As an ISO9001-2008 quality management system consultant, I play various roles in companies. Depending on the company and the day, I can be a teacher, a cop, or sometimes even a therapist.
ISO9001-2008 Consultant, Teacher, Policeman, Therapist
May 3rd, 2013ISO9001-2008 fantasy vs reality
April 6th, 2013Sometimes there’s a person who believes your ISO9001-2008 quality management system should be more. Apparently they believe people have time and motivation to review and revise documents, to generate corrective and preventive actions for every little issue, to write lengthy reports on every nonconforming part. Maybe they also believe in unicorns. Sometimes reality conflicts with the desire for perfection.
Internal auditing in ISO9001-2008: who does yours?
March 14th, 2013Who does your internal auditing? An outside consultant? An employee or 2? How are they doing?
ISO9001-2008 Custom Document Service
February 20th, 2013Too busy to write your new ISO9001-2008 quality system manual and procedures? Not sure what forms are needed? We offer a custom document service tailored to your company’s processes.
Assessing your ISO9001-2008 Quality System for the New Year
December 30th, 2012Did you accomplish your quality goals in 2012? What changes will you make in the new year?
Who attends your ISO9001-2008 Management Review?
November 23rd, 2012Who attends your management review of your ISO9001-2008 quality management system? Is your management review helpful or a waste of time?
The Most Common Mistake in ISO9001-2008 Quality Management Systems
October 17th, 2012It happened again last week. I visited a new client who wants to get their ISO9008-2008 certification. They already have a quality system that’s largely in conformance with the ISO9001-2008 quality standard. But it goes far beyond the requirements of the standard. In fact, it goes much farther than the company actually needs. This company, [...]
What Tolerance is Built Into Your ISO9001-2008 quality system?
August 27th, 2012Few things are perfectly according to plan. Most products have slight tolerances, within which the product is, well, tolerated. How about your ISO9001-2008 quality management system? Do you have tolerances built into your quality system?
ISO9001 Corrective Actions in Everyday Life
July 25th, 2012You’re probably aware that one of the requirements of the ISO9001-2008 quality standard is to have a Corrective Action Program. ISO9001-2008 also requires Preventive Actions, but that’s not my topic for today. A corrective action program should be available for anyone in your organization to use. Corrective action requests are generated whenever there is a [...]
Surprise internal audits in your ISO9001-2008 Quality System
June 8th, 2012I recently ran into a company that performs surprise internal audits on their people. Is this a good thing?
ISO9001-2008 – how much work will it be?
April 27th, 2012Can you just write a check to get ISO9001-2008 certification? Or is there actual work involved?
ISO9001-2008: It doesn’t have to be complicated
April 5th, 2012Some consultants and quality system managers overcomplicate ISO9001:2008 documents and procedures. Why do they do this? Is it just to create work for themselves?
How often should you conduct internal audits in your ISO9001:2008 quality system?
March 5th, 2012How often should you conduct internal audits? Get ‘em all out of the way once a year? Or maybe a little each month? Like many things in life, it depends on your priorities.
Human Limitations in your ISO9001-2008 quality management system
January 13th, 2012There can come a point when your quality system reaches a limit- a human limit. How do you continually improve on near-perfection?
Thanksgiving Day thoughts on ISO9001-2008
November 25th, 2011Yes, even in the dull world of ISO9001-2008 quality management systems, you can find things to be thankful for.
When is it time to change your quality objectives in your ISO9001:2008 quality management system?
November 4th, 2011When is it time to change your quality objectives in your ISO9001:2008 quality management system? How long have you had the same objectives? How much improvement have you experienced? Is it time for new objectives?
Do you know a company that is ISO9001 certified, but maybe should not be?
October 10th, 2011Have you dealt with a company that allegedly has ISO9001-2008 certification, but you wonder how they keep their certification?
Do you have ISO9001-2008? How well are your quality objectives working for you?
August 24th, 2011Recently I performed a complete internal audit for a small manufacturing company that was soon to have their initial ISO9001-2008 registration audit. While going through their documentation, I found they had completely missed the boat on their quality objectives. Their quality objectives were too vague, and not measurable. It might be nice to say something [...]
Compromising your ISO9001-2008 quality management system
July 10th, 2011Any organization with more than 1 person has experienced compromise. Your quality management system is a compromise, whether you want to admit it or not.
Reap benefits of ISO9001-2008 without any cost
June 16th, 2011Here’s how you can reap some benefits of an ISO9001-2008 quality management system without incurring any of the costs.
Do you have an ISO9001-2008 personality?
May 18th, 2011Do you have the right personality to manage an ISO9001-2008 quality management system?
ISO9001-2008: The dirty little secret?
April 28th, 2011Learn about ISO9001-2008′s dirty little secret.
Why ISO9001-2008 internal audits are like pizza
March 31st, 2011Internal audits, as part of an ISO9001-2008 quality management system, can be compared to pizza. Even when it’s not great, it’s still good!
AS9100C scuttlebutt
March 4th, 2011Recently I spoke with a very experienced auditor who also audits the AS9100 standard. I, your faithful writer, worked with AS9100 in the distant past, but haven’t been keeping up with the latest revision. It seems the new AS9100C is going to cause quite a bit of heartache out in the world. A local company [...]
OFI’s, or “opportunities for improvement”, in an ISO9001-2008 quality system.
January 2nd, 2011During an ISO9001-2008 audit, auditors often write up “OFI’s”, or “opportunities for improvement”. Do you need to act on these?
Will you use ISO9001:2008 to help in 2011?
