Quality Engineering and ISO 9001

The Importance of Being Effective, Not Just Being

As requirements for management systems - such as ISO 9001, TS 16949, AS9100 and the like - continue to be driven as fundamental business requirements for many sectors; many companies will take the "hunting license" approach to implementation of these tools. The programs are put in place in order to open doors for potential business, but the commitment to actually using these tools to drive improvement and minimize risk becomes a road less traveled. Like any tool you invest in, the results are only as good as the implementation.

The word "effective" shows up in the ISO 9001 standard 18 times. The use of this word is very deliberate to ensure that companies aren't just going through the motions with the sole intention of attaining new business. Without a significant ROI, any tool is destined for failure in the long-term.

The word "effective" is defined as "having an expected or intended effect" (see ISO 9000:2000). In other words, the 500 work instructions you have written over the past 2 years are only as good as their intended effect. Documentation does not equal effectiveness. Many organizations focus on the means and not the end result.

When adopting improvement tools such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, TS 16949 and the like, the initial implementation phase is often a focus on fulfilling the minimum requirements of the respective standard you are subscribing to. As your management system matures (and prior to full compliance), you must evaluate processes and systems to ensure processes are working to achieve the goals and expectations established for your organization.

The following are 6 steps that can be taken to ensure a specific process has been implemented effectively :

1. Invision : Visualize and clearly define the ideal "health" and expectations for a given process (i.e. development & improvement of key suppliers);
2. Plan : Create a plan for setting the process in motion (i.e. supplier visits, performance tracking, exchanging best practices);
3. Get Going : Begin with implementing your changes within a pilot area (i.e. start working with a key supplier on your improvement plan);
4. Monitor : Review and analyze performance after the changes have been introduced (i.e. hold weekly meetings to review the past week's performance);
5. Adjust : Make adjustments accordingly based on what works and what does not (i.e. the new packaging standards work, but the freight costs are too high);
6. Share : Reproduce the activities that work in other areas (i.e. the new packaging standards should be implemented for all products).

As you change, grow and improve, don't forget to stop and ask yourself if your "work" is actually achieving the desired results. Work without results is just work. Money does not come from simply staying busy or going through the motions.

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