posted 14 August 2000 05:36 PM               

All departments; Manufacturing, Eng., Sales, service, and Finance have just taken responsibility and accountability for Quality control within their individual departments.

(As far as Iâm concerned when this change was made nobody really knew what kind of impact it could (will) have. I do not feel management or even personnel within the department(s) truly understand the methodology of Quality.)

The departments do not have to report on their process, yields, error's, etc. (because thier responsibile); therefore, its like a kid in the candy store, who will know the difference?

I want to provide objective evidence (not just my thought's) this is not the preferred method in managing a company with such diversity. We are about 220 employees and obviously not ISO certified..........

posted 15 August 2000 08:30 AM               

Divided responsibility generally means that nobody is responsible. Unless these departments have a common aim and understanding of quality, then they will ultimately drive in different directions.

Organizations need consistency in direction. This must be provided by management. The need to have an independent function leading the organization is less necessary if Senior management provides good leadership. Still, the Quality function generally helps drive the Quality initiative. Additionally, Senior Management must provide organizational AIM, the initiative to be driven.

Not knowing much about your circumstance, it is difficult to say with any degree of certainty what case you are in. I would guess by your request that you are probably in an organization who views Quality as overhead and believes that by decreeing that "Quality is everyone's job!" it will get done right. If this is true, the Senior Management has not the understanding of how Quality is achieved or recognized its need.

By the way you put it, your organization wants Quality. They don't realize that they NEED Quality. The NEED is driven intrinsically. Sometimes External Forces, such as a Customer requirement, or a very zealous Quality minded individual such as yourself, can drive the need. More so from a Customer than from you, unfortunately. So how can you get Senior Management to recognize this need? That is the trick I suppose.

Regards,

Kevin

posted 15 August 2000 09:33 AM               

The senior management of this company has been here for the past 20 years not knowing how the world progressed around them (speaking technically of course); therefore, they do not "know" what tools are available to assist their missions and goals.

I have tried to enlighten them as to what a quality structure can do, but as soon as I leave their office (with a vote of confidence), another managers will go in and explain how it wonât work in his/her department. Then my little road I was trying to pave, disappears··..

I wrote a quality plan and all the VP's signed it; however, it became very evident they never read it. I know this is a very TOUGH battle but I'm determined to help my company be world class. (I know they can be and should be; I just have to roll my sleeves up a little higher!)

If you have any suggestions or past experience that can assist me with this tremendous endeavor, I would be grateful if you would pass them along.

posted 15 August 2000 10:57 AM               

As a quality professional for over 20 years, my goal has always been to eliminate my job and my department. In other words, get each and every person within an organization so quality minded, that I work myself out of a job.

posted 16 August 2000 03:54 AM               

Actually i could agree with the concept of closing down the Quality Dept, if only because as soon as one exists it tends to get saddled with the responsibility for quality, which IMHO is an unhealthy situation.

However, you can only close the QC if the company processes are clear, and the depts themselves are trained to understand what quality is and are capable of measuring it themselves.

Normally this is one of the last steps on the Quality road. Not the first. However closing the QC could be a way of forcing responsibility for QC onto depts. A drastic measure in the short-term.

Could this be what somebody is trying to do.

posted 16 August 2000 09:47 AM               

I'm sure your correct in the fact my company is trying to force QC onto the actual departments; however, my concern is the departments really do not know have a concept for Quality.

Most people here feel quality is just to check a part when it comes in the door, not monitor processes, verify inprocess work, etc.

If I knew people had a clear concept of QC I most likely wouldn't worry to the degree I have. You mentioned procedures, policies, work instructions, etc., well, for all practical purposes, we do not have any.....
(I'm in the process of developing a Document Control Procedure, we all agree that this is necessary.)

posted 16 August 2000 10:33 AM               

There must be people around you or not too far away that would go along and do something like a free proposal/GAP Analysis for you to give to your Management Team.

Be prepared to be bombarded.

