SPSS is a computer program used for statistical analysis and is also the name of the company.SPSS (originally, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) was released in its first version in 1968, and is among the most widely used programs for statistical analysis in social science. It is used by market researchers, health researchers, survey companies, government, education researchers, and others. In addition to statistical analysis, data management (case selection, file reshaping, creating derived data) and data documentation (a metadata dictionary is stored with the data) are features of the base software. The many features of SPSS are accessible via pull-down menus (see image) or can be programmed with a proprietary 4GL command syntax language. Command syntax programming has the benefits of reproducibility and handling complex data manipulations and analyses. The pull-down menu interface also generates command syntax, though the default settings have to be changed to make the syntax visible to the user. Programs can be run interactively, or unattended using the supplied Production Job Facility. Additionally a "macro" language can be used to write command language subroutines and a Python programmability extension can access the information in the data dictionary and data and dynamically build command syntax programs. The Python programmability extension, introduced in SPSS 14, replaced the less functional SAX Basic "scripts" for most purposes, although SaxBasic remains available. From version 14 onwards SPSS can be driven externally by a Python or a VB.NET program using supplied "plug-ins". SPSS places constraints on internal file structure, data types, data processing and matching files, which together considerably simplify programming. SPSS datasets have a 2-dimensional table structure where the rows typically represent cases (such as individuals or households) and the columns represent measurements (such as age, sex or household income). Only 2 data types are defined, numeric and text (or "string"). All data processing occurs sequentially case-by-case through the file. Files can be matched one-to-one and one-to-many, but not many-to-many. SPSS can read and write data from ASCII text files (including hierarchical files), other statistics packages, spreadsheets and databases. SPSS can read and write to external relational database tables via ODBC and SQL. Statistical output is to a proprietary file format (*.spo file, supporting pivot tables) for which, in addition to the in-package viewer, a stand-alone reader is provided. The proprietary ouput can be exported to text or Microsoft word. Alternatively output can be captured as data (using the OMS command) as text, tab-delimited text, HTML, XML, SPSS dataset or a variety of graphic image formats (JPEG, PNG, BMP and EMF). Statistics included in the base software:
Descriptive statistics: Cross tabulation, Frequencies, Descriptives, Explore, Descriptive Ratio Statistics
Bivariate statistics: Means, t-test, ANOVA, Correlation (bivariate, partial, distances), Nonparametric tests
Prediction for numerical outcomes: Linear regression
Prediction for identifying groups: Factor analysis, cluster analysis (two-step, K-means, hierarchical), Discriminant
Add-on modules provide additional capabilities. The available modules are:
SPSS Programmability Extension (added in version 14). Allows Python programming control of SPSS.
SPSS Data Validation (added in version 14). Allows programming of logical checks and reporting of suspicious values.
SPSS Regression Models - Logistic regression, ordinal regression, multinomial logistic regression, and mixed models (multilevel models).
SPSS Advanced Models - Multivariate GLM and repeated measures ANOVA (removed from base system in version 14).
SPSS Classification Trees. Creates classification and decision trees for identifying groups and predicting behaviour.
SPSS Tables. Allows user-defined control of output for reports.
SPSS Exact Tests. Allows statistical testing on small samples.
SPSS Categories
SPSS Trends™
SPSS Conjoint
SPSS Missing Value Analysis. Simple regression-based imputation.
SPSS Map
SPSS Complex Samples (added in Version 12). Adjusts for stratification and clustering and other sample selection biases.
SPSS Server is a version of SPSS with a client/server architecture. It has some features not available in the desktop version, one example is scoring functions.
Versions
SPSS version 16.0 runs under Windows, Mac OS 10.4 and earlier, and Linux. The graphical user interface is written in Java. The Mac OS version is provided as an Universal binary, making it fully compatible with both PowerPC and Intel-based Mac hardware. Prior to SPSS 16.0 different versions of SPSS were available for Windows, Mac OS X and Unix. The Windows version was updated more frequently, and had more features, than the versions for other operating systems. SPSS version 13.0 for Mac OS X was not compatible with Intel-based Macintosh computers, due to the Rosetta emulation software causing errors in calculations. SPSS 15.0 for Windows needed a downloadable hotfix to be installed in order to be compatible with Windows Vista.
