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 …
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’s the Difference? Series: Gap Analysis vs. Internal Audits vs. Pre-Assessment
If you have ever wondered what the difference was between an audit, an assessment or a gap analysis, then you might not be alone. When trying to figure out whether your company meets the requirement of a standard, such as ISO, API, Safety, etc.; chances are you are trying to decide which one of these …
We are Just a Service Company, Why Do They Need Us to be ISO 9001 Certified?
Are you a service provider selling project management services, engineering or IT services? Have you been asked more than once whether you are ISO 9001 certified and wonder what is all that about? Before you tell your prospective client they have an error on their forms, see why more and more organizations are demanding their …
Combining ISO 9001 with C-TPAT Requirements: A Simple Approach to Building an Integrated Quality Management System
Sweet Challenge I was called to a prospective client to help them implement ISO 9001. They seemed very interested at improving their processes in order to increase their quality and revenues. After contract negotiations, we were given the green light and quickly began process mapping the company’s main functions. As we moved from process mapping …
This Certificate Smells Fishy! How to Find Out if an ISO Certificate is Forged or Valid.
I was recently at a meeting with some colleagues and the subject of forged certificates was brought up. We discussed the fact that some organizations do have the audacity of not just creating a fake certificate, but sometimes even wanting to change registrars. Seems odd? Later on, I was asked by a reader for some …
Was is Necessary to Revise ISO 9001:2000 to ISO 9001:2008?
Since the inception of the ISO 9001:2000 revision it was clear that this version of the standard was so robust and coherent that more people were able to understand its tremendous value and potential for improving a company’s overall processes rather than being a mere documentation guide. In fact the standard was so well written …
Twenty Two Years After the Standard’s Inception, Why are There Companies Still Not ISO 9001 Certified?
Even after many years of hearing the word ISO 9000 and seeing many organizations get ISO certified, there are still companies who are skeptical when it comes to registering for ISO 9001 certification. For some, a misconception on the objectives of the ISO 9001 standard or the lack of knowledge may steer them off this …
Do You Need a Consultant to Achieve ISO 9001 Certification?
Well, a simple answer is no, you don’t need a consultant to achieve ISO 9001 certification. In fact many companies achieve ISO 9001 on their own, by appointing key employees to the task. The implications however of trying to implement a system on your own can be a set back to your business if resources …
How to Pass an ISO Audit?
I’ve worked with several companies over the years and dealt with different individuals, different processes and different levels of ISO 9000 understanding. However when an organization is getting ready to apply for ISO 9000 certification, the question remains: “Are we going to pass the audit? Similar questions I have been asked are: How many of …
Understanding the Background and New Approaches of ISO 9001
Philosophical Background of ISO 9000 When ISO 9001 started more than 20 years ago, it started as a progression to the guidelines applied to a defined set of institutions, specifically the military, whose functions, products and services were always the same. The standards where indeed tweaked a few years after so that they could be …
The Right Time to Implement ISO 9001?
Although ISO 9001 is a certification claimed by thousands of organizations all over the world, some companies still have a tough time taking the step to world class quality. We are too busy, we don’t have enough people, our customers don’t require it, we don’t need it, etc, etc. Let’s look together at the pros …
