Why do we even call it a Quality Management System. I’ll tell you why, and I’m putting it on the internet so it must be true.
A long time ago, some guys with pocket squares got together and said, “Jim, I really think we need a standardized system of quality requirements for manufacturers to adopt and be held accountable.” Jim said, “Alejandro, I do say old chap, by jove your right.” And at that moment the ISO 9001 Standard was born. (Disclaimer: that may not be totally accurate, but I’m sure it was close.).
In brief, very brief, quality standards have been an ever developing, and more useful tool since WWII. I remember in my early days in warehousing and manufacturing a focus being on the more technical details of the products and testing itself. Today we look at it as a more complete overarching implementation to be applied to every aspect of your business or organization. Quality, that is direct product and service quality, and how we measure it, is only a part of the requirement.
As an organization the focus is on building a system of, as the standard refers to it, a Plan-Do-Check-Act, activities that:
Identify those interested in your organization
Establish Processes and the inputs and outputs of those processes, and the intended results
Assess the Risks and Opportunities of those processes
Evaluate the Performance of your processes to determined KPI’s or metrics
Create Continuous Improvement Plans or revised KPI’s and metrics for sustained acceptable performance
Create action plans when processes are not meeting expectations
Providing leadership and input on processes and future expectations.
Now that is an simplistic view of an ISO 9001 system, but it is the general point. That’s not so scary, and what’s more, it doesn’t just have to do with quality, as many of us think of quality. I often times find myself lying awake at night, saying to myself, “ Why didn’t they just call it a Management System?” I’ll never know. But, my point is that it is a management system, for any business, organization, industry, sector, etc……..
I have known far too many managers, presidents, leadership role types that write off the ISO work to their quality managers and think they can wash their hands of it. I have also known the same in non certified companies to say “our product quality is great, we don’t need that”, or “our customers don’t really care, we won’t see any benefit for the costs”. REALLY?????
I challenge any such person that they would immediately see an impact from implementing an ISO 9001 certified quality management system. The accountability of process and position to the requirements and metrics you establish, along with the system you build around it will provide cost savings through increased product and service quality, reduced repetition and redundancy in processes, benchmarking, training, the list goes on and on.
So when you think about a Quality Management System, remember that the Quality is silent and the Management System is the part you want.
Need help evaluating your business, or implementing a Quality Management System? The Witwer Group can help. Go to the Contact Page and Give us a call.