Immediate Improvement Required as New Quality Manager

R

Red4165

#1
I have just been promoted to Quality Manager 1 week ago and am under pressure within the new operations management team to perform and sho immediate results etc I also have to provide a 17+ page powerpoint presentation on:

Organisation chart.
Existing operations budget
Any planned changes/improvements already in progress.
Improvements you suggest we should make as a team
Training needed for us and our people.
What KPI’s we presently report.
How we will support extra LINE OPERATION.
Your suggested schedule to implement.
Suggestion for what goals we should set for us as a team.
GMP project - document gmp's
implement cip system

I am on holidays at present and have to have all this complete by next week! I think that because I have so many challenges ahead of me that I can't see for looking at the moment and am finding it hard to break it down to present to senior management.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Elsmar Forum Sponsor

Wes Bucey

Quite Involved in Discussions
#2
That's a lot for anyone's plate.

All problem solving really breaks down into the process of defining priorities and "cherry picking" the factors which are easiest to accomplish.

Cherry picking has a dual advantage:
  1. some of the work is completed
  2. you get a psychological boost from having accomplished even a part of the task.
Another big factor is to determine as far as possible ahead of time EXACTLY what criteria need to be met to declare that portion of the problem "solved."

In your list
Organisation chart.
Existing operations budget
Any planned changes/improvements already in progress.
Improvements you suggest we should make as a team
Training needed for us and our people.
What KPI’s we presently report.
How we will support extra LINE OPERATION.
Your suggested schedule to implement.
Suggestion for what goals we should set for us as a team.
GMP project - document gmp's
implement cip system
It seems to me the ones I highlighted in blue are already in existence and need only to be transferred to a PP slide to serve your need. GMP is a much-discussed topic. Using the search engine at the FDA home page http://www.fda.gov/ (use "GMP +food" as the search term) will produce lots of pertinent information which you may read through and freely copy to make your point.

For example, I found this excerpt which was meaningful to me - perhaps it will fit into your thinking, too, as you visit the GMP for your soft drink operation:
The most commonly identified of these processor level problems is also shown in Figure 1 of the results section:
  • Biofilms
  • Ineffective training of employees
  • Ineffective employee hygiene practices
  • Niche environments
  • Plant renovations
  • Ineffective use of sanitation principles
  • Lack of sanitary equipment design
  • Reactive instead of routine maintenance
  • Insufficient temperature control
  • Contamination of raw materials
  • Post-processing contamination
  • Excess or mistaken addition or spillage of chemicals/ingredients
  • Cross contamination (including food allergens)
  • Incorrect labeling or packaging
  • Contamination by reworked product
  • SOP for processing failed
  • Unknown
  • Other
We reviewed a total of 1307 food recall actions, of which 648 (50%) were Class I and 659 (50%) Class II. Of these recalls, we found that 1146 recalls (88%) occurred because of a GMP-related problem (including labeling problems).
Most telling of all, is a chart which shows your industry to be pretty compliant in GMP as far as it relates to being the cause of a recall

Table I: Number and percent of recall actions by industry (N=1146)
Industry .......................# of recall actions ..............Percent
Bakery products ...........................217 ......................18.94%
Fishery/seafood products ...............135 ......................11.78%
Bean/vegetable products ................88 .........................7.68%
Multiple food dinner products ...........85 .........................7.42%
Non-chocolate candy products ........75 .........................6.54%
Fruit products ..............................66 ..........................5.76%
Ice cream products .......................62 ..........................5.41%
Chocolate products .......................50 ..........................4.36%
Snack food products .....................48 ...........................4.19%
Beverage/beverage base products ...38 ...........................3.32%
Cheese products ..........................29 ...........................2.53%
All other products ........................253 .........................22.07%
Total .......................................1146 ..........................100%
and a final line which should go toward your thinking on some of the other points you are tasked with addressing
Recall actions were generally categorized as involving labeling problems (65%), microbiological contamination (17%), unapproved color additives (8%), poisonous substances (3%), and foreign objects (3%).
The majority of specific processor-level problems related to the root causes of recalls were due to incorrect packaging/labeling (Figure 1). Ineffective employee training and failure to follow established SOPs for processing also contributed to many recalls between 1999
 