SPSS Inc.
The program SPSS is sold by SPSS Inc., a company that sells a wide range of software for market research, survey research and statistical analysis. These include AMOS for structural equation modeling, SamplePower for power analysis, AnswerTree used for market segmentation, SPSS Text Analysis for Surveys to code open-ended responses, Quantum for cross-tabulation, Clementine for data mining and mrInterview for CATI and online surveys. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
See also
List of statistical packages
Comparison of statistical packages
References
SPSS 15.0 Command Syntax Reference 2006, SPSS Inc., Chicago Ill.
Raynald Levesque, SPSS Programming and Data Management: A Guide for SPSS and SAS Users, Fourth Edition (2007), SPSS Inc., Chicago Ill. PDF
External links
SPSS Inc Homepage - support page includes a searchable database of solutions (login using "guest" as User name and Password)
Raynald Levesque's SPSS Tools - library of worked solutions for SPSS programmers (FAQ, command syntax; macros; scripts; python)
Archives of SPSSX-L Discussion - SPSS Listserv active since 1996. Discusses programming, statistics and analysis
UCLA ATS Resources to help you learn SPSS - Resources for learning SPSS
UCLA ATS Techical Reports - Report 1 compares Stata, SAS and SPSS against R (R is a language and environment for statistical computing and graphics).
Using SPSS For Data Analysis - SPSS Tutorial from Harvard
SPSS Developer Central - Support for developers of applications using SPSS, including materials and examples of the Python programmability feature
SPSS Wiki - A wiki on SPSS statistics (since December 2005)
SPSS Log - A blog posting answers on SPSS questions (since March 2006)
SPSS Experts - Profiles of six SPSS experts around the world
comp.soft-sys.stat.spss - SPSS Usenet newsgroup via Google Groups
SPSS Forum - A forum for SPSS users (since June 2007)
GNU PSPP - PSPP is a free SPSS replacement
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Business Process Improvement
Business Process Improvement (BPI) is a systematic approach to help any organization optimize its underlying processes to achieve more efficient results.
The organization may be a for-profit business, a non-profit organization, a government agency, or any other ongoing concern. Most BPI techniques were developed and refined in the manufacturing era, though many of the methodologies (like Six Sigma) have been successfully adapted to work in the predominantly service-based economy of today. While there are differences in the challenges that each type of industry poses, the fact remains that the core principles of BPI and how they apply to business improvement remain portable across industries and functions.
It should be noted that BPI focuses on "doing things right" more than it does on "doing the right thing". In essence, BPI attempts to reduce variation and/or wastage in processes, so that the desired outcome can be achieved with better utilisation of resources.
BPI works by:
• Defining the organization's strategic goals and purposes (Who are we, what do we do, and why do we do it?)
• Determining the organization's customers (or stakeholders) (Who do we serve?)
• Aligning the business processes to realize the organization's goals (How do we do it better?)
The goal of BPI is a radical change in the performance of an organization, rather than a series of incremental changes (compare TQM). Michael Hammer and James Champy popularized this radical model in their book ‘’Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution’’ (1993). Hammer and Champy stated that the process was not meant to impose trivial changes, such as 10 percent improvements or 20 percent cost reductions, but was meant to be revolutionary (see breakthrough solution).
Unfortunately, many businesses in the 1990s used the phrase "reengineering" as a euphemism for layoffs. Other organizations did not make radical changes in their business processes and did not make significant gains, and, therefore, wrote the process off as a failure. Yet, others have found that BPI is a valuable tool in a process of gradual change to a business.
Roles
There are four roles within a business Management system: Business Leader, Process Owner, Operational Manager, and Process Operator. The responsibilities of each of these roles are unique, but work together as a system. Some employees in an organization may perform as many as all four of these roles over the course of a day, week, month, or year.
Business Leader
Business Leaders are responsible to create the Business plans (including strategic plans created during the Strategic planning process) and associated resourcing plans necessary to cause the organization to be successful.
Senior leaders (Corporate) are responsible to define the customer and business objectives the organization needs to achieve in order to be successful. This process includes overseeing the development of the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
Lower leader levels (Business Unit and Functional) are responsible for translating senior leaders' business objectives into business objectives that make sense for their level and that support the accomplishment of the senior leaders' business objectives.
