How and where should Quality Objectives be documented?

[hokieman]

Can someone assist me by telling how and where Quality Objectives are to be documented. The Standard say's we must have them documented but where?

 

[SteelWoman]

Depending on your system and organization, they can be in a variety of places - a common one is the Business Plan, which itemizes specific quality objectives. We have them in our business plan but ALSO itemize specific quality objectives associated with every Process that is a part of the Quality System on a single document that lists the process, the process owner, the input and output to that process, the goal, the criteria used for measuring it.

Dat's just how we do it - I'm sure there are other great methods.

 

[db]

Where and how they are documented are up to you. Most folks place their "global" objectives in the Quality Manual. Objectives related to product are usually found somewhere in the product/job file.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Can someone assist me by telling how and where Quality Objectives are to be documented. The Standard say's we must have them documented but where?

If you'll look back at my Post #7 https://elsmar.com/elsmarqualityforum/showpost.php?p=90580&postcount=7 in your thread Please review my manual - Opinions appreciated! (broken link removed) :

You'll see one suggestion where I put our Quality Objectives. I think you'll find most organizations include them in their Quality Manual. Many also put them up as a plaque on the wall or a bold statement on the website.

"Documenting" merely means "reducing it to readable or viewable form." I recall one company had a video of the Founder/CEO reeling off his organization's Quality Policy. The policy can be a simple sentence or phrase or pages long. (In the slang of the teenagers in my neighborhood - "whatever.")

 

[hokieman]

Still Confused?

Thanks for all the responses but I am still confused. I was under the impression that Quality Objectives are temporary stepping stones. Objectives that we accomplish and move on. It seems if we put them in the manual, we must revise the manual everytime we complete one (6-8 months or so). Or if we make a plaque or whatever it will be obsolete sooner than later. We are a small company, 45-50 employees. Am I terribly off track or what?

 

[Sidney Vianna]

You are correct. Quality objectives can (and should) be dynamic, subject to the current busines objectives of the organization. You could create a stand-alone document, or include them as part of the management review outputs, or on a board, on the intranet (if you have one) ,or as an appendix/attachment to the Manual, or many other options.
Irrespective of the medium used, don't forget that they need to be communicated to the workforce, as appropriate. So, use a medium that allows for communication.

 

[Wes Bucey]

You are correct. Quality objectives can (and should) be dynamic, subject to the current busines objectives of the organization. You could create a stand-alone document, or include them as part of the management review outputs, or on a board, on the intranet (if you have one) ,or as an appendix/attachment to the Manual, or many other options.
Irrespective of the medium used, don't forget that they need to be communicated to the workforce, as appropriate. So, use a medium that allows for communication.

How about extending the discussion to distinctions (if any) between

• Quality policy
• Quality goals
• Quality objectives - global
• Quality objectives - short term or product

That might help us decide what goes where.

 

[Lauren]

Lauren

Thanks for all the responses but I am still confused. I was under the impression that Quality Objectives are temporary stepping stones. Objectives that we accomplish and move on. It seems if we put them in the manual, we must revise the manual everytime we complete one (6-8 months or so). Or if we make a plaque or whatever it will be obsolete sooner than later. We are a small company, 45-50 employees. Am I terribly off track or what?

The best way to define, document, approve and monitor your quality goals and objectives is Management Review meeting documentation. The standard requirements for quality goals and objective is to be measurable and verifiable and any regulatory / certification body auditor will ask you to show them and to prove the implementation as an evidence of management commitment (being a Notified Body lead auditor I am talking from experience). Quality Goals and Objectives could be structured in the form of metrics or key quality indicators and the whole structure might be well defined in Quality Manual, but not the approved values. The key point is to monitor and document the implementation periodically by clear comparison the approved and actual values.
Hope it helps.

 

[Manoj Mathur]

Quality Objectives

Quality objectives their monitoring , Status etc are dynamic so document related to it also can not be clubbed in Quality Manual. What we have done in our system is we have mentioned the QIP in our manual as follows;

5.4 Planning

5.4.1 Quality Objectives

Top management of the company ensures that quality objectives, including those needed to meet requirements for product [Refer Section 7.1 a)] are established at relevant functions and levels within the company. A system has been established for the same. The business risks indicators, which may contribute the progress of the company in relevant activities, are identified. Based on their current status, all functions conduct a study to find the route cause of the same and identify the quantified / measurable objectives. Based on these quality objectives, the quality policy is reviewed and framed. The objectives are set and monitored for their achievement periodically. The progress on these objectives is reviewed in Management Review Meetings.

While a separate document QIP which is being updated regularily is as follows;

S.N BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
I INCREASED PROFITS
II INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY
III COST OF POOR QUALITY
IV CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
V EMPLOYEE SATISFATION
VI TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS

Sl. No. QUALITY INDICATORS COORDINATOR STATUS
APRIL
2002
UNIT BENCH MARK DATA TARGET DATE
1. Reduction of Casting Reject (one each in Long
Term and Short Term) in casting area (.X Ray Reject)    HOD (Casting) 8
% 6 August 2002

2. Improvement in Metal Recovery through metal saving
In Gate Area.    HOD (Casting) 250
Metal in Gms/Wheel 150 October 2002

3. Reduction of paint rejection. 





HOD (Painting)
2.15

%
1.5
December 2003


4. Increase of Production to 126000 wheels 


Head (Unit-Wheel) 60000 No .of Wheels 126000 April 2003


5. Increase in training hours. b b b HOD (HRD) 28 Nos. of Trg. Hrs. 30 July 2003

6. Implementing JIT (Just in Time) in Purchase
b HOD (Purchase) 7 Days 1 April 2002

7. Extension of credit Limits in purchased items b HOD (Purchase) 30 Days 45 April 2002

Sl. No. QUALITY INDICATORS Coordinator
Status
April
2002 Unit
Bench Mark Data Target Date
8. Introduction of new features in the product
• Hyper silver painting
• Deep chrome painting
• Black painting•  b  Head (Unit- Wheel) -- % 15 March 2003

9 Finalize and Develop at least one vendor for tool manufacturing in India. b b Head (Unit- Wheel)
HOD (Planning & Projects) -- Nos 2 March 2003

10 To reduce the rejections of machining defects to less than 1.0% b b HOD -- % 15 March 2003
11. Implementation of QMS as per ISO/TS 16949:2002






b HOD (Planning & Projects)
-- No.

One No. September2002


12. To Reduce Down Time of CNC due to PCD and Hub Hole Variation Problem


Sheet of QIP has not come properly , I shall send it to Marc with a request to post it on Forum with this thread.

Regards,

Manoj

 

[Juliasun]

In my organisation we separated Quality Policy and Quality Objectives as level 1 of our Quality Management System.
All our staff have their personal Quality objectives that are part of all QUality Objectives.
They fixed personal Quality Objectives and Quality Policy on the wall before thaie working place. This is very useful.
Every 6 months we review our Quality Objectives and assign new ones.