ISO 9001 Implementation Time Frame

[Randy]

There needs to be some kind of assessment (test or equivalent), to ensure that the person knows the job. This requirement applies to on-the-job training as well. The nice thing about the CQA (or equivalent, as might be issued by a training company) is that there has been some assessment of skills.

There is and I've been successfully using it for almost 2 decades, the audit itself, the planning, reporting, findings and so on. All those letters behind ones name doesn't necessarily mean they know their job, the individual may just be good at taking a test based on short term memory retention...Like me!

 

[Jim Wynne]

There needs to be some kind of assessment (test or equivalent), to ensure that the person knows the job. This requirement applies to on-the-job training as well. The nice thing about the CQA (or equivalent, as might be issued by a training company) is that there has been some assessment of skills.

The CQA exams provide evidence of knowledge, not skill.

 

[Bill Levinson]

The CQA exams provide evidence of knowledge, not skill.

True, but it is at least a start. I think the bar exam for attorneys, professional engineer exams for engineers, and medical licensing exams for doctors all address knowledge rather than skill (although you have to provide evidence of experience for the latter two) but that is about all an exam can do. Most ASQ exams also require relevant experience.

 

[Jim Wynne]

True, but it is at least a start. I think the bar exam for attorneys, professional engineer exams for engineers, and medical licensing exams for doctors all address knowledge rather than skill (although you have to provide evidence of experience for the latter two) but that is about all an exam can do. Most ASQ exams also require relevant experience.

It's all about competence, and over a long career I've encountered far too many ASQ-certified people who were astoundingly incompetent. So much so that I never gave certification any weight at all in hiring decisions.

Be that as it may, we're meandering off topic.

 

[Big Jim]

Hi All,

I have been working in QMS development for about 10 years, but am just now making the leap into independent consulting. I've just about finalized a contract with my first potential client. Most of my experience is in 13485, but this initial client is a food manufacturer. They are looking to implement a QMS that is compliant with ISO 9000, but not necessarily looking to get it certified yet.

To finalize the contract, I need to give them the estimated project time frame and billable hours. I've never done an ISO 9000 system before, but based on previous experience with 13485 I think I could get it done in 120 hours over the course of a month. Does that sound overall reasonable to anyone with experience in this type of implementation?

Thanks!

I would never enter a contract like that. Top management is trying to shift responsibility from themselves. How long it takes is based more on management commitment and support than much of anything else. You may end up getting stiffed.

 

[Bill Levinson]

I would never enter a contract like that. Top management is trying to shift responsibility from themselves. How long it takes is based more on management commitment and support than much of anything else. You may end up getting stiffed.

If top management doesn't really support it, and their only objective is to "get the certificate," it is unlikely to work out very well. If management wants it to improve quality and performance, though, it will work a lot better.

 

[Jim Wynne]

If top management doesn't really support it, and their only objective is to "get the certificate," it is unlikely to work out very well. If management wants it to improve quality and performance, though, it will work a lot better.

Not in 30 days, it won't.

 

[tony s]

I think I could get it done in 120 hours over the course of a month.

120 days is more realistic to establish a functioning QMS. But it would take less than 120 hours to "prepare" evidences that will "satisfy" "accommodating" CBs.

 

[mattador78]

Speaking from my own experience putting the QMS in place is not the difficult thing, its changing the thought processes of the people who are to be working with it. Chances are you will have to add certain stops and restarts to peoples jobs in the implementation of processes and as we all know people hate change, and are resistant to changing the way they work just because somebody told them to or a new procedure was written, Even if they help you to write the procedure. We rewrote our procedures for as9100 in 30 days but spent well over 6 months implementing a change in attitude towards the new procedures in all our departments from management to production staffs, then another 3 or 4 months auditing the processes.

 

[Big Jim]

Speaking from my own experience putting the QMS in place is not the difficult thing, its changing the thought processes of the people who are to be working with it. Chances are you will have to add certain stops and restarts to peoples jobs in the implementation of processes and as we all know people hate change, and are resistant to changing the way they work just because somebody told them to or a new procedure was written, Even if they help you to write the procedure. We rewrote our procedures for as9100 in 30 days but spent well over 6 months implementing a change in attitude towards the new procedures in all our departments from management to production staffs, then another 3 or 4 months auditing the processes.

That's much more realistic.