PDCA was made popular by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who is considered by many to be the father of modern quality control; however it was always referred to by him as the "Shewhart cycle." Later in Deming's career, he modified PDCA to "Plan, Do, Study, Act" (PDSA) so as to better describe his recommendations.
The concept of PDCA comes out of the Scientific Method, as developed from the work of Francis Bacon (Novum Organum, 1620). The scientific method can be written as "hypothesis" - "experiment" - "evaluation" or Plan, Do, and Check. Shewhart described manufacture under "control" - under statistical control - as a three step process of specification, production, and inspection.[1] He also specifically related this to the Scientific Method of hypothesis, experiment and evaluation. Shewhart[2] says that the statistician "must help to change the demand [for goods] by showing...how to close up the tolerance range and to improve the quality of goods." Clearly, Shewhart intended the analyst to take action based on the conclusions of the evaluation. According to Deming[3] during his lectures in Japan in the early 1950's the Japanese participants shortened the steps to the now traditional Plan, Do, Check, Act. Deming preferred Plan, Do, Study, Act because 'Study' has connotations in English closer to Shewhart's intent than "Check."
A fundamental principle of the scientific method and PDSA, is iteration - once a hypothesis is confirmed (or negated), executing the cycle again will extend the knowledge further. Repeating the PDSA cycle can bring us closer to the goal, usually a perfect operation and output.
In Six Sigma programs, the PDSA cycle is called "Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control" (DMAIC). The iterative nature of the cycle must be explicitly added to the DMAIC procedure.
PDSA should be repeatedly implemented in spirals of increasing knowledge of the system that converge on the ultimate goal, each cycle closer than the previous. One can envision an open coil spring, with each loop being one cycle of the Scientific Method - PDSA, and each complete cycle indicating an increase in our knowledge of the system under study. This approach is based on the belief that our knowledge and skills are limited, but improving. Especially at the start of a project, key information may not be known; the PDSA - scientific method - provides feedback to justify our guesses (hypotheses) and increase our knowledge. Rather than enter "analysis paralysis" to get it perfect the first time, it is better to be approximately right than exactly wrong. With the improved knowledge, we may choose to refine or alter the goal (ideal state). Certainly, the PDSA approach can bring us closer to whatever goal we choose.
Rate of change, that is, rate of improvement, is a key competitive factor in today's world. PDSA allows for major 'jumps' in performance ('breakthroughs' often desired in a Western approach), as well as Kaizen (frequent small improvements associated with an Eastern approach). In the United States a PDSA approach is usually associated with a sizable project involving numerous people's time, and thus managers want to see large 'breakthrough' improvements to justify the effort expended. However, the Scientific Method and PDSA apply to all sorts of projects and improvement activities.
The power of Deming's concept lies in its apparent simplicity. The concept of feedback in the Scientific Method, in the abstract sense, is today firmly rooted in education. While apparently easy to understand, it is often difficult to accomplish on an on-going basis due to the intellectual difficulty of judging one's proposals (hypotheses) on the basis of measured results. Many people have an emotional fear of being shown "wrong," even by objective measurements. To avoid such comparisons, we may instead cite complacency, distractions, loss of focus, lack of commitment, re-assigned priorities, lack of resources, etc.
The responsibilities of the Business Leaders follow the Plan, Do, Check, and Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Business Leaders create and own the business performance objectives of the organization. Senior leaders need to first understand the requirements of their customers, stockholders, workforce, suppliers, and communities. They need to understand their competition. They need to understand the environmental, economic, technological, social, legal, and political environments that they do business within. Senior leaders need to consider all of these elements as they design a Business model and business Strategy map that will meet the customer and business requirements. Business Leaders then translate these requirements and business environment issues into business performance objectives. Business Leaders then create business plans and associated resourcing plans that will cause the organization to achieve these business objectives. The Business Leaders establish business performance metrics to measure the business’s capability to meet these business objectives. Many organizations create a Balanced scorecard to organize and communicate business performance metrics.
Do: The Business Leaders are responsible to communicate to the organization their business plans. As the organization conducts business, the Business Leaders are responsible to build bridges and remove barriers that will allow the business performance objectives to be met. The business performance metric data is produced and collected as business is performed by the organization.
