Importance and Impact of NonConformity - QA Costs and Liability

[Greg B]

Importance/Impact of Non Conformity

Hi All,

My GM flew in from the big smoke the other day and to my astonishment asked me to include him in investigations for major non conformities. I asked him what he thought a 'major' was and he asked me to investigate and come up with a system. Our current safety system has the GM on the investigations if an employee has a 'Lost Time Injury' and the Operations Manager (next most senior) if there is a work place injury but no lost time. The Department Manager investigates near misses and proactive safety reports etc.
I thought I would use this as a basis for the NC (CAR) investigations but use monetary values and impact on the process or system.
I have attached a draft matrix for managers to use to establish cost, severity and urgency. What do you think? Has anyone got a similar system?

Thanks in advance

Greg B

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Another solid idea from the Queenslander, and I like the idea about the matrix. I wonder if it may do some good to add more lines for the managers comments, and if I were to use it I'd probably want some info on how to judge the High, Moderrate or Low aspects? Is that what the asterisks are for?

Anther angle would be to use a similar electronic form...

Please let us know what you end up with.

/Claes

 

[Greg B]

Claes,

As always thanks for the support and comments. I was actually going to include this in our CAR form. The managers would have ample room on the CAR to make further comment (especially when we get an electronic form...very soon).

One of the reasons I posted this was to get some feedback on the High, Moderate and Low aspects. What if I use the system they use in Safety with High and Low Risk measured by a matrix. I could then change the 'Severity' to 'Risk'. Anyone know how it works ????? I still need to know how to measure 'Urgency' and I suppose there would be many variables depending on the system, process. I would also need to qualify the urgency or priority. Help please

Greg B

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

One of the reasons I posted this was to get some feedback on the High, Moderate and Low aspects. What if I use the system they use in Safety with High and Low Risk measured by a matrix. I could then change the 'Severity' to 'Risk'. Anyone know how it works ????? I still need to know how to measure 'Urgency' and I suppose there would be many variables depending on the system, process. I would also need to qualify the urgency or priority. Help please

Greg B

Couldn't you nick something from one of the many good FMEA forms around?

/Claes

 

[Mike S.]

Greg,

In a bit of a hurry so this'll be short. Don't completely understand your matrix, but one quick thought. Sometimes a $ value to measure urgency isn't a good measure, IMO. Maybe the screw-up was only on a $300 customer order, but perhaps the parts were qualification samples that had a $20,000 order hanging on approval of the $300 order. One possible solution is to let a Sales Manager or Operations Manager bump-up something to a high level of urgency even if the dollar amount is low based on their consideration of issues less quantifiable than money yet still important. Maybe you thought of this and I just did not understand the matrix.

 

[CarolX]

loveit

What an excellent idea.

Got a question for you. Is this part of your NC form, or a seperate form to be completed? Just curious, as I detest extra forms.

Can I borrow to incorporate into my system?

CarolX

 

[Greg B]

Couldn't you nick something from one of the many good FMEA forms around?

/Claes

Claes,

I haven't had anything to do with FMEA so I will need to have a look thru the threads. Thanks

Greg B

 

[Greg B]

Greg,

In a bit of a hurry so this'll be short. Don't completely understand your matrix, but one quick thought. Sometimes a $ value to measure urgency isn't a good measure, IMO. Maybe the screw-up was only on a $300 customer order, but perhaps the parts were qualification samples that had a $20,000 order hanging on approval of the $300 order. One possible solution is to let a Sales Manager or Operations Manager bump-up something to a high level of urgency even if the dollar amount is low based on their consideration of issues less quantifiable than money yet still important. Maybe you thought of this and I just did not understand the matrix.

Mike,
I thoroughly agree with the dollar thing and I would not like to see that as the sole contributor to the Importance or Impact of the NC. We would have to have criteria for this as with the other parts of the matrix. What? I don't yet know.
This was all bought about by the fact that the GM wants a 'level' where he will be bought in on the investigation. I havent yet worked out that level but it will have to do with the Dollars, Effect on the customer, business, process, product etc.

Greg B

 

[Greg B]

What an excellent idea.

Got a question for you. Is this part of your NC form, or a seperate form to be completed? Just curious, as I detest extra forms.

Can I borrow to incorporate into my system?

CarolX

Carol,

This is not yet part of the NC form but will be as soon as I can finalise what I want it to do. You certainly can borrow it and if you have any input into it please let me know. See previous post to Mike.

Greg B

 

[James Gutherson]

Just throwing it up there

How about something like a risk matrix, but with frequency vs consequence.

I modded your form, and just put a few ideas and numbers, but it is the concept I was thinking of.