How did you grow your QMS in a Job Shop?

B

biederboat

#1
We are a small job shop (100% build to customer print) in a variety of industries (medical, industrial, commercial, aerospace, defense and now consumer). We have a quality manual that is a bit outdated and not followed as well as it should be. PPAP, surveys, customer audits, etc. are starting to become a way of life around here.

If you are or were a small job shop and went through this journey that likely culminated in ISO or similar certification, how did that journey go? Who did you hire and what positions? When & for how long did you bring in a consultant? What other major steps did you undertake? What mistakes did you make that you would tell me not to do?

One thing I need to make absolutely clear is I don't want to hear "go hire an ISO consultant and get certification". To me, that is the last step, not the first. I've seen too many companies that put icing on a mold cake, lipstick on a pig, whatever you want to call it. We have a lot of things to get in order first.

Thanks,
Biederboat
 
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John Broomfield

Staff member
Super Moderator
#3
Biederboat,

In my experience it pays to understand how the shop works as a system to understand and fulfill customer requirements. Respecting this system and working with top managers and the process owners is critical to developing an effective process-based management system.

No need to hire more people except to support growth and the creation of more successful customers.

The management system may then grow to support lean philosophies in removing the causes of waste for increased competitiveness.

It may also grow to prevent pollution beyond what the regulations require. Likewise with health, safety and employee well-being.

Only hire a management systems consultant if this will reduce your costs and increase the certainty of developing the organization as a system and its management system. The consultant's visits can be like a drumbeat to stimulate the progress you seek towards fulfilling your business objectives.

John
 
S

silentrunning

#4
If I was starting out cold, I think i would start by making out flow charts for each process. After these were made and verified by management I would then begin a Gap Analysis. Once this is complete you should be able to formulate a good methodology to develop a QMS that fits your company.
 

normzone

Trusted Information Resource
#5
What they said. Map out in mind-numbing detail how a customer fantasy gets turned into product that you get paid for and can replicate if they decide they want more.

Once you've got that map you're halfway there.

Then somebody needs to become familiar with the standard you want to comply with. Boring reading, but they didn't write it just to amuse themselves. Each element is there because at one time somebody's project crashed and burned because that requirement wasn't met.

You're probably already doing most of what you need to do. Figure out the gap between here and doing all the rest of it. Break it down into small bites and work on it.
 
W

Wilderness Woody

#6
If you are or were a small job shop and went through this journey that likely culminated in ISO or similar certification, how did that journey go? Who did you hire and what positions? When & for how long did you bring in a consultant? What other major steps did you undertake? What mistakes did you make that you would tell me not to do?
Our journey took many (too many) years to get upper management to understand the level of commitment needed to support change in culture to make the needed QMS improvements that would lead to certification. Trying hard from the bottom up or middle up was painful.

We used local EA training resources for off-site training and on-site consultation to provide experience and insight where our staff lacked depth and exposure to functioning and failing approaches. Local Tech schools and ASQ chapters can offer opportunities for group discussions, tours and networking with others. There's little reason to try and be a lone wolf!

A methodical approach is best... mapping to see where your are, identify strengths and weaknesses, compare to benchmarks (industry leaders, ideals), determine where change should be implemented and in what order to make it effective and least conflictive, celebrate your improvements along the way.
 

John Broomfield

Staff member
Super Moderator
#7
Two contrary points:

First, the gap analysis can be integral to analyzing the system and each of its processes instead of a separate assessment. The trick is to ensure the person working with the top managers (for analyzing the system) and the process owners (for each key process) is an experienced auditor. This way the correct questions are asked to flush out the preventive actions, the irrelevant busy work is ignored and most nonconformities are agreed for immediate correction.

Second, develop, use and improve the management system to secure any necessary changes leadership style, including the required changes in behavior. Do not insist on these changes beforehand and do not impose ISO on the organization to "get your way". Enable people to see themselves as they are and the damage they cause so they change themselves. They may even think it was their idea all along!

John
 
B

biederboat

#8
Thanks all. One point I should have emphasized is exactly how small we are: about 10 employees total. As far as "management", here's what we have: the owner and myself (engineering "manager", that's a bit tongue-in-cheek since I'm a manager of mostly myself and some indirect reporting). We are also somewhat geographically isolated.

It's not near so much a question of management support as it is "fish or cut bait"; we simply do not have enough resources to go around. As far as doing process flow charting, how feasible is it that a consultant (presumably one that could eventually help us adopt and get certified on a QMS) could help us through this process? Would that be an expensive way to accomplish this? If so, what would be the best alternatives? How do other companies (hopefully smaller) go about this?

Just so you know, I am quite experienced at consulting but mostly in lean manufacturing and process engineering. I have very little expertise in QMS except that I know many companies start with this when they should have ended with it and I do NOT want us to be one of those!

Thanks,
BB
 
W

Wilderness Woody

#9
Depending upon how "somewhat geographically isolated" you really are, you may still be able to work out a cooperative plan with other small businesses to share auditing expertise and experiences.

Internship programs with a Tech School could be an option to provide a body to do flow-charting and technical writing with input from your staff. You certainly don't want to hire a consultant to do all the work... however, as an experienced coach or mentor, a professional trainer or auditor could provide the guidance and direction to make it less painful.
 

Marc

Hunkered Down for the Duration with a Mask on...
Staff member
Admin
#10
If I was starting out cold, I think i would start by making out flow charts for each process. After these were made and verified by management I would then begin a Gap Analysis. Once this is complete you should be able to formulate a good methodology to develop a QMS that fits your company.
That's what I did with Harley back in the mid-1990's. We had a 5 week "course", one day a week, in flow charting starting with the basics. By week 5 they all had to show and go through their flow charts. During that time I was doing a gap analysis but week 5 brought everything into focus and I developed the implementation project plan from that point.
 
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