Check: The Business Leaders periodically analyze the business performance data and use it to visualize the business’s capability to meet business objectives over time (performance trends), compare actual performance against performance targets, and identify performance issues.
Act: The Business Leaders are responsible to create improvement actions to address the performance issues that are identified during their analysis of the business performance data. These improvement actions are created to ensure the organization is able to achieve their business plans.
Process Owner
The Process Owner is the person who is responsible to design the processes necessary to achieve the objectives of the business plans that are created by the Business Leaders. The Process Owner is responsible for the creation, update and approval of documents (procedures, work instructions/protocols) to support the process. Many Process Owners are supported by a process improvement team. The Process Owner uses this team as a mechanism to help create a high performance process. The Process Owner is the only person who has authority to make changes in the process and manages the entire process improvement cycle to ensure performance effectiveness. This person is the contact person for all information related to the process.
The responsibilities of the Process Owner follow the Plan, Do, Check, and Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Process Owners create and own the process performance objectives of the organization. The Process Owner first needs to understand the external and internal customer requirements for the process. This person uses the business plans as a source to help understand the long term and short term customer and business requirements. This person then translates these requirements into process performance objectives and establishes product (includes service) specifications. This person establishes process performance metrics to measure the process’s capability to meet the product specifications and overall process objectives. The set of metrics that are to be reviewed by Operational Managers and Process Operators are called Key performance indicators (KPI’s). The Process Owner then designs process steps to describe work that when performed will have the capability to produce product that meets the customer and business requirements.
Do: The Process Owner is responsible to communicate to the Operational Managers the details of the processes that the Operational Managers are responsible to execute. As the Operational Managers and Process Operators perform the processes, the Process Owner is responsible to build bridges and remove barriers that will allow the process performance objectives to be met. The process performance metric data is produced and collected as the process is performed by Process Operators. The Process Owner is continually involved with the Operational Managers and Process Operators as they use Kaizen to continually improve the process as they are performing the work.
Check: The Process Owner periodically analyzes the process performance data and use it to visualize the process’s capability to operate within control limits over time (performance trends), compare actual performance against performance targets, and identify performance issues.
Act: The Process Owner is responsible to create improvement actions to address the performance issues that are identified during their analysis of the process performance data. Improvement actions may include the initiation of Lean projects to reduce waste from the process or include the initiation of Six Sigma projects to reduce variation in the process. Improvement actions may include the use of problem solving tools that would include risk assessment and root-cause analysis. Risk assessment is used to identify and reduce, eliminate, or mitigate risk within the process. This is the proactive approach to avoid problems being created from the process. Root-cause analysis is the reactive way to respond to problems that occur from the process. Root-cause analysis is used to identify the causes of problems within the process and identify and implement improvement actions that will ensure these problems do not occur again.
Operational Manager
The Operational Manager is responsible to bring the resources and processes together to achieve the objectives of the business plans that are created by the Business Leaders.
The responsibilities of the Operational Manager follow the Plan, Do, Check, Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Operational Managers - in collaboration with each Process Operator, create Process Operator performance objectives for the employees they supervise. The Operational Manager needs to understand the performance requirements of the process. They match employees (Process Operators) with the competency and skill requirements of the process to be performed. They ensure that the Process Operators have the budget, facilities, and technology available to them that is necessary to achieve the performance objectives of the processes.
DO: The Operational Manager is responsible to teach Process Operators how to perform the processes (work). Process Operator instruction usually consists of classroom and on-the-job training (OJT). The Operational Manager oversees the work and ensures Process Operators receive ongoing informal feedback as to their performance. As the Process Operators perform the processes, the Operational Managers are responsible to build bridges and remove barriers that will allow the process and Process Operator performance objectives to be met. Process and Process Operator performance metric data is produced and collected as the process is performed. The Operational Manager ensures that Process Operators are using Kaizen to continually improve the process as they are performing the work.
Check: The Operational Manager periodically analyzes the Key performance indicators (KPI’s) during the production cycle to evaluate the work group’s ability to achieve the process and Process Operator performance objectives. This data is used to visualize the process and Process Operator capability to meet business plan objectives over time (performance trends), compare actual performance against performance targets, and identify performance issues. They review this performance data and sort out Process Operator performance issues from process performance issues. Many organizations use a War Room concept to post performance data. Within the War Room, the Operational Manager conducts periodic review and analysis of this performance data.
