When I look at individual cases often discussed during exchanges of views, one fundamental thing puzzles me above all: why do companies implement a quality management system? This question arises for one simple reason; looking at selected cases, one can often encounter, among other things, management introducing corrective or preventive actions within the system because “the auditor wants it that way.”
However, there is another reason. It turns out that it is not at all an isolated case for a company to operate several forms of management, and their implementation does not entirely have anything to do with the quality management system. It is more reminiscent of adjusting the “ISO” reality to the existing situation. Of course, the most spectacular cases are those companies for which sales, the quality of products offered, and a quality management system confirmed by a certificate are disconnected issues functioning in separate planes of the same reality.
These planes can be most simply divided into activities covering:
– activities aimed at maintaining the image of a properly functioning Quality Assurance System (QAS)
– activities aimed at the technological development of the organization through the implementation of IT systems
– management activities related to the implementation of other models and methodologies, regardless of the current state of affairs.
What is the result of this? Well, during audits, or shortly before them, the search for evidence of the QAS functioning begins, which is a bit like trying to prove by force that we are not guilty. This only causes stress for employees and management. However, no organization that introduces modifications to the existing management model based on an implemented management system and common sense experiences this type of stress, because everything is known –
where from, where to, why, and what for, and even if the auditor finds some defects, they will certainly not be non-conformities, and catching them will only lead to the improvement of the management system.
Let us look at perhaps the most tangible example, which is the implementation of an IT system during the implementation of a QAS. We rarely deal with a setup where the sequence of actions includes:
– implementation of QAS,
– analysis of operational structures,
– decision to implement an IT system,
– selection of the system.
The opposite situation also rarely occurs:
– selection of an IT system,
– implementation,
– status analysis,
– development of QAS,
– introduction of corrections to the IT system aimed at meeting the requirements of the standard.
Moreover, there is often a lack of reference to the QAS functioning in the organization at the stage of designing the IT system. This leads to a situation where both systems live their own lives and only meet on the occasion of an audit. Unfortunately, often without conclusions for the future. Both systems, both quality management and the IT system, are elements that not only require design but, contrary to appearances, have many common features. However, to be able to fully realize this fact, one must first organize the definitions that we very willingly use on a daily basis, but not necessarily in the right way or to the right extent.
The general concept –
IT system –
is often understood as a self-playing machine that can do almost everything. Unfortunately, it cannot. It often needs to be first
tool systems and applications as well as document flow systems and management systems.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka”, no. 1/2006.