Why do so many ISO 9001 Implementation Programs Fail?

[Hodgepodge]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

If the reason a company seeks registration of their QMS is merely to satisfy customer requirements for registration then this would be the definition of a successful registration:

well we have been ISO 9001 certified by an external Auditor for 3 years ...

If a company seeks to adopt a the use of a QMS standard, it may have several different reasons. One could be to merely satisfy a customer requirement. When this is the case, you hear these types of phrases in conversations about quality: "the ISO guy", or "we're ISO", or "ISO is a pain in the XXXX", or "...fill this form out correctly or the quality puke will have a fit!". Another reason (a good reason) is to better understand the system you are using and to use the tools for improvement across the board by having a 3rd party review the system and offer their opinion on your use of the prescribed requirements and tools.

A possible definition of "successful registration" for the latter might be using findings uncovered during registration audits as indicators for areas to improve your system. Then actually trying to improve the system and seeing benefits in (hopefully) dollars and repeatability of processes, for the registration process to actually add value.

 

[JaneB]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

Um ...

well we have been ISO 9001 certified by an external Auditor for 3 years ...


sorry if I'm not phrasing this correctly , english isnt my strongest language

Sardokar,
No, there's absolutely no problem with your English or the way you phrased it at all - on which congratulations by the way!

What people are querying is how 'successful' your actual system is. What you say appears to say that, yes, you have held registration for 3 years, but you also predict that the system will 'crash and burn' sometime. Which would not appear to be a successful system.

Many people - including me - don't consider merely being registered (ie, passing the audit and getting the certificate) as a true measure of success. Unless, as others point out, all you want is a certificate on the wall.

I'd see success as something like having an effective quality management system that is practical, and useful and which supports and enables your organisation, and one which everyone uses and contributes to, and continually improves. To me, the certification is 'the icing on the cake' and virtually a byproduct of having a disciplined, defined, documented and demonstrable system as described in previous sentence.

 

[baby12]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

they fail bcse you expect the system itself do everything for you the thing here is that this certified bodies they are there to guide you but is you the implementer of the system who must do the rest. just to have documented policies and procedures is not enough and also have a project owner from start to finish who will look after the performance and report on the progress of the system. you rightfully ask the why the qms fails the other attributer here is training of people in this regards, supports of everyone , management also must buy in here . the big thing that will take this to the next level is ownership of this project.

 

[Elynn]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

Very informative and experiences exchanges in this thread.

However, my opinion is, some may be referring to ISO 9001 implementation "fails", while some are referring to difficulties to "sustain". If the problem lies with difficulty to sustain, then it is possible to overcome with improvements, PA... etc. I have heard & seen how organisations make several attempts, over several months and years... for processes to be aligned to reasonable practices - human factors, which happen to be the major reason why ISO fails / not sustainable.

If the situation is ISO has failed, I suppose the system has never started right - wrong perceptions, wrong system, wrong processes... on n on...

My 2 cents...

 

[Chance]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

Not if you get the active participation across the site.
This is why my internal audit teams always include one person from each deparmtent. They then communicate with their peers and spread the "gospel".
Next thing you know you got people from every area actually submitting improvement related preventive actions!

(Of course if management keeps shooting down these submissions for improvment...well that's another topic. )

How do you tackle this part? How do you convey to get active participation across the board?

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

Very informative and experienced exchanges in this thread.

However, my opinion is, some may be referring to ISO 9001 implementation "fails", while some are referring to difficulties to "sustain". If the problem lies with difficulty to sustain, then it is possible to overcome with improvements, PA... etc...

If the situation is ISO has failed, I suppose the system has never started right - wrong perceptions, wrong system, wrong processes... on n on...

My 2 cents...

Good insight on the difference between failing to implement vs. failure to sustain (or improve).

I have heard & seen how organisations make several attempts, over several months and years... for processes to be aligned to reasonable practices - human factors, which happen to be the major reason why ISO fails / not sustainable.

Here, on this part of your comment, I would remind that continual improvement should be applied to continually work to align and improve every process. This is not something we do once or twice. It is a continual effort. Just like a sports team continues to try to improve their alignment and performance.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

Excellent post - I agree strongly. Profit is NOT the only goal there is, the be-all and end-all: to accept that point of view essentially supports all kinds of sociopathic behaviour and beliefs. And the "Profit is the only and sole goal there is" is the complete antithesis of sustainable business as well as morality.

But I wouldn't restrict it as you have to manufacturing companies only - service providers also have that responsibility.

I agree, Jane. I'm coming a bit late to this discussion, but I would allow that profit is a fundamental goal of most businesses, but not the ONLY goal. That would be a very narrow company, and generally, not usually one of the more successful ones in their industry.

 

[Chance]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

sunugupta,

May I suggest training for deep understanding of your management system?

This training of the employees should be delivered by their leaders and managers so the employees can see their commitment and realize that their management system is meant to be helping them to meet requirements.

Encourage the employees to demand more of their management system.

Do not be surprised if leaders demand more of their management system before they will promote it and explain it. For example, does the management system support and improve the entire business cycle from customer needs into cash in the bank?

Try not to mention ISO. Try not to mention certification. Try not to mention the system standard. These three topics get in the way of the main message.

John

I started doing this but audience requested to have the CEO deliver this kind of information to them. To me it was an insulting suggestion. How to address this? If I am hired to do this specific task, why would I let my CEO do this for me? Can you help me provide a good justification?

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

but I would allow that profit is a fundamental goal of most businesses, but not the ONLY goal.

Profitability is a fundamental need for any business (even for "non-profits"). But the KEY thing to remember is that a good organization must seek profitability in the short, medium and long terms. Many times, the misguided focus on short term profitability detracts from an organization's ability not only to profit long-term, but even exist.

Any organization that operates under the "short term profit at all costs" (pun intended) motto, is destined to fail; sooner than they think.

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Re: Why do many ISO 9001 implementation programs fail?

I started doing this but audience requested to have the CEO deliver this kind of information to them. To me it was an insulting suggestion. How to address this? If I am hired to do this specific task, why would I let my CEO do this for me? Can you help me provide a good justification?

The CEO should do those things for which he is most competent. If he is very competent in ISO matters, then perhaps he should do it. If he is not, he should defer to the person in management who IS the most qualified on the topic. It is why he has an accounting dept., and legal experts, to support him where he is not the most competent.