Act: The Operational Manager is responsible to create improvement actions to address the performance issues that are identified during their analysis of the process and Process Operator performance data. They address Process Operator performance with ongoing feedback to the Process Operator and/or by using an employee performance management review process. They communicate process performance issues to the Process Operator(s) and the Process Owner.
Process Operator
The Process Operator is responsible to learn and perform the processes (work) necessary to achieve the objectives of the business plans that are created by Business Leaders.
The responsibilities of the Process Operator follow the Plan, Do, Check, and Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Process Operators - in collaboration with their Operational Manager, create and own their performance objectives. Process Operators are responsible to understand the performance objectives of the process they are to perform and the specifications of the product they are to produce.
Do: Process Operators are responsible to learn the processes (work) that they are to perform. They ensure the processes are performed to meet the process performance objectives and produce product that meets specification. As the Process Operators perform the processes, they are responsible to communicate to their Operational Manager (supervisor) the bridges that need to be built and the barriers that need to be removed to allow the process and Process Operator performance objectives to be met. Process and Process Operator performance metric data is produced and collected as the process is performed.
Check: The Process Operator periodically reviewes the Key performance indicators (KPI’s). The Process Operator makes adjustments to their work based on their actual performance compared to KPI targets. The Process Operator is responsible for identifying and reporting any performance issues and stopping production if necessary.
Act: Process Operators practice Kaizen to continually challenge the process and communicate improvement suggestions to their Operational Manager (supervisor).
BPI: Key Considerations
Processes need to align to Business Goals An organization's strategic goals should provide the key direction for any Business Process Improvement exercise. This alignment can be brought about by integrating programs like Balanced Scorecard to the BPI initiative. e.g. When deploying Six Sigma, identification of projects can be done on the basis of how they fit into the Balanced Scorecard agenda of the organization.
Customer Focus Fast-changing customer needs underscore the importance of aligning business processes to achieve higher customer satisfication. It is imperative in any BPI exercise that the "Voice of Customer" be known, and factored in, when reviewing or redesigning any process.
Importance of Benchmarks BPI tools place a lot of emphasis on "measurable results". Accordingly, benchmarks assume an important role in any BPI initiative. Depending on the lifecycle of the process in question, benchmarks may be internal (within the organization), external (from other competing / noncompeting organizations) or dictated by the senior management of the organization as an aspirational target.
Establish Process Owners For any process to be controllable, it is essential that there be clarity on who is the process owners, and what constitutes success/failure of the process. These success/failure levels also help establish "control limits" for the process, and provide a healthy check on whether or not a process is meeting the desired customer objectives.
Methodology of BPI
• Carrying out BPI is a project, so all principles of project management apply.
• The first step in BPI is to define the existing structure and process at play (AS-IS).
• Then, the BPI process owners should determine what outcomes would add value to the organization's objectives and how best to align its processes to achieve those outcomes (TO-BE).
• Once the outcomes are determined, the organization's work force needs to be re-organized to meet the new objectives, using the variety of tools available within the BPI methodology.
Rummler-Brache Methodology
Geary Rummler and Alan Brache defined a comprehensive approach to organizing companies around processes, managing and measuring processes and redefining processes in their 1990 book, Improving Performance. This is probably the best known, systematic approach to business process change and ideas first introduced in this book have been very influential on other, less comprehensive approaches. This book draws heavily from the basic approach laid out in Improving Processes.
Implementing BPI
Most resistance to BPI comes from within an organization. Managers often do not wish to change existing structures. The labor force may resist BPI because of fears of layoffs; however, an organization using BPI on a regular basis, argue many proponents, will already have the proper work force to meet existing business challenges.
Some organizations have implemented BPI on a smaller scale and reported success, by doing the following:
• Start with a small process that can be completed in a short time frame.
• Set clear timelines.
• Do not spread resources thinly and focus on the short term payoff.
• Management and primary stakeholders must be involved, or else even a limited implementation will fail.