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Andy B

posted 16 August 2000 01:34 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Andy Bassett:
....Be prepared to be bombarded.

---

I'll bet you are right!

I am pleased to see that your heart is in the right place Sherry. Helping an organization to World Class status is admirable, but like most of us, you lack a plan.

Well, you came to the right spot. Many wise folks here who can share their experiences with you.

In my mind, you might need to do some preparation work. Create the right atmosphere. I think a good starting point might be to ask Senior Management if they Want Quality or if they Need Quality. See how they respond. Did they use Want or Need in their answer? Do they know the difference? In my experience, most answer that they Want Quality and most do not know the difference. This allows me to segway into the difference betweening wanting and needing something. Teach them. They need to understand that Quality IS necessary for business. If they can cognitively discount Quality, then you might be wasting your time trying to change their minds. Quality in their minds does not add value and isn't necessary to make a sale, and, ultimately profit. It will take something much larger, such as a large account lost, reduced profit or sales, leading to worse. It produces negative Intrinsic Motivation leading to layoffs and filing for bankruptsy protection just to stay in business. That is emergence through EMERGENCY folks, a very External motivational factor. And, it often comes too late! Can we spare our organizations this fate?

Regards,

Kevin

posted 16 August 2000 01:55 PM               

I know the road that lies ahead is one that many have been down before but I am so fortunate to be able to network with such a resource. My dilemma is not new but the support everyone has given is (at least for me).

Most all of your responses provided me a different way to look at the situation and enabled me to take my personal emotions out of the equation. I re-read each response every morning to take the edge off. I am then able to rethink my daily strategy and approach this tremendous task utilizing your suggestions and support. I hope to write back one day and tell you how successful we are and can prove it with data!

Thanks so much for your desperately needed help,

posted 16 August 2000 03:11 PM               

My current position is Manager, Quality Assurance; however, it used to be Manager, Quality Assurance with QC reporting to me. I report directly to the office of the chairman (CEO).

You asked why I feel responsible and I had to ask myself the question to get the actual answer. I don't know that I feel "responsible", as much as I think I have the insight (based on past history especially with this co.) their new Corporate plan is sure to fail!

When I say fail, it is with regards to accomplishing "their objective", each department is accountable and responsible for quality. Its as was stated; when things start going bad, no one is going to stand up and say "That is my responsibility and I will correct and improve".

I have already started giving the tasks I was managing for QC to the applicable owner and have already been confronted with "well, we didn't know that was function "we" would now have to perform..........

Of course, I gave them my sympathy and told them based on the new direction, I thought it was very important each manager/department had "full" control.

I see the message everyone is trying to drive home and will go forward with the advice to collect data and submit, submit, submit.

posted 17 August 2000 02:22 AM               

All in all you could potentially have the makings of an more intersting function than your previously had.

Lastly, your seem quite disappointed with the recent changes, and this would almost certainly have been noticed by your management. The standard choices in this situation are to either polish the CV or go with the flow, but whatever you do you will need to do it with enthusiam for your own sake.

Try going back to the management and saying something like ' I didnt like the plan initially, but i think i know how to make it work, this is my new role.... i need x dollars for training...etc etc'.

At least you will be seen as being enthusiastic, which is always a big plus in the managers eyes, and you are almost certainly going to get some valuable experience out of this exercise. Maybe we will all be reading your book in 2 years.
'...Quality without Quality Control....'

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Andy B

posted 17 August 2000 08:55 AM               

- Since you do not have QC responsibility ,develop an audit department and audit against the existing procedures. Dig in deep and find rejection rates,test failures, hidden scrap & rework.
The biggest failure in this environment is the "use-as-is" decision by the department manager. Do product audits at random. You may have to "cheat" a little and do a product audit on a known defective product, but it can be effective in getting your point accross.

- If you have a returns department, chart the number and types of returns and present to management.

[This message has been edited by Sam (edited 17 August 2000).]