components using CNC machines and very competent operators so the need for detail is low.

As for the quality manual, I certainly don't regurgitate the standard, what's the point? But I do address each clause/section in policy form. e.g. if purchasing is very important to the organisation, I say so and give an outline of how they go about controlling it - I also give the link to the procedure. On the other hand, if purchasing is not so important to them, I say so and explain why. I try to use the manual as an interface between what is a very generic standard and the particular company.

<snip>Especially for someone in my position in that the management wants a simple QSM that everyone can understand ("what does this mean in english?"), and at the same time something that we can send out (uncontrolled) to prospective clients with what he likes to call "thump factor" (a large document 50+ pages.)

The times that contracts were awarded based on the number of pages and the weight of the quality manual are long gone! The quality manual should represent your organization well. It's like a glorified business card; it should make a very good first impression and clearly describe what your quality system looks like without excessive baggage and confidential/strategic information. Trust me, most folks that make buying decisions have seen and can look through the fluff.

You do not have to "copy" the language in the standard. Adding a simple matrix that shows how your processes align with the standard should suffice. I help my Clients with a process matrix and a process map to tie it all nicely together.

You may want to search the Post Attachments List (Look for it in the header) to view various Quality Manual models. I'd be happy to email you some samples that I can not post here. See my personal profile and email address.

Hope this helps.

Stijloor.

workflow


Thank you very much. this is a big help.

This is something that could help all of my employees, and not just the auditor which is how i was taught to write quality systems.

Slowly but surely, i am learning how to be a good Quality Mangager for my company and not just the registrar.

In this example of the plastics company, how did you write the applicable section in the manual?

I have attached section 7 from their manual, hope it helps.

I understand the thought process behind keeping a QSM user-friendly: accesibility to non-QA types, a document that is actually usefull to a company, etc.

But really, how do we insure compliance with ISO without covering every topic.

The world's greatest quality manual, wherever it might be, does practically nothing to "insure compliance with ISO." It's what you do that counts, and how it's done. The QM should be a simple description of your quality system that includes the requirements of the standard.

One thing that most quality manuals miss, and is more important (imo) than all of the unintelligible diagrams that purport to explicate processes and their interactions, is delegation of responsibility and authority. We see delegation of responsibility without the requisite authority far too often.

So the question i ask everyone who preferes a short and simple QSM that is readily understandable to every employee, and likes to post to the nubies about making a QSM that is simple (KISS).....................how?


Search & read some of the many excellent threads in here debating what makes a good quality manual. There's heaps.

Keep focussing on using plain English and making it easy to understand. Your manual should NOT be written for your auditors. It should be useful to you and yours.

Forget clause by clause.

Focus on processes (a single process may cover a number of clauses/sub-clauses).

As a very short example, there's a good one of a 'before' (in ISO-blurb) and 'after' (in plain English) in this thread (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=35407). Have a look at before in post7 and then after in post 11.

But... having a manual with a 'thump' factor (graphic phrase!) and having a simple clear one? Sounds like contradictory requirements to me. One or t'other has to yield.

Start by reading the 'sticky threads' at the top of the QMS Manuals forum, such as:

this one (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=14120)

and the long one about the '4 page manual' here. (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=4866)

You'll find a number of useful threads in that forum and a lot of excellent info.