ISO 9001 - Measuring Effectiveness
I saw this on the Iso ListServe. I want to remind all of you who visit here it is an excellent listserve. I hope you are on their list. For you who are not, this is a question I see as most relevant because of the two ISO 9001:2000 audits I have witnessed. I'll post any 'good' replies, but how about you? What's YOUR opinion?
***********************
From: the ISO ListServe
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 10:40:30 -0500
Subject: Q: Measurable Results from ISO in our World /Naish
From: PNaish
In our change from ISO 9001:1994 to ISO 9001:2000 we added a focus on measures of our effectiveness. And a number of us have gone out and implemented a number of measures on our systems and processes and customer satisfaction (that is our customer's satisfaction). We have been doing some kind of measure of our supplier's quality and probably delivery.
My question may sound like Bah Humbug but I have a question regarding the measurement of ISO effectiveness. And yes I can always change suppliers (maybe if there are some). But what about the overall bottom line measures to our businesses. Now some of us who are in the profession of consulting or auditing have surely seen bottom line improvements but what about other companies?
I was just on the ISO web site and was astounded to find that in 2000, we have generated 46,998 pages in new documents. I think it would take me half a year just to read all of those pages much less understand them all. And total pages for 2000 they indicate to be 391,582 pages. I am sure by the time I get to the end of them I will have to start over with the changes to them.
So how do we measure our effectiveness and process improvement in this realm when it seems we are spiraling out of control? And since ISO does not have a competitor I guess I can't go to another supplier.
I have had no less than 5 calls in the last month from clients with problems (and 2 personal experiences) with suppliers that are ISO. Mostly in the contract review part. And they run from service industry (international trade carrier, to calibration (metrology providers)), to high tech manufacturers, to automotive.
Who if anyone is really measuring the effectiveness of ISO as it grows ever bigger? Has anyone seen any statistics or kept statistics on the overall improvement in either quality or delivery in any particular industry that can be directly related to the advance of ISO standards?
We have had more (or at least more noticeable and deadly) automobile and airline problems. Appliances in the USA have become a throw away item. Of the five computers I have had, only one has lasted more than a year or two without failures. And repair has become a nightmare to get from anyone reliably.
So again what have we as a world gained from ISO?
Sorry for the bah hum bug but as I saw the ISO web site I could not see a value for all the money we are all spending. It is made worse by the mission statement of the ISO site, the ASQ site, and the A2LA site who say it is for our good and yet I have seen a number of problems just trying to weave through their sites to find what I was looking for.
P Naish
I saw this on the Iso ListServe. I want to remind all of you who visit here it is an excellent listserve. I hope you are on their list. For you who are not, this is a question I see as most relevant because of the two ISO 9001:2000 audits I have witnessed. I'll post any 'good' replies, but how about you? What's YOUR opinion?
***********************
From: the ISO ListServe
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 10:40:30 -0500
Subject: Q: Measurable Results from ISO in our World /Naish
From: PNaish
In our change from ISO 9001:1994 to ISO 9001:2000 we added a focus on measures of our effectiveness. And a number of us have gone out and implemented a number of measures on our systems and processes and customer satisfaction (that is our customer's satisfaction). We have been doing some kind of measure of our supplier's quality and probably delivery.
My question may sound like Bah Humbug but I have a question regarding the measurement of ISO effectiveness. And yes I can always change suppliers (maybe if there are some). But what about the overall bottom line measures to our businesses. Now some of us who are in the profession of consulting or auditing have surely seen bottom line improvements but what about other companies?
I was just on the ISO web site and was astounded to find that in 2000, we have generated 46,998 pages in new documents. I think it would take me half a year just to read all of those pages much less understand them all. And total pages for 2000 they indicate to be 391,582 pages. I am sure by the time I get to the end of them I will have to start over with the changes to them.
So how do we measure our effectiveness and process improvement in this realm when it seems we are spiraling out of control? And since ISO does not have a competitor I guess I can't go to another supplier.
I have had no less than 5 calls in the last month from clients with problems (and 2 personal experiences) with suppliers that are ISO. Mostly in the contract review part. And they run from service industry (international trade carrier, to calibration (metrology providers)), to high tech manufacturers, to automotive.
Who if anyone is really measuring the effectiveness of ISO as it grows ever bigger? Has anyone seen any statistics or kept statistics on the overall improvement in either quality or delivery in any particular industry that can be directly related to the advance of ISO standards?
We have had more (or at least more noticeable and deadly) automobile and airline problems. Appliances in the USA have become a throw away item. Of the five computers I have had, only one has lasted more than a year or two without failures. And repair has become a nightmare to get from anyone reliably.
So again what have we as a world gained from ISO?
Sorry for the bah hum bug but as I saw the ISO web site I could not see a value for all the money we are all spending. It is made worse by the mission statement of the ISO site, the ASQ site, and the A2LA site who say it is for our good and yet I have seen a number of problems just trying to weave through their sites to find what I was looking for.
P Naish