Scheduling Internal Audits - Has ISO 9001:2000 changed how you schedule your audits?

[M Greenaway]

Scheduling

Hi all

Has ISO9001:2000 made any of you guys re-think your audit schedule ?

If so - how, and if not - why not ?

 

[db]

Re re-think

Martin, I'm not sure why it should. I do believe we need to re-think HOW we audit, and that might cause us to change our schedule (assuming the change to auditing by process). What are you trying to get at????

 

[Al Dyer]

Although it has not caused me to re-think the schedule, I believe that we all still have to have both system and process/product audit schedules.

The system audits of course would have less frequency than the process/product audits. Process/products are where we should put the most effort as they are generally more cost effective and provide actionable results in a timely manner.

MHO

 

[Aaron Lupo]

Hmmm interesting question. Yeah with 9K2K we figure we don't need to do internal audits anymore so we have scrapped scheduling them altogether, since the company I work for is perfect and we see no value added from doing them. We called our registrar and said hey we don’t need to do internal audits, continual improvement, or have a quality manual and we gave our justification and they certified us. “Hey, nice weather we are having”.

Of course it has not caused us to re-think our audit schedule, we are still required to do them based on status and importance. I will still do they audits in a process approach as I have in the past, and the frequency will all depend on how that particular area of the company is doing. The one difference is now I can audit the QA dept. and tear them apart as long as I do not audit what I am responsible for.

you asked the question M.Greenaway, what do you say?

 

[barb butrym]

I am always rethinking the audit schedules/plans/programs...continuous improvement?



Seriously, to be effective you should always be rethinking the schedule. What works today doesn't necessarily work tomorrow, priorities change and the audit schedule needs to keep up with them.

If you are thinking of the "process approach" stuff then what needs to be addresses is how were you auditing, what was covered? Is it still effective? Does it still meet the requirements? Everyone needs to look at the facts, then adjust what doesn't make sense. For my clients, I don't need any changes...but looking at some companies I audit they need MEGA changes, some don't...but even the ones I see that need changes, always needed them...I never thought they were using the audit program to their advantage/CI...but sometimes my hands were tied by the shalls and I had to allow it.

 

[db]

. What works today doesn't necessarily work tomorrow, priorities change and the audit schedule needs to keep up with them.

Excellent Barb! I would also like to add (if I may) that even if it does work, there may be a better way tomorrow.

 

[barb butrym]

in auditing there is always a better way.....

 

[db]

Better Ways

especially now that Randy has passed QMS-LA!:thedeal:

 

[MrPhish]

More "Wiggle" Room

I did not re-schedule my audit cycle or change the number of audits I currently perform, but I did “open-up” the ole’ flexibility window by updating my Audit Plan with the following frequency/schedule statement:

"On a yearly basis, a minimum of two (2) internal audits are to be conducted with at least one (1) surveillance audit conducted in between. At a minimum, these internal audits are to be conducted so that all required audit reports are completed (i.e. audit results documented) a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to any scheduled surveillance audit."

Of course an audit can still be conducted whenever required (i.e. more than 2), I still accomplish the same number of audits per year (i.e. 4 … 2 internal and 2 surveillance), but most importantly I won’t get written up anymore for delaying an audit (for any valid business reason) and forgetting to update that %$#@*& schedule.

 

[M Greenaway]

Well what I was originally thinking with this question was that companies I have worked for have constructed the audit schedule around departmental activities, or departments themselves.

With the new process approach should we be auditing our processes ?

If so would this be any change ?

Or would this approach only be a significant change to companies that constructed and audit schedule around 1994 clauses ?