Explain Quality Management System (QMS) for the uninitiated

[John Predmore]

I was explaining to my coworkers how implementing a QMS is more than a checklist. (This is a small company, wanting to transition for the first time from a development firm to manufacturing a product for aerospace industry, desiring to become ISO certified). The quality standard is often perceived by the uninitiated as a checklist – if you have this verbiage in your procedures, if you show the auditor this evidence, he/she will mark you in compliance.

I explained that each of the elements of the quality standard should be thought of as a Plan->Do->Check->Act cycle. For the uninitiated, I explained P-D-C-A as Quality’s version of the Scientific Method (Hypothesis->Prediction->Experiment-> Act upon conclusion) which I hope is still taught in elementary school science class.

In this manner, every element in the standard is thought of as a continuous (and never-ending circular) process of Plan>Implement->Audit->Improve, which is analogous to P-D-C-A. Having a written Quality procedure is only the first tick-mark of the QMS continuum. To say a written procedure is fully implemented, it must also be in use, verified and shown to be effective.

I thought this comparison was a valuable explanation and I hope others find this analogy useful.

John

 

[Kevin Lin]

that is correct and it seems under the right track to get a successful approach.
In the meantime, except for keep principles of the PDCA, we may consider the risk opportunity over the interaction of each procedure.
In order to learn the lesson, we may determine both check point and control point to secure the variation through the input + process + output in a procedure which is under the QMS with 3P product, process and people compliances.

 

[stevegyro]

that is correct and it seems under the right track to get a successful approach.

In the meantime, except for keep principles of the PDCA, we may consider the risk opportunity over the interaction of each procedure.

In order to learn the lesson, we may determine both check point and control point to secure the variation through the input + process + output in a procedure which is under the QMS with 3P product, process and people compliances.

Mr. Lin, very well stated! (I would like to work for you). Very few companies look at a process’ step input and correlation of output along with it’s associated variance. It would seem very relevant, and a time/resources saver. By truly understanding each process, the reaction plan becomes robust.

Thank you for reinforcing some key understandings (I rarely hear from others).

Steve Giarratana, Q.E.



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