Paperless Web Based Quality System

[kwsmith]

I came from a management meeting for a new start up company and was asked to look into a web based quality system. The one suggested was ION Quality Systems out of Temecula, CA. Has anyone used this before? What other web based products/services are on the market that I can compare?

 

[LNeJame]

Hi,

As always, the first thing I must mention is that I do work for The Harrington Group.

We do provide web-based software solutions for quality management. I would like to find out some more information on what your requirements may be, such as, what is the size of the user base? and what specific areas of quality management are you looking to improve upon?

Also, I guess my biggest question is what is the cause for you being asked to evaluate quality management software? you had mentioned in your post that in a management meeting you had been given that task. What do you guys currently do?

Thanks,
Larry

 

[Stijloor]

I came from a management meeting for a new start up company and was asked to look into a web based quality system. The one suggested was ION Quality Systems out of Temecula, CA. Has anyone used this before? What other web based products/services are on the market that I can compare?

Welcome to The Cove Forums!

I found this very interesting!

Stijloor.

 

[kwsmith]

I found the article on wiki very informative. I will look into this further.

 

[Miner]

A method that I have used very successfully is to place the controlled documents into a read-only directory in their native format. I created an HTML interface using Word to link to the read-only documents, and had the HTML interface served on the company intranet.

Everyone had access, so the only controlled copy resided electronically. We put a faint watermark that stated "Uncontrolled if printed" on each document, but the system worked so well that people stopped printing hardcopies in a very short time.

 

[Le Chiffre]

A method that I have used very successfully is to place the controlled documents into a read-only directory in their native format. I created an HTML interface using Word to link to the read-only documents, and had the HTML interface served on the company intranet.

Everyone had access, so the only controlled copy resided electronically. We put a faint watermark that stated "Uncontrolled if printed" on each document, but the system worked so well that people stopped printing hardcopies in a very short time.

That sounds like my system 10 years ago. Once the number of documents increased I switched the index from Word to Excel. Then in 2006 we switched it to a Wiki. Initially just using the wiki as the indexing system but gradually bringing more and more content under that format.

I found the user acceptance increased enormously once employees found they could contribute equally to the system instead of being "force-fed" an indexing system that some felt they would have structured differently. I found that empowering the user community was tremendous in gaining their acceptance and participation in the QMS.

 

[TamTom]

Hello Le Chiffre,

sounds very interesting, but what do you understand the wiki for?
Are the documents open "articels" in the system?

How do you handle change control then?

I would appriciate more information, is it possible to get an example?

Regards,

TamTom

 

[amanbhai]

In my recent management review I suggested the web based system. I had already talked with the information technology who suggested to prepare aA method that is to place the controlled documents into a read-only directory in their native format, then an HTML interface using Word to link to the read-only documents, and had the HTML interface served on the company intranet.

Everyone had access, so the only controlled copy resided electronically. Printing and editing options are removed from the users.
However, the idea was not accepted by the management since they are more concerned about the security of these documented system.

 

[Le Chiffre]

Hello Le Chiffre,

sounds very interesting, but what do you understand the wiki for?
Are the documents open "articels" in the system?

How do you handle change control then?

I would appriciate more information, is it possible to get an example?

Regards,

TamTom

As well as the link that Stijloor referenced above, take a look at these posts:

• I need to know which wikis are ISO9001 compliant - page 2 discusses change control
• Using a wiki to implement a QMS - Background and structure of wiki
• FDA's view on Wiki's for users to find equipment operation procedures - Practical discussions about using a wiki internally for document development

Please bring up any additional issues and let's discuss. The collective wisdom here is terrific.

 

[LexieB]

I used to be in the biomedical manufacturing industry and for that, a system called "Infostrength" was created. I have mixed feelings about it. I felt that the modules were a bit clumsy and the system had a lot of bugs. That said, it was an effective means of communication because all employees had access to final and unchangeable versions of documents online and any changes were controlled, password coded, and you had to give a reason for change / deletion. It also had a feature that emailed all users every time there was a change or update to a document, but it would have been nice to be able to personalize it and flag certain users to whom the new document applies.

Now I use a more manual system, but we are just beginning controlled QMS implementation. All documents and forms are exported to Adobe (if not within ERP). The forms are all coded so that field entries can be exported into logs. Closures of the forms are signed digitally and can no longer be changed, from then on considered a record.