Last edited by a moderator:
C

ctblalock

#3
JJFoyster said:
...I have just been promoted to Quality Manager 1 week ago and am under pressure within the new operations management team to perform and sho immediate results ...
JJ- my first thought upon reading your post was that you already have a lot of good "meat" for your presentation identified. You need to decide upon an orderly sequencing of the information (a lot easier than thinking up what to put into the presentation:) ) As Wes indicates, some of it only has to be gathered. For the remaining, although time is short, it would be good if you could get one or two other members of the team to brain storm answers/ideas for some of the questions (ex: improvements to make as a team, training needed, how to support extra operations, implementation schedule, team goals). I suggest involving others because, in addition to needing substance for your presentation, you also need buy-in from the team members. While you may feel that they expect you to come up with all the answers (& perhaps they do:nono: ), success will be limited if you do it all yourself.

It may simply be how your post is worded but I got the feeling that they are putting you on the spot to see how you perform. Be careful about giving into the temptation to show "immediate results". What they are really looking for is Leadership. You have some good stuff that needs to be developed. Part of your presentation may be presenting how and when THE TEAM will develop it.

I would add one topic to your list, how will the Team monitor progress and react to results (ex: who meets, how often, etc???). Perhaps a mgt review type meeting with you guiding everyone thru the defined agenda.

Just some thoughts.
ctb
 
G

gszekely

#4
I have to agree with ctblalock. I faced a similar situation, 2 years ago. Without giving me any rights, I was asked for results. As facilitator, is more difficult to get results, if you don't buy in at least the production , but better logistics, and HR as well. I would first organise a meeting with department leaders, and agree roles. I would ask them if they have something to add to that presentation ?( e-mail, agenda on topics etc). I made the mistake, trying to put together all the issues, but they didn't feel that is their issue. Nominate responsible persons for tasks. Don't try to do everything by yourself, lead it. If there are "low hanging fruits", and you were told to catch them, I would ask myself first why they are there. And don't forget, your nomination was the latest one, so the company is satisfied with other's work. Good luck, and no harry.
Gyorgy
 
Q

qualitygoddess - 2010

#5
ctblalock said:
JJ- 1. my first thought upon reading your post was that you already have a lot of good "meat" for your presentation identified. You need to decide upon an orderly sequencing of the information (a lot easier than thinking up what to put into the presentation:)
2. I suggest involving others because, in addition to needing substance for your presentation, you also need buy-in from the team members. While you may feel that they expect you to come up with all the answers, success will be limited if you do it all yourself.
3. It may simply be how your post is worded but I got the feeling that they are putting you on the spot to see how you perform. Be careful about giving into the temptation to show "immediate results". What they are really looking for is Leadership. Your presentation SHOULD be presenting how and when THE TEAM will develop the imporvements.

ctb
The thoughts of CTB mirror my own, so that's why I liberally quoted as above. Please accept the ever so slight modification of the quote to numbered points. I also wanted to reiterate the last point that your presentation is about how the team will work together. My mantra is that every manager (and every employee) acts as a quality manager, and as such should support the efforts to improve quality -- after all, that's part of your job. It's kind of like rowing one of those large barges back in the days of old -- if all the oars weren't pulling at the same time, and barge didn't get anywhere fast.

Final thought -- when quality was dumped in my lap 11 years ago at a company here in the US, the first thing I did was set up the important quality metrics to measure (based on customer needs). Then we went about implementing changes to improve the metrics according to the plan the management team implemented. Even though I was the chief plan writer, the annoying follow-up person (are you done with your corrective actions??), and sometimes even the lead engineer, I never took the credit. The TEAM did it.

Best of luck to you, and Happy New Year!

