Sub-Contracting a major update to the QMS

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Pistonbroke

Hi Cove-ers,

I've been asked to put together an outsource work package to onbtain quotes for an external company to come into a business I consult for to perform a major update of the existing Q.M.S.

The documentation suite I am looking at has around 650 individual documents, each of which will need to be reviewed against a list of given criteria ( which relate to major organisational changes), and updates identified.

The documents will then need to be reformatted into a new format, and renumbered (along with all the reciprocal changes to referencing and referenced documents).

After this, validationa ctivities with the Technical experrts for the processes will be needed and final corrections before delivery of the document suite.

I'm hoping that some of the many wise heads here might be able to help me out with a few items.....

Firstly, I'm wondering if this is something that anyone here has first hand experience of, and if there are any 'lessons learned' that could be shared.

And Secondly, I'm looking for any recommendations as to any organisations that might be able to take on this sort of activity, based on previous performace (U.K based).

Any comments, suggestions or warnings would be greatly appreciated.
 
D

D.Scott

The best advice I can give you is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Don't shoot yourself in the foot by writing unnecessary documents. Take a look at what you've already got and, if you can see past the pile of papers, look at where you want to be. You can probably cut out a lot of the clatter in the documents. People hate change so don't re-invent the wheel. Look at the QMS you have already to determine what can be used or tweaked to meet the new standard. Make the transition to the new QMS as seamless as possible. Your client apparently does something right so make the QMS fit his business not his business fit the QMS.

In any event, get the commitment of top management on whatever you do.

Good luck with your project.

Dave
 
P

Pistonbroke

I'm tempted to write into the requirements document that the contractor should map the primary work streams of the business in order to create a business model prior to any rewrites taking place. Does this make sense, or am I perhaps at risk of trying to teach granny to suck eggs?
 
J

JaneB

I'm tempted to write into the requirements document that the contractor should map the primary work streams of the business in order to create a business model prior to any rewrites taking place. Does this make sense, or am I perhaps at risk of trying to teach granny to suck eggs?

Sounds like a good plan.

1. Rather than 'going the whole hog' immediately, I'd bit off a 'pilot chunk' if you can, and use that to test the plan and the process. eg, can you narrow the initial scope to an area or two/couple of key processes? And use that to make sure the planned approach and end products will work and be acceptable, or tweak if necessary while still manageable?

2. Yes, keep it SIMPLE. Can you shorten it? 650 docs is a lot...

3. Get a clearly defined project plan in place - particularly, limit the number of internal reviews that the business does. Nothing, but nothing, can make a cost blow out more than the business constantly changing their mind, and endlessly asking for changes to documents.

4. Look for a contractor who provides evidence of a clearly defined process, from supply of source material, through a defined number of reviews, to acceptance. If it ain't there, insist it is!

5. Control source material supplied to subcontractor. Clearly identify who will sign off on reviews, and on delivered docs.

6. Make sure there is a defined process for acceptance - ie, someone signing off.
 

Peter Fraser

Trusted Information Resource
It depends on what you have now, and what you want.

Is the current documentation:
i) up-to-date
ii) readable and usable
iii) easy to update
iv) integrated into a clear system structure?

Do you want to:
v) (just) comply with an external standard
vi) understand what you do now
vii) reflect what the new organisational structure requires
viii) make your system easily accessible
ix) make it easy to adapt to the next(!) organisational change
x) focus on your processes and how work gets done, and keep the volume of "procedures" down to a minimum?

It may be better to start afresh and structure your system around your processes (ie how work gets done), and only then refer to existing documentation and keep only what is still required. We find that existing documentation is often in need of a radical review and update, and you can spend more time on a project trying to tidy up and reduce existing documentation than starting afresh, and the end result can still be more (reduce by 50% still leaves 50%, start from scratch can give you 33%).

We have done this in oil & gas, engineering, construction, service and other sectors - send me a PM if you want more details.
 
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JaneB

It may be better to start afresh and structure your system around your processes (ie how work gets done), and only then refer to existing documentation and keep only what is still required. We find that existing documentation is often in need of a radical review and update, and you can spend more time on a project trying to tidy up and reduce existing documentation than starting afresh, and the end result can still be more (reduce by 50% still leaves 50%, start from scratch can give you 33%)

I'd second that strongly. And I've had a lot of experience with similar projects.

A rethink may be cheaper overall than fix existing. Not will be, but can sometimes be.
 
P

Pistonbroke

Thanks for the feedback Jane and Peter.

I'm of much the same mind - that the mass of documents we have includes up to a decade of corrective action bolt-ons, sticking plasters and peoples "good ideas", along with things which simply are no longer done or relevant.

So Mapping the Business Model first, then creating the processes by work stream, referring to the old documents for details.

No I just need to find someone capable of doing all this in about 3 months.:lmao:
 
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