AS9100 5.4.1 - Typical objectives of different functions and levels

inspector625

Involved In Discussions
Hey everyone,

Can you please help me with this question. In clause 5.4.1 it requires that "Quality Objectives, including those needed to meet requirements for products, are established at relevant functions and levels within the organization". What are some typical objectives of different functions and levels?
 

Big Jim

Admin
I'm not sure about typical, but something often practiced is to start with objectives where you already have a requirement for analysis of data (element 8.4). 8.4 requires you to determine, gather, and analyze data that helps you monitor the health of your system. This data is to include customer satisfaction, product quality, process performance (often measured overall with on-time delivery), and supplier performance. Remember those four topics.

The relevant functions and levels as mostly applied today are your core processes as described in element 4.1. A set of typical core processes might include management, sales, production planning, purchasing, manufacturing, and quality.

Next, you align your objectives to these processes according to which ones have the greatest influence on that process. An example could be management - customer satisfaction, sales - customer satisfaction, production planning - on-time delivery, purchasing - supplier performance, manufacturing - product quality, and quality - product quality.

Obviously, some of the processes may use more than one of those objectives if you choose.

Consider the four objectives as "entry level" KPI (key performance indicators), and look for additional ones that help you to even better understand how healthy each process is, but add them thoughtfully, looking for topics that are easy to gather and are useful. You don't want or need a large collection of KPI that are not understood or provide any value.
 

John Broomfield

Leader
Super Moderator
inspector625,


I agree with Big Jim.

When you have process objectives (see 4.1c) aligned to fulfill the mission or purpose of your organization you need no functional objectives pulling in a different direction.

Levels are naturally addressed by the process teams.

Departmental objectives are probably contrary to the effectiveness of a process-based management system.

John
 
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