ISO 9001:2015 8.3 Design and Development (in Civil Engineering)

G

gavin.D

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping someone can offer some guidance on this one.

We're a civil engineering consultancy. Clients come to us looking for a design (requirements in an email or over the phone). They will usually send on some information such as ground information, drawings, lab data etc. We do a design based on this information and requirements. It always varies and you can never slap a design from one site onto another.

I'm wondering how you would approach the requirements for Clause 8.2-8.6 because it seems to me that we would have to produce a lot of records for every project we do (no matter how small) because every project is a new design.

We have a checking/sign off procedure to ensure work is checked before it goes out but very little apart from that. I'm trying to set up a QMS but minimise the records required while staying in compliance with the standard.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I'm very interested in your recommendations.
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Leader
Admin
I'm wondering how you would approach the requirements for Clause 8.2-8.6 because it seems to me that we would have to produce a lot of records for every project we do (no matter how small) because every project is a new design.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is to think that ALL PROJECTS would have to be treated the same way. Commensuration and common sense have to be applied. If the design is simple, the reviews, verification, validation, etc...should also be simple and the records should reflect that. On the other hand, if the design is complex, multi-stage reviews, verifications, validations, etc. would be in order and the collection of records should also reflect the project complexity and records.
 
G

gavin.D

OK, I was under the impression that if we state a procedure, failure to follow it might be a non-conformance?
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Leader
Admin
The process and accompanying procedure should take into account the need for flexibility, depending on the size and complexity of the project. While you want the process to give you structure, you don't want it to be a straitjacket.
 

Colin

Quite Involved in Discussions
Sidney is correct (of course!), if you write your procedure to be very onerous, you have to 'feed the beast' each time. On the other hand, you could offer different options depending upon the size, complexity and don't forget, risks involved with the project.

As a simple example, years ago we had a procedure for managing consultancy projects which required full terms and conditions to be developed but that was for projects of more than 5 days work. For under 5 days a simple letter of intent was used otherwise we would use up too much time just preparing paperwork.
 
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