can anyone send send me a Process Audit template which has been tried and tested, the current document I use is a mis-mash between a QS/Process/Product audit.
I was just wondering..how many of those certified to ISO 9K2K audit using the clause process and how many use the department process? I would really like anyones input on the pros & cons of each technique.
I have always used a modified department approach to audits. But this was mostly because whichever plant I was working for was large enough to make doing an audit by clause difficult to manage without larger audit teams.
We are not yet certified in my current division, but are working on it. We have scheduled our audits for "mini-processes". Basically we've just broken the larger process down into its logical smaller areas based on geography and/or subprocess. i.e. we audit purchasing and supplier quality assurance processes together as well as getting into a little of receiving inspections, then as we audit the first stages of production line we finish up on receiving inspection and catch 6, 7, and 8. Managers are interviewed within the subprocess plus one audit dedicated to management responsibility.
Our plant is over 1,000,000 sq. ft. plus we have various administration/office buildings for the departments, so auditing an entire clause or department gets to be more involved than any of us want to face at one time and I don't like pulling that many people off the line at one time. We run very lean so if I pull three people in to audit, I make sure that they are not all in one area or crew. We have scheduled 15 audits, with three auditors each (because most of them are new to auditing and they are teamed 2 newbies to one experienced auditor). I have 24 auditors total for a facility of around 350.
This works really well for us, but I have friends who use the clause or full department method in their industries and wouldn't change a thing. So, basically use whatever method works for you and fits with the philosophies and mindsets of your management and audit team.
I just attended an ISO 9001:2000 Transition Seminar for auditors. We were briefly introduced to developing checklists for process audits. This was new to me, but I can see where with the new standard, auditors could use this approach especially to verify compliance to clause 4.1 company wide. The method we discussed looked like a flowchart of processes by department with inputs and outputs for each process including measurements and objectives.
I would like to find more information on creating this style of process audit checklist. I've searched and searched but can't find anything helpful. Does anyone have any information or links that they would be willing to share?
Best Regards,
Hank Fowler
__________________
Insanity - believing results can be changed without changing the processes that create them.
Hank, sounds like you went on a course very similar to the one I attended.
I wasnt sold on the idea of generating the 'process' style checklists as I felt it could quite easily miss the compliance requirements of the standard.
The infor from this course is in paper format unfortunately, so is not easily transmitted at present. If you are desperate I will scan it all for you.
I agree that you would have to be very careful with this type of audit not to miss some of the requirements. I have created a list of clauses and associated records along with departmental responsibilities for that very reason.
The only thing my seminar had was a 1 page sample checklist with 3 process blocks on it. I can email you my fax number if that would be easier. I really would like to see more on this subject.
Best Regards,
Hank Fowler
__________________
Insanity - believing results can be changed without changing the processes that create them.
Process Audit
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