Source: Quality Digest article -
http://www.qualitydigest.com/mar07/articles/02_article.shtml
by Chad Kymal
When conducting a system audit for ISO/TS 16949:2002, it’s important to study how processes are linked together in the normal organizational sense. Following an audit trail allows an auditor to verify most of the processes defined in a typical ISO/TS 16949 process map. It also allows for a detailed study of links between processes and departments. While on the audit trail, the auditor will audit not only for conformity, but also for performance as judged by the customer.
Audit trails are techniques that minimize the number of times an auditor examines one area. They also allow for a detailed study of links because the processes connected by samples taken in one area lead to a second or third area of investigation. For example, during business planning and management review, an auditor would find customer needs and expectations in the process that gauges customer focus. The auditor would subsequently move on to the quality policy in relation to that customer focus. This could then lead the auditor to study the business objectives as they relate to needs, expectations and quality policy. Finally, the management review would be studied to ensure that the company is fulfilling the objectives of the business, and that it’s ultimately satisfying the needs and expectations expressed by its customers.
The three basic audit trails that follow the key links for the major processes found in most automotive organizations are:
• Business planning and management (BPM) review : Followed when auditing strategic planning, business planning, policy deployment, objective setting, customer expectations, management review or operations review
• New product development (NPD): Followed when auditing processes related to new product development, which begins with the bid or quote and ends with product approval
• Production and service provision: Followed when verifying that an organization has effective control over its production and service operations
The audit trail and process auditing
What’s the best way to use these audit trails? The auditor should start by taking the organization’s process map and trying to understand the processes in the organization that correspond to the audit trails provided. He or she should then insert the processes in their respective audit trails. In other words, the auditor should use the company’s business processes and procedures during the audit for guidance. Doing this will help uncover weaknesses in the process map. The processes corresponding to the audit trails—not the clauses found in ISO/TS 16949—are used to create the audit plan. Because the actual audit trails will vary from one organization to another, using tools such as audit-trail flowcharts will aid auditors in confirming the processes and links to be audited.
Of the four audit trails given here, the BPM review trail, new product development trail and the provision audit trail are the most important.
Business planning and management review
Management commitment, along with the business planning process, often guarantees an organization’s success or failure. If the BPM review audit trail is effective, there’s a good chance that the other clauses of ISO/TS 16949 will also be properly implemented in the organization