Setting Quality Objectives with a Timeframe

[QAMTY]

Hi all

How the objectives should be defined in ISO 9001?

I saw this case in a company.

This way:

Objective = Quality-> (no timeframe) then defined operative Kpis= # of rejections of product and goal, say max 20/month, % bad inspections, goal= 2/month, they are monitored every month, when something is not in compliance , actions are taken to fix the problems, but in this way it is supposed that objectives (by using Kpi´s) are measured each month.

Should be better this way ?

Objective = to reduce rejections 2% by december 2017 (giving a timeframe to reach such objective) and defining same kpis, # of rejections of product and goal, say max 20/month, % bad inspections, goal= 2/month.

In this way, the objective is evaluated only at the end of december 2017 and
kpis are monitored every month.

Does it sound ok for you?

Cause I have seen that auditors dont take care in details about how to measure objectives, they only revise, they are written down on a paper but not the way to be evaluated.

How have you defined them in your company and how often you revise
objectives and kpis supporting them?

Please advise on this

Regards



In ISO 9001, after defining

 

[howste]

In my opinion you could define the objective in a generic way or detailed as you showed. But you do need to establish a time for when it will be accomplished per 6.2.2.d.

Here are the relevant definitions in ISO 9000 and requirements in ISO 9001:

3.7.1
objective
result to be achieved

Note 1 to entry: An objective can be strategic, tactical, or operational...

Note 3 to entry: An objective can be expressed in other ways, e.g. as an intended outcome, a purpose, an operational criterion, as a quality objective (3.7.2) or by the use of other words with similar meaning (e.g. aim, goal, or target).

Note 4 to entry: In the context of quality management systems (3.5.4) quality objectives (3.7.2) are set by the organization (3.2.1), consistent with the quality policy (3.5.9), to achieve specific results.

3.7.2
quality objective
objective (3.7.1) related to quality (3.6.2)

Note 1 to entry: Quality objectives are generally based on the organization’s (3.2.1) quality policy (3.5.9).

Note 2 to entry: Quality objectives are generally specified for relevant functions, levels and processes (3.4.1) in the organization (3.2.1).

6.2.1 The organization shall establish quality objectives at relevant functions, levels, and processes needed for the quality management system.
The quality objectives shall:
a. be consistent with the quality policy;
b. be measurable...
e. be monitored...

6.2.2 When planning how to achieve its quality objectives, the organization shall determine:
a. what will be done...
d. when it will be completed;
e. how the results will be evaluated.

So a quality objective is "a result to be achieved related to quality." It needs to be measurable and monitored. The organization needs to decide what they will do to achieve the result, when they will achieve the result, and how they will evaluate the result. The standard gives us some flexibility in how exactly we state this. You saw the way I like to do it in my post from yesterday here.

 

[Big Jim]

Hi all

How the objectives should be defined in ISO 9001?

I saw this case in a company.

This way:

Objective = Quality-> (no timeframe) then defined operative Kpis= # of rejections of product and goal, say max 20/month, % bad inspections, goal= 2/month, they are monitored every month, when something is not in compliance , actions are taken to fix the problems, but in this way it is supposed that objectives (by using Kpi´s) are measured each month.

Should be better this way ?

Objective = to reduce rejections 2% by december 2017 (giving a timeframe to reach such objective) and defining same kpis, # of rejections of product and goal, say max 20/month, % bad inspections, goal= 2/month.

In this way, the objective is evaluated only at the end of december 2017 and
kpis are monitored every month.

Does it sound ok for you?

Cause I have seen that auditors dont take care in details about how to measure objectives, they only revise, they are written down on a paper but not the way to be evaluated.

How have you defined them in your company and how often you revise
objectives and kpis supporting them?

Please advise on this

Regards



In ISO 9001, after defining

ISO 9001:2015 for the first time brings in the concept that there should be a time frame for achieving objectives. An easy way to handle it is to confirm that the objectives are still pertinent with every management review, and that reviewing of the objectives can include resetting or replacing them as needed or leaving them alone.

Personally, I don't recommend "reducing by X%" type goals. They cannot be sustained for very long. I often see companies with that type of quality objectives that were set up by a consultant and never revised and they couldn't figure out why they were having trouble sustaining it. Seems like common sense but to some it is not.

My personal preference is more like your first suggestion but revise the goals when you need to and even change the objectives out when they get stale.

 

[QAMTY]

Dear Howste

Some time ago you shared a sample of quality objectives.
The way it is shown, it is like very clear explained, showing the text o the policy
the objective extracted from the policy, additionally the metrics and target and goals.
I wonder, how has to be detailed, could it be deleted the objective as title, and only include the metrics?
I´m attaching an extract of your sample, for comments

does it help in some way one or the other option?

Please feed me back

Thanks

 

[howste]

Dear Howste

Some time ago you shared a sample of quality objectives.
The way it is shown, it is like very clear explained, showing the text o the policy
the objective extracted from the policy, additionally the metrics and target and goals.
I wonder, how has to be detailed, could it be deleted the objective as title, and only include the metrics?
I´m attaching an extract of your sample, for comments

does it help in some way one or the other option?

Please feed me back

Thanks

That can work as well, as long as the policy and objectives support each other. My personal preference is to keep the objectives at a high level. That way they can be kept in a quality manual (which I find useful) and I don't have to change the manual if leadership decides to change the metrics. But either way is fine.