--QG
 

Jen Kirley

Quality and Auditing Expert
Staff member
Admin
#6
So much good advice so far.

I want to plainly advise you to select only a couple or few factors for prompt improvement. Doing a widespread rework of systems invites a push-pull effect between them--we want to minimize potential chaos through undesirable, unforseen impacts on Process B and C of Initiative A.

It's been suggested you are being tested but it is also quite common for managers to view a new QA Manager as the local wizard: "Now we will see something happen here!"

But there's no magic wand for what you seek to do.

Rather, I see a request for structure that should have existed already but you are now set upon to establish. Start at the beginning, with what exists and note a few humble sources for quick data management aids I can provide:

1. Identify who does what (org chart, probably exists but if not, here's a quick trial version of SmartDraw http://www.smartdraw.com/exp/org/home/ ). Your accountant should be able to provide current operations budget.

2. List current initiatives (data should be available) and their status.

3. Suggest a plan for Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) on one or two suggested improvements you already know about, if any. If there are none, declare a plan to target and pursue factors for improvement. Here's a guide, maybe you can base a slide's visual on it: http://www.hci.com.au/hcisite2/toolkit/pdcacycl.htm.

4. Training is potentially a part of PDCA. For target improvements you know about you might suggest training you have already thought of, but it's premature to conjure effective comprehensive plans otherwise. You can mention designing a training plan structure based on a source like this one: http://www.managementhelp.org/trng_dev/gen_plan.htm

5. Present KPIs should be available to you for listing.

6. How to support extra line operation--I am not clear on this. Can you elaborate?

7. Suggested schedule is just that--a suggestion, and you can identify it as such. I suggest a Gantt Chart using Excel http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=343 Here's a source for Mac interface: http://pw.english.purdue.edu/ganntt

8. Suggested goals are part of PDCA: the Plan part.

9. GMP project--please elaborate, I don't know what that is.

10. Implement cip system--I don't know what CIP is but I suspect implementing it would require a plan rather like the one listed above.

Let us not get caught up in a feeling that you must quickly promulgate and produce a fix for whatever your management thinks ails them. That's the Old Way of thinking. the New Way is to give various members a part of the process so fixes are wise, buy-in better achieved and benefits can be widely celebrated. It's a fine idea to lay out the structure for doing so, in which the organization's caring talent can become a team of improvement drivers. You merely facilitate the thing.

I hope this helps!
 
#9
Yes, all good advice and.........

you may wish to consider a couple more fundamentals:

What does the top management (manager, executive, owner etc) want from the organization - to be the 'best/benchmark' or what? (based on custmer perception, maybe) Can you actually be that, or is a 'me too' 'best of the rest' situation good too?
Do the management team know that? Are they on the same page?
Do you have 'Process Ownership' by those managers.

Without these basics being agreed, IMHO, the rest will work, but begin to fall down as soon as there's some 'maintenance work' like an audit, or management review or some similar issue rearing it's head.

Anyone?

Andy
 
R

Red4165

#10
Wowzers

Many thanks to all that have offered me advice. It has been most helpful. I am now processing all information offered and applying to my situation. Many thanks once again.

JJfoyster:bigwave: :thanks:
 
