ISO is Easier Said than Done Series: Why We Have No ISO Exclusions
When it comes to becoming ISO certified, many organizations try to take as many exclusions as they can from their scope of certification. I imagine they do this because it reduces the number of audit days, and because the cost of certification is determined by the number of audit days. But I think they also …
ISO is Easier Said than Done Series: Mano a Mano – Ultimate Registrar Comparison
So you’re ready to become ISO certified and have found yourself facing the first hurdle: Deciding which ISO Registrar to pick. Don’t worry; you are not alone. For years we’ve helped organizations pick an ISO registrar to match their company’s culture and needs, and for years we’ve seen the process being complex and cumbersome, to …
What is the Grandfather Clause in ISO, and When Should I Use It?
When implementing a new management system based on the ISO standards, whether it is a quality management system, environmental management system, information security management system, etc., …
Our ISO Management Rep is Leaving the Company: Should I Call 911?
Your ISO management Rep is leaving the company, and you have yet to reassign the post. Don’t worry – there is no need to hit the panic button or call 911. If you are wondering whether there are any formalities that need to be followed, then you are on the right track. With some simple …
Document Review: Do I HAVE to?
Deciding how to control your documents can be difficult. ISO 9001 requires you to maintain accurate and up-to-date procedures, but doesn’t give a lot of guidance on how to get there. Between the requirements and the implementation lie grey areas and confusion. Let’s take a look at the difference between what is required and what …
Excuse Me, Mr. Auditor, Can I Phone a Friend?
There you are, in the middle of an Internal or External Audit, and the Auditor asks you a question that you are truly not sure about. What do you do? Hit the panic button. Ask the audience for a hint. Phone a friend. Well, there isn’t a studio audience, and chances are the Auditor didn’t …
What’s the Difference Series: NCRs vs NCNs vs CARs vs PARs vs SCARs vs CAPA vs CPARs vs CIP
So, you think you’ve got it all figured it out, and then, BAM! Somebody else comes with a new acronym to throw you off your game. Well, don’t give up so soon. Quality is not that hard, or at least not as hard as some people expect it to be. It all boils down to …
Antithesis of a Politician: The Good Quality Professional
Have you ever wondered how most politicians are made? Where do they come from? They definitely seem to come from a different dimension than the rest of us. I think one thing is certain: they are different from the average quality folk. In fact, good quality professionals are the antithesis of most politicians. Explore with …
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Quality
So you have been in the Quality world for many years. Admit it, you are the underdog. No matter if the whole company revolves around you, you are not the Operations Manager nor are you the Sales Leader. You are the underdog. They like you when they need you and they spit you when they …
If You Want Guaranteed Success, Then You Need Informal Assessments: Audits on Steroids
Have you ever wondered why the last Internal Audit or External Audit uncovered so many issues even though you thought everything was great? Are most of your nonconformities or corrective actions pointed out by external parties? If the answer to any of these questions is yes then what you may need in order to pass …
Are Training Attendance Sheets Appropriate for Measuring Training Effectiveness?
So you’ve heard about measuring training effectiveness but are unsure about how to do this. You have been filling training attendance sheets for as long as you can recall and so far they have served the purpose. So what is this new question all of the sudden a topic of discussion and what exactly is …
Hello Mr. Auditee: Did Mickey Mouse Help in Your Root Cause Analysis?
Ok, so you issued a nonconformity to your auditee or vendor and you are hoping that they will review the problem in such a manner that the current problem will be solved and similar problems will be prevented from happening again. You ask for a formal response and to your surprise, when you see the …
Hey, Mr. Auditor: This Is a Mickey Mouse Nonconformity. Show Me the Value!
Have you ever been audited and felt like the findings the auditor was bringing up were minutia and almost irrelevant in the context of the major challenges and goals setup in your organization? Did you almost feel like they were mickey-mouse or minutia issues compared to the big tidal waves your organization is going through. …
What Suits Your Schedule Best: Conduct Root Cause Analysis 1 Hr. Daily or Fight Fires 8 Hrs. a Day?
There is not a bigger vicious cycle in this world than that of problems which constantly re-occur because there is no time to stop and solve them correctly. Although we all would like for this cycle to stop, Managers can’t afford letting employees waste time with too much researching and employees don’t have the time …
Five New Year Resolutions for Top Management
Most of us set new resolutions at the onset of every new year. Whether it is losing weight, exercising more (always the top resolutions!) or finishing a degree, we all recognize that a new year and the chance of a fresh start is a powerful combination to motivate us to achieve those goals. So why …
