Help a newbie to develop a QMS (Quality Management System)

[Jason PCSwitches]

We provide design and consultancy services for electrical engineering projects.(street lighting, power distribution networks). We presently have less than 12 employees.
We use computers, CAD & other electrical software to do design works...which to the best of my knowledge are capital assets. Except for concept designs, we basically work on supplied drawings.
For a typical project, from tender inquiry/bidding==contract review== design planning===design==handing over to the client, we don't buy anything

Enlighten me if I'm missing something. Thanks for your contribution.

No enlightenment necessary, just curious. I don't run across to many companies that are certified, yet make no purchases for realization.

 

[Colin]

We provide design and consultancy services for electrical engineering projects.(street lighting, power distribution networks). We presently have less than 12 employees.
We use computers, CAD & other electrical software to do design works...which to the best of my knowledge are capital assets. Except for concept designs, we basically work on supplied drawings.
For a typical project, from tender inquiry/bidding==contract review== design planning===design==handing over to the client, we don't buy anything

Enlighten me if I'm missing something. Thanks for your contribution.

As mentioned earlier, purchasing would also include any work which you outsource, so if you subcontract any of your design work, that would be included under the purchasing controls.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Hi:
In my experience i have found very usefull to have roadmap, a general plan to show progress toward certification, can collored when finished an activity.
This Roadmap can have:
1. Integrate a steering committee ( top management)
Established date for certify, appoint Management Rep.
2. Process Approach: Define Main Processes in your company ( can use de octopus diagram-automotive industry) this processes are Customer Oriented Processes, then internal processes (support, management etc) and all of them make them visible, in other words, Flow diagram ( can use the turtle /flow again for automotive).
3. Once processes are defined, identify the need or having procedures ( make sure to include those mandatory by the standard) and/ work instructions, formats..
4. Gap Analysis
5. Develop Document structure: Quality Policy ( if not previously defined), Quality Manual, Procedures/WI
6. At the same time there is the need for training: Standard, Audit, Writting documentation, etc
7. Schedule: Management Review, Internal Audits (complete system), visits of certification body....
8. Develop a Plan describing activities.

Attached is one example..it might give you an idea.(it´s in spanish)

It would be useful to include training or at least reading/learning the standard in there somewhere. You will find the cost of a couple days of good training will save you much time and wasted motion.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

We provide design and consultancy services for electrical engineering projects.(street lighting, power distribution networks). We presently have less than 12 employees.
We use computers, CAD & other electrical software to do design works...which to the best of my knowledge are capital assets. Except for concept designs, we basically work on supplied drawings.
For a typical project, from tender inquiry/bidding==contract review== design planning===design==handing over to the client, we don't buy anything

Enlighten me if I'm missing something. Thanks for your contribution.

It is common that a company providing service as their primary product may not have a need to define Purchasing as an important process. You still buy things, but they tend to fall into supply categories - office, equipment, coffee, etc.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Hmmm, there some interesting findings on the list but it is difficult to comment too specifically without seeing the manual itself.

A couple that come to mind are No 4 - Job descriptions not found - these are not a requirement of ISO 9001 and No 10 - all procedures are not matched - ISO 9001 does not specify how procedures should look.

Was this a document review (stage 1 audit) done by a 3rd party certification body?

"Job descriptions" may not specifically be a requirement of ISO 9001. However, they are required to identify the skills needed, and competencies, and those are frequently documented on a "job description sheet" of some sort, simply because that is the most common HR format. An alternate doc would also work, but I doubt they had anything, since the auditor flagged it.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Thank you all for your advice! It has calmed down my nerves and broaden my understanding of the whole process.

The organization chart is available and I'm working on the work flow diagram now. I did identified the following processes:
- client inquiry
- Inquiry review
- Go-no-Go (kind of checks to know if its worth going in)
- Bid
- If bid is successful - project manager appointed to negotiate price and other things with client
- Negotiations Ok, the legal contract signed
- Project team is setup & project file is created, holding key drawings, specification and standards
- Various persons are in charge of different aspects...like CAD operator, Electrical Engineer etc
- Milestones for various phases and the entire project are laid out under the supervision of the Manager.
- During the work process meetings are held with client for updates and reviews.
- Upon completion the project it is reviewed and signed by the Manager and then handed to the client-the cash comes in.
It's consultancy company in HV electrical lighting and design works using autocad.
Guide me if I got the processes and some ideas on the design of the work flow chart.

Thanks

In fact, the whole list sounds like sub-parts of just two processes - Sales and Design/Engineering (or whatever titles you use at your firm). Each of those activities are likely subprocesses under those. Don't forget the supporting processes. Common examples may include Management, IT (computer systems mgt), Quality System things like internal audits, corrective action, calibration, etc need to be addressed somehwere.

When you are finished with your list, it must include all the activities your organization does. I find it useful to separate the list into the primary or core processes and the supporting ones. Makes it easier for peopl to learn and understand.

 

[npryde]

Thanks so much for the advice. "what an old man can see while sitting, a young man cannot see even being on a tree top".

I have learned much from this forum than I did from the iso course. I'll create a procedure for purchasing. Apart from that is there any justification for any exclusions given our scope of work?

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Thanks so much for the advice. "what an old man can see while sitting, a young man cannot see even being on a tree top".

I have learned much from this forum than I did from the iso course. I'll create a procedure for purchasing. Apart from that is there any justification for any exclusions given our scope of work?

Remember, you do not have to document your methods and procedure for purchasing, if it is simple, unless you feel it would help you control it better (ref. cl 4.2.1.c&d). However, if you define it as a process, perhaps it would be beneficial. As to exclusions, you really would have to decide that. When you read clause 7, what do you see that you would say, "We don't do any of this activity." Perhaps calibration, SPC, perhaps others, but there won't be many. I think it will be more a function of you do some a very little bit. At the beginning, I would not focus on what you don't do (exclusions), I would focus on what you do perform. The exclusions will become apparent pretty quickly.

 

[JaneB]

All excellent advice from various people.

I note you now say you're going to create a procedure for purchasing. Recall (& this has been said several times) you don't have to document this. You only document things/create procedure where you (ie, company) decide it is needed (eg, in this case that purchasing would work more smoothly /you'd get greater control etc), and of course where mandated (document control, internal audit, etc).

 

[JaneB]

No enlightenment necessary, just curious. I don't run across to many companies that are certified, yet make no purchases for realization.

Many, many service organisations fall into this category. It isn't that they 'make no purchases' at all, it's that what they do buy is often of very low consequence/available widely as standard office equipment/software, etc.