Since ISO 9001:2000 is Quite 'Product' Focused, is it the Right System for Us?

BradM

Leader
Admin
Hello, Anthony!

In short, yes I feel it is the right thing for you. Now, there are many components to this machine. There is the standard, there is (most important) management and their perspective, a consultant (if you choose one; may not be a bad idea), and to an extent, the auditor(s). Saying, the pendulum could swing quite a ways on what kind of system you have.

You utilize the standard to develop a system that works for you, your application, your people, etc. Now, to your manager- It will do little good to have one perception, while the boss has another. Management is key with an effective quality system. Your manager needs to believe that the QMS will help him/her. If they are confused/ reticent, it will involve some time communicating and clarifying what those goals are. When your management has identified those goals, you develop the QMS to achieve those goals.

Hope something here helps.
 
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Craig H.

Re: Is ISO 9001:2000 right for us?

Anthony,

Maybe an Accounts procedure isn't needed for a QMS (and we have discussed this very topic at length here at the Cove), certainly most organizations would be better off with a good procedure for Accounts than they would be without one. (Invoicing errors can impact a customer's view of the quality of a company, for instance). But, as has been mentioned it is your system, and you get to decide the scope. As Roxane so wisely pointed out, why do things one way for a part of the organization, and have another approach for other portions?
 
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CliffK

Anthony,

Why is your company interested in ISO 9001?

Who in your company wants to pursue ISO 9001?

Do you have support from top management?

Are there any who might be opposed to an ISO 9001 implementation?

How far along are you?

One of our frequent Cove posters (credit to Helmut Jilling) has a great sig line. Since he hasn't jumped into this thread, and because I believe it reflects an important and often overlooked concept, I'm going to take the liberty of paraphrasing it here:

If it isn't saving us time or money, why are we doing it?
 
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Anthony Houghton

Anthony,

Why is your company interested in ISO 9001?

To show our customers that we are committed to giving them the best possible solutions we can, repeatedly

Who in your company wants to pursue ISO 9001?

Upper management

Do you have support from top management?

Yes, but not full understanding - but we're getting there!

Are there any who might be opposed to an ISO 9001 implementation?

A few I suppose, but only because of a fear of change

How far along are you?

Pre-audit booked for the beginning of February!

One of our frequent Cove posters (credit to Helmut Jilling) has a great sig line. Since he hasn't jumped into this thread, and because I believe it reflects an important and often overlooked concept, I'm going to take the liberty of paraphrasing it here:

I like that quote. It takes me back to the Lean workshops that we did a couple of years ago. Very apt for our company as we stand and after the meeting I just had. I shall have to dig my old Lean toolbox out very soon.
 
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M Greenaway

'to increase sales' would be my answer to that wonderful question......
 
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CliffK

Anthony,

No red flags in any of your answers, though educating your top management would be a good idea. If I were in your place, I would push to get this done before the pre-assessment. Your management team needs a good framework for evaluating whatever the auditors tell them.

To answer your original question - if you've done the process work required by ISO 9001, then it should be possible to show how it touches the different parts of the organization.

If some parts of the organization appear to be left out (leaving the debate about accounting aside for a moment) maybe you need a bit more process work.
 

Caster

An Early Cover
Trusted Information Resource
I suggest you set aside 9001 for a while

Study ISO 9004 first to get a better understanding of the application of key "quality" concepts to business

Also why not google the National Business - Excellence Models

Baldridge
NQI Canada
EFQM

Tom Peters is still In Search of Excellence, much goodness there

My favorite business book is "Ricardo Semler - Maverick" so radical it is beyond belief. I lent my copy to my boss and he burned it.

"lean" works wonders outside of manufacturing

Deming was all about improving management

ISO 9001 is small q quality focused

I talk in terms of Big Q - which means to me application of the quality tool kit to business....any business, even service.

Some food for thought
 
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