Procedures - Reviewing for Adequacy

[TacitBlue]

What is best practice for reviewing a procedure for adequacy to ensure that it meets the requirements of the AS9100D standard?

Does anyone have a checklist they use or matrix they use to reference to ensure that any given procedure that comes across your desk meets the requirements of the standard for any particular area e.g., Engineering, Purchasing, etc.?

Above all, we just want to make sure that we arent missing or including something in a procedure that may go against the standard to avoid gaps.

thanks,

 

[Randy]

What is best practice for reviewing a procedure for adequacy to ensure that it meets the requirements of the AS9100D standard?

Seriously? How about some sort of verification that it will help get done what needs to get done?

Does anyone have a checklist they use or matrix they use to reference to ensure that any given procedure that comes across your desk meets the requirements of the standard for any particular area e.g., Engineering, Purchasing, etc.?

The requirements of the standard and your document control requirements..........Quit overcomplicating

 

[Quality-Nation]

What is best practice for reviewing a procedure for adequacy to ensure that it meets the requirements of the AS9100D standard?

Does anyone have a checklist they use or matrix they use to reference to ensure that any given procedure that comes across your desk meets the requirements of the standard for any particular area e.g., Engineering, Purchasing, etc.?

Above all, we just want to make sure that we arent missing or including something in a procedure that may go against the standard to avoid gaps.

thanks,

There‘s a technique used in software requirements reviews which might work for you, called a “Fagan Inspection”. It works pretty well in reviewing detailed technical documents in a “one to one” methodology.

 

[Trishmag]

As AS9100 standard is very generic, I don't see industry wide any practice on prodedure adequacy review. But many regualtory industries have standard evolved over the decades based on various lessons learned and procedure review at a frequent interval in place. Most of the procedures represent multiple processes and as businesses work on improving their KPIsm they alter these processes as part of escape investigation, improvement etc so procedure needs to be reviewed to ensure that they still meet the current processes as well as standard. There is no best practice in aviation world as far as I know so, it is a good idea to start something and share in the group as template to build up one. Good luck !

 

[Randy]

Will the procedure actually work? As a licensed aircraft mechanic, I've come across maintenance procedures that if actually followed would have caused the bird to fall from the sky and kill everyone aboard.

A procedure is like a design, will the procedure function as desired and planned if put into use, yes or no? It takes competence in the subject matter of a procedure and its subject matter to verify adequacy, not some game of glorified buzz-word bingo as alluded to. So no, if I'm gonna strap an aircraft to my &utt and help do a testflight I want to know for sure the procedures for putting it together weren't verified with just a matrix. (And I've got 3000-4000 hours in test flight).

Formatting is one thing, content a totally different world.

 

[Quality-Nation]

Formatting is one thing, content a totally different world

I didn’t read anywhere that the OP was asking about “formatting”

 

[mattador78]

I didn’t read anywhere that the OP was asking about “formatting”

True but as Randy is saying if you attempt to make it fit a box it doesnt need to does it still work and has it achieved anything. Better to write the procedure and see what parts of the standard it alluds to than to write a procedure to the standard. If you are going do a check box you might as well just write out the 10 sections and tick if they apply then write out the subsections for anything applicable and do the same again. That way you can say youve checked against the standard for a working procedure. But internal audits should cover that anyway?

 

[Randy]

I didn’t read anywhere that the OP was asking about “formatting”

Really? I'm sorry for your confusion about the subject, but that's all the OP's described process will accomplish....Is the right stuff in the right place?

 

[TacitBlue]

I guess essentially, I am trying to create a gap analysis for our procedures to ensure that the specific instruction does not violate our QMS and AS9100, if that makes sense. I developed a matrix based on our Quality Manual that lists the procedures and applicable clauses. Once I identify a procedure, I find out what clause it relates to, and I review the procedure based on the clause requirements to ensure we arent missing anything.

 

[Randy]

I guess essentially, I am trying to create a gap analysis for our procedures to ensure that the specific instruction does not violate our QMS and AS9100, if that makes sense.

That's now a horse of a different color..........For a Gap Analysis yep up to a point, but once you get into the meat & potatoes part of a procedure (the actual subject matter) a Gap tool isn't going to hack it, that's where the SME's will have to come into play.