C
C.vanDijk
Hi Gangona,
I’m sure you don’t need any more help and you have well finished your QMS by now, but still … since I already wrote the response without checking the date of your post. It may help other visitors, right?
You state that the company has no objectives, but at least it has the objective to implement a QMS with ISO 9001:2000 as its basis. It probably also has the objective to make money. Whatever the reason for implementing the QMS, it is your task to get started.
Many times, management doesn’t really know what ISO 9001:2000 stands for and all they know is that it is a requirement of one of their customers or they feel it could give them some kind of competitive advantage. It can! Especially when, after implementation, management can see how it helps the company in terms such as process control and continuous improvement … but you’re not there yet.
Perhaps you need to step away from management commitment for a while and focus on some other elements.
You can start by evaluating the current situation. What procedures are in place or should be? Which processes need to be defined? (what are the key processes within the organization? What does the company do, and how does it do it? – document this!)
Which forms and documents are used? How are they controlled? Who authorizes documents and how do they do this? What is the retention period and how are they disposed? (make a master list!)
Looking at processes: What is the process? What are the inputs? How do you make sure that the input is correct? Does the company keep records of input conformity? Do they use this information to take corrective or preventive actions? (many times, you will see that the company does this all the time but it’s just not being done in a structural manner and it can be done much better)
How do they control processes? (procedures, instructions, monitoring etc.) How do they control the output? Are there Key Performance Indicators so see whether the output meets the requirements? Is this information being used for corrective or preventive actions? What are the targets for the output? Is the output measured in regard to these targets?
Looking at the standard (required) procedures: How is the company doing it at this time? How should they be doing it? E.g. are documents controlled? Is there a standard way of naming the documents such as P (procedure) COM (common) 01 - Control of documents, version 1? Etc. etc.
And there is so much more you can do at this point! Do not get frustrated and try to keep your focus on your personal target, which is to get this show on the road! You can fill in the blanks later but you’ll see that management will respond much better if you have part of the system in place and you can explain to them how it works – and you can show them.
Cornelis.
I’m sure you don’t need any more help and you have well finished your QMS by now, but still … since I already wrote the response without checking the date of your post. It may help other visitors, right?
You state that the company has no objectives, but at least it has the objective to implement a QMS with ISO 9001:2000 as its basis. It probably also has the objective to make money. Whatever the reason for implementing the QMS, it is your task to get started.
Many times, management doesn’t really know what ISO 9001:2000 stands for and all they know is that it is a requirement of one of their customers or they feel it could give them some kind of competitive advantage. It can! Especially when, after implementation, management can see how it helps the company in terms such as process control and continuous improvement … but you’re not there yet.
Perhaps you need to step away from management commitment for a while and focus on some other elements.
You can start by evaluating the current situation. What procedures are in place or should be? Which processes need to be defined? (what are the key processes within the organization? What does the company do, and how does it do it? – document this!)
Which forms and documents are used? How are they controlled? Who authorizes documents and how do they do this? What is the retention period and how are they disposed? (make a master list!)
Looking at processes: What is the process? What are the inputs? How do you make sure that the input is correct? Does the company keep records of input conformity? Do they use this information to take corrective or preventive actions? (many times, you will see that the company does this all the time but it’s just not being done in a structural manner and it can be done much better)
How do they control processes? (procedures, instructions, monitoring etc.) How do they control the output? Are there Key Performance Indicators so see whether the output meets the requirements? Is this information being used for corrective or preventive actions? What are the targets for the output? Is the output measured in regard to these targets?
Looking at the standard (required) procedures: How is the company doing it at this time? How should they be doing it? E.g. are documents controlled? Is there a standard way of naming the documents such as P (procedure) COM (common) 01 - Control of documents, version 1? Etc. etc.
And there is so much more you can do at this point! Do not get frustrated and try to keep your focus on your personal target, which is to get this show on the road! You can fill in the blanks later but you’ll see that management will respond much better if you have part of the system in place and you can explain to them how it works – and you can show them.
Cornelis.