December 21st, 20102011 is almost here. While I believe every year above ground is a good one, 2010 certainly presented many of us with many, many challenges. I’m definitely looking forward to 2011 with hope and optimism. The economy is crap. Many businesses are suffering. You can sit and sulk and brood and go nowhere. Or you [...]
Is it possible to get ISO9001-2008 accredited before you start a business?
November 17th, 2010Recently I had a few phone calls, and a brief introductory meeting, with a gentleman who claimed he and his partner were in business making electronic devices. He said a large, well-known company wanted to do business with him, and the potential customer insisted he have his ISO9001-2008 certificate. We talked quite a bit, I [...]
ISO9001-2008 Similarities to Government
October 19th, 2010The other day it dawned on me that ISO9001-2008 performs a function similar to governments. How so?
Are you ISO9001-2008 certified? There are 2 kinds of ISO9001 companies. Which one are you?
October 5th, 2010In my opinion there are basically 2 kinds of companies that are registered to ISO9001-2008. Which one are you?
How do you get your people to comply with your ISO9001-2008 quality system?
October 2nd, 2010There’s a company I work with that has been registered to ISO9001-2008 for about a year. They’re a great bunch of people to work with, and I very much look forward to visiting them. They’ve got about 100 employees. This company is extremely concerned with quality, and they put out excellent products. In general they’re [...]
Advice on writing your ISO9001-2008 quality system documents
August 10th, 2010Tips on writing your quality system documentation, from someone who’s done it many times.
Writing Your ISO9001:2008 Documentation? KISS!
June 22nd, 2010There’s no need for your ISO9001:2008 quality system documentation to be overly complex. The more complicated you make it, the harder it is to follow, and the less your people will want to do it. So why do people insist on lengthly, complex documents?
Writing a Corrective Action Request to a Vendor
June 17th, 2010Corrective action requests are not limited to your internal operations. You can issue them to suppliers as well. But there are things to consider when sending a vendor corrective action request.
What If Governments Followed ISO9001:2008?
June 8th, 2010Companies follow ISO9001:2008 in order to reduce mistakes, improve themselves, and improve the bottom line. What if governements followed ISO9001:2008?
Your ISO9001:2008 quality system: A real effort at improving, or the bare minimum?
May 20th, 2010Do you have ISO9001:2008? Does your company genuinely want to improve? Or do you do the bare minimum needed to keep your certificate?
Quality system consultant available
May 13th, 2010Are you thinking about getting registered to ISO9001-2008? Want someone to help you with documentation, training, internal audits, and guiding you through the process?
Say What You Do, Do What You Say…what does it mean to ISO9001-2008?
March 25th, 2010Have you ever heard the phrase “say what you do, do what you say”? Is this a good idea?
ISO9001-2008 Helps Auto Dealer Get Paid!
March 18th, 2010Fitzgerald Auto Malls successfully implemented an ISO9001 quality management system, and it has paid off for them. Last summer, during the “Cash For Clunkers” program, there were reports that some auto dealers were not being paid by the federal government. Fitzgerald Auto Malls used their ISO9001 system to develop work instructions for their employees as [...]
Why having ISO9001:2008 is more important than ever
February 18th, 2010In our crappy economy, you might think having an ISO9001:2008 quality management system is a frivolous expense. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s why you NEED an ISO9001 quality system NOW!
Why the very first ISO9001-2008 audit is the easiest you’ll ever have.
January 15th, 2010You might think your first ISO9001-2008 audit will be your hardest. While the preparation may take a long time, in some ways this will be your easiest audit.
Jitters about first ISO9001:2008 registration audit
December 30th, 2009Have you gone through your first ISO9001:2008 registration audit? How nervous were you? How did you do? Was the nervousness justified?
Differences between ISO9001:2000 and ISO9001:2008
November 27th, 2009Is your quality system ready for the latest revision of the ISO9001 quality system standard?
Have a quality Thanksgiving!
November 25th, 2009We wish everyone (in the US and Canada, at least!) a happy, quality filled Thanksgiving Day holiday. We give thanks for all the great people we get to work with, and for family and friends who have always been there for us.
My biggest pet peeve regarding ISO9001:2008
October 17th, 2009Probably the most annoying part of being an ISO9001:2008 consultant is trying to deal with employees who are perfectly competent, but have no interest in participating in the quality system.
ISO9001:2008 clause 7.5.3 how do you identify your products?
October 15th, 2009ISO9001:2008 clause 7.5.3 requires us to identify products throughout the production process. There are many ways to do this, some not so obvious. How do you do it?
How much can you tailor ISO9001:2008 to your company?
September 22nd, 2009One of the beautiful features of the ISO9001:2008 quality standard is that it gives users a lot of leeway in how to structure your quality system. But there’s a limit to how far you can go.
How ISO9001:2008 can make you a better motorcycle rider
January 18th, 2009The principles of ISO9001:2008 can apply to things you might not consider. Like motorcycle road racing. Huh?
Why I think Santa Claus uses ISO9001-2008
December 19th, 2008Does Santa Claus follow ISO9001-2008? We think so. Here are some reasons why.
More on how to write your ISO9001-2008 Quality Objectives
December 12th, 2008Felix writes: “Greetings, can you please send details about Quality Objectives explanation, including how to create Quality Objectives (Referring Quality Policy), how to link with Quality Policy, how to achieve Quality Objectives (With example). If not meeting the requirement how to close. Can you please provide all with examples.” Here’s a stab at this: Quality [...]
Don’t overpay for your ISO9001-2008 certificate!
January 16th, 2013How much will it cost to get ISO9001-2008 certification? Do some research, ask questions, get multiple quotes. It might be a lot less expensive than you think.
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