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
Ed Panek Immediate need for 80601-2-56 Consulting expert. PM me for details Career and Occupation Discussions 0
G Medical Device "Immediate Container" Interpretation of Definition US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2
Z Definition Medical Device Immediate Container Definition Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations and Interpretations Listed Alphabetically 2
B Is Immediate Action really necessary before a Corrective Action? Nonconformance and Corrective Action 7
C Faro Platinum Arm Rental in Ohio - Immediate need Service Industry Specific Topics 3
M Definition Immediate Corrective Action - Definition Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations and Interpretations Listed Alphabetically 11
A Minimum requirements for immediate package EU Medical Device Regulations 3
Q Cost Saving Ideas with Immediate Impact Misc. Quality Assurance and Business Systems Related Topics 7
P Definition Positive (Immediate) Recall - The ability to trace items forward and backward Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations and Interpretations Listed Alphabetically 14
optomist1 Rates Daily or Hourly Process Improvement Training Consultants and Consulting 2
D Continuous Improvement Plan - Plastic injection molding IATF 16949 - Automotive Quality Systems Standard 1
M "Issue & continuous improvement" columns in AIAG-VDA PFMEA form FMEA and Control Plans 4
G Lean Kaizen: continuous, step-by-step improvement in the Lean direction Lean in Manufacturing and Service Industries 0
R Opportunity For Improvement vs Opportunity (Positive Risk) ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 18
R Change Management vs Opportunity for Improvement ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 3
S Proposed Quality Improvement - Thoughts? Medical Device and FDA Regulations and Standards News 3
howste Aerospace Improvement Maturity Model (AIMM) AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 5
T OFI (Opportunity for Improvement) vs. AOC (Area of Concern) - Definitions Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations and Interpretations Listed Alphabetically 1
B Four Key Performance Indicators for Continual Improvement (Dec. 3 2019) [Deleted] Training - Internal, External, Online and Distance Learning 2
M Master Dot for quality planning/improvement Manufacturing and Related Processes 1
D Process Improvement and CAPAs ISO 13485:2016 - Medical Device Quality Management Systems 5
R Linking the Processes of Continual Improvement, Change Management, Risk Management, Action Planning, etc? Preventive Action and Continuous Improvement 5
A A Question about Continual improvement process in AS9100 AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 4
M CMQ/OE or SSGB? I'm Quality management rather than process improvement oriented Career and Occupation Discussions 1
C Do we need to make a new OFI (Opportunity for Improvement) for each document/form we update? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 23
K QMS Improvement - Analyze the systemic weaknesses of the QMS for improvement purpose Quality Tools, Improvement and Analysis 6
S Government MotorPool Continuous Improvement ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 10
qualprod ISO 9001 - Cl 6.1 and 9.3 and 10 - Opportunities for Improvement the same? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 1
H Need help on Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) Quality Tools, Improvement and Analysis 5
qualprod ISO9001:2015 Cl. 9.1.1 and 9.1.3 evidenced with only improvement actions? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 5
R Difference Process Objective/Opportunity for improvement ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 9
S Need Continuous improvement Suggestions - Small (30 of us) all-CNC machine shop ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 28
J Audit opportunity for improvement raised to nonconformance months after the audit General Auditing Discussions 7
D Ideas for Poka Yoke or Improvement - Aluminum FOD in Assembly Customer Complaints 3
N ISO 17025 Clause 4.10 regarding Improvement ISO 17025 related Discussions 3
N FDA Guidelines for implementing Continuous Improvement Process US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 5
B Ranking Continual Improvement Projects Quality Tools, Improvement and Analysis 5
A Audit Finding - CAPA, Improvement Initiatives not filed in CAR System ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 5
J Understanding ISO 9001:2015 - 10.3 Continual Improvement ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 10
C Customer Satisfaction Process - Audit "Suggestion for Improvement" General Auditing Discussions 14
P CA,PA, Continual Improvement - How to start in a Service Company Quality Tools, Improvement and Analysis 1
M Opportunity For Improvement - Customer to sign off or approve a new design ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 1
Marc How will "continual improvement" be audited? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 4
C Work Sampling Method for Induction Melting Process Improvement Six Sigma 3
L Material Requisition Process - Improvement Needed Manufacturing and Related Processes 4
V Pareto Analysis - Six Sigma - 'Productivity Improvement' project Service Industry Specific Topics 1
Z Repository of In-House Improvement Projects - Engineering Service Provider Lean in Manufacturing and Service Industries 1
L Is there a certifiable Continuous Improvement system? Various Other Specifications, Standards, and related Requirements 6
M Conducting a Project for Safety Improvement Misc. Quality Assurance and Business Systems Related Topics 4
J Continuous Improvement vs. Preventive Actions - Differences Preventive Action and Continuous Improvement 3

Similar threads

Top Bottom