Can poor and illegible handwriting be an NC in ISO audits?

[Jen Kirley]

Thanks Jen, I dream of being in such a paperless environment. Unfortunately, I am not even a senior manager in my new nest. But I am trying my best to drive our QMS in that direction, starting with internal reports, recommendations, external benchmarking to my bosses. It's really difficult to face the obstinacy of "know-it-all" esteemed/old-schooled owners.

It seems to me you must determine the "so what?" in illegible recordkeeping for your organization's documentation, since the standards don't clearly provide the cover you seek. Consider customer requirements, as well as the expectation of other interested parties (regulators etc.)

If you determine it is important based on XYZ, in my view you have these choices:

1. Engineering controls: provide an engineered means that eliminates the ability to make the mistake.
2. Process: provide a procedural option that reduces the ability to make the mistake.
3. People: change what the person does, or change the person who makes the mistake.