Can't identify my company's "Key Process"

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tommyd327

Hello Everyone,
I have been reading as many threads I can over the last 2 days and just not really finding answers to my questions. I am in the process of updating our QM from QS9000 elemetal style to TS 16949 process style. I am having some kind of brain block on what our companies KEY or MAJOR processes are. I know what the 7 required procedures are for TS and I have 7 procedures written out that address those requirements, but what I'm not understanding is how can the PROCESSES be different than the PROCEDURES. I was trying to use the Process Identification tool from AIAG but don't understand the matrix. It has the Requirements down the left side and I'm supposed to put in my key processes across the top but how do I know what procedures fall under what Process. Could a few of you please list your companies KEY/MAJOR Processes. At first I had our key processes as: quoting, sales order, production planning, procurement, production, quality assurance/inspection and testing, packaging and shipping. Then I thought, no that's not right and listing my key processes as: apqp, purchasing, management review, monitoring and measuring, continuous improvement, production, management of change, human resources, and maintenance. Now I'm confused and don't know how to decide on what the major/key processes are.
I've had some help but everyone just uses buzz words like telling me I have to identify my key processes and procedures and doesn't tell me how to do it.
Thanks for your help,
Tom
 
T

tommyd327

Does anyone have a completed Process Identification tool you used that I might use as an example. The example sheet in the tool is not very helpful.
 

AndyN

Moved On
Well, it's simple!

Key processes can be considered anything which is critical to the customer! After that, it's anything which is critical to you as a business. So, if you break them down simply on those concepts, clearly, document control isn't critical, but taking a order or making the parts are! Buying things from suppliers isn't critical to customers, but it is critical to your business and so on...

Support processes are the calibration, document, records, audits type of thing. They may not even have been done even before QS came along but you still made pretty good parts...

I'm a little surprised that you're updating your manual now...are you currently registered?
 
S

Sturmkind

Hi, Tommyd!

At the highest level the processes are Order Acquisition (Sales and Design), Order Production (Product Realization), Order shipment, and Payment Receipt.

The interaction of the different departments and moment-to-moment processes can be captured well in a turtle diagram or even a very detailed flow chart.

Example: I tracked every step of the process from Customer Contact asking for something through when we actually got paid at one fairly small company (87 folks all told). The part number to execute all of those steps (including post-it notes) was written or entered on notes, logs, forms, or into a computer a total of 47 times.

That was an opportunity for improvement! So, rather than worry about simple compliance, let TS16949 be an excuse to analyze the business for improvement potential!

Best of luck!
 
T

tommyd327

Our auditor has been pretty understanding for the last couple of years. I am new to this (Obviously) and when the last guy left, he hadn't updated from an elemental to a Process manual. My brain sees things better from the elemental standpoint...this equals that and you have the standard covered. Isn't pretty much everything a support process other than purchasing, planning, procurement/production, inspection and shipping. Maybe I just answered my own question and figured it all out on that statement? All the support processes would be everything else:? calibration, document, records, continual improvement, management review, management of change, human resources, and maintenance?
 

AndyN

Moved On
Our auditor has been pretty understanding for the last couple of years. I am new to this (Obviously) and when the last guy left, he hadn't updated from an elemental to a Process manual. My brain sees things better from the elemental standpoint...this equals that and you have the standard covered. Isn't pretty much everything a support process other than purchasing, planning, procurement/production, inspection and shipping. Maybe I just answered my own question and figured it all out on that statement? All the support processes would be everything else:? calibration, document, records, continual improvement, management review, management of change, human resources, and maintenance?

"Understanding"? If you are registered and you have a QS-9000 manual for this length of time, you need to find another auditor or better, another CB! Not meaning to 'frighten you' but this type of situation in 2011, is totally wrong and one of the examples as to why certification and auditors have a bad name!
 
T

tommyd327

I don't think it's as bad as it sounds. Our facility was on the companies chopping block for a few years. Eveyone that knew anything about QS and TS freaked out and left. I was the only one interested in this stuff so I got the job. Besides, all of the procedures were in place. It just had an element look instead of Process. It's not like our day to day is going to change because our manual has a new look.
 

AndyN

Moved On
I don't think it's as bad as it sounds. Our facility was on the companies chopping block for a few years. Eveyone that knew anything about QS and TS freaked out and left. I was the only one interested in this stuff so I got the job. Besides, all of the procedures were in place. It just had an element look instead of Process. It's not like our day to day is going to change because our manual has a new look.

It's still not looking any better...Your 'day-to-day' should be exactly like the documented QMS. And that, if it's based on QS-9000 won't comply with ISO/TS 16949! Let's not forget, companies were given 3 years to make the upgrade, because the changes were thought to be so significant! This change was not a 'documentation' change!
 
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