The organization may be a for-profit business, a non-profit organization, a government agency, or any other ongoing concern. Most BPI techniques were developed and refined in the manufacturing era, though many of the methodologies (like Six Sigma) have been successfully adapted to work in the predominantly service-based economy of today. While there are differences in the challenges that each type of industry poses, the fact remains that the core principles of BPI and how they apply to business improvement remain portable across industries and functions.
It should be noted that BPI focuses on "doing things right" more than it does on "doing the right thing". In essence, BPI attempts to reduce variation and/or wastage in processes, so that the desired outcome can be achieved with better utilisation of resources.
BPI works by:
• Defining the organization's strategic goals and purposes (Who are we, what do we do, and why do we do it?)
• Determining the organization's customers (or stakeholders) (Who do we serve?)
• Aligning the business processes to realize the organization's goals (How do we do it better?)
The goal of BPI is a radical change in the performance of an organization, rather than a series of incremental changes (compare TQM). Michael Hammer and James Champy popularized this radical model in their book ‘’Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution’’ (1993). Hammer and Champy stated that the process was not meant to impose trivial changes, such as 10 percent improvements or 20 percent cost reductions, but was meant to be revolutionary (see breakthrough solution).
Unfortunately, many businesses in the 1990s used the phrase "reengineering" as a euphemism for layoffs. Other organizations did not make radical changes in their business processes and did not make significant gains, and, therefore, wrote the process off as a failure. Yet, others have found that BPI is a valuable tool in a process of gradual change to a business.
Roles
There are four roles within a business Management system: Business Leader, Process Owner, Operational Manager, and Process Operator. The responsibilities of each of these roles are unique, but work together as a system. Some employees in an organization may perform as many as all four of these roles over the course of a day, week, month, or year.
Business Leader
Business Leaders are responsible to create the Business plans (including strategic plans created during the Strategic planning process) and associated resourcing plans necessary to cause the organization to be successful.
Senior leaders (Corporate) are responsible to define the customer and business objectives the organization needs to achieve in order to be successful. This process includes overseeing the development of the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
Lower leader levels (Business Unit and Functional) are responsible for translating senior leaders' business objectives into business objectives that make sense for their level and that support the accomplishment of the senior leaders' business objectives.
PDCA was made popular by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who is considered by many to be the father of modern quality control; however it was always referred to by him as the "Shewhart cycle." Later in Deming's career, he modified PDCA to "Plan, Do, Study, Act" (PDSA) so as to better describe his recommendations.
The concept of PDCA comes out of the Scientific Method, as developed from the work of Francis Bacon (Novum Organum, 1620). The scientific method can be written as "hypothesis" - "experiment" - "evaluation" or Plan, Do, and Check. Shewhart described manufacture under "control" - under statistical control - as a three step process of specification, production, and inspection.[1] He also specifically related this to the Scientific Method of hypothesis, experiment and evaluation. Shewhart[2] says that the statistician "must help to change the demand [for goods] by showing...how to close up the tolerance range and to improve the quality of goods." Clearly, Shewhart intended the analyst to take action based on the conclusions of the evaluation. According to Deming[3] during his lectures in Japan in the early 1950's the Japanese participants shortened the steps to the now traditional Plan, Do, Check, Act. Deming preferred Plan, Do, Study, Act because 'Study' has connotations in English closer to Shewhart's intent than "Check."
A fundamental principle of the scientific method and PDSA, is iteration - once a hypothesis is confirmed (or negated), executing the cycle again will extend the knowledge further. Repeating the PDSA cycle can bring us closer to the goal, usually a perfect operation and output.
In Six Sigma programs, the PDSA cycle is called "Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control" (DMAIC). The iterative nature of the cycle must be explicitly added to the DMAIC procedure.
PDSA should be repeatedly implemented in spirals of increasing knowledge of the system that converge on the ultimate goal, each cycle closer than the previous. One can envision an open coil spring, with each loop being one cycle of the Scientific Method - PDSA, and each complete cycle indicating an increase in our knowledge of the system under study. This approach is based on the belief that our knowledge and skills are limited, but improving. Especially at the start of a project, key information may not be known; the PDSA - scientific method - provides feedback to justify our guesses (hypotheses) and increase our knowledge. Rather than enter "analysis paralysis" to get it perfect the first time, it is better to be approximately right than exactly wrong. With the improved knowledge, we may choose to refine or alter the goal (ideal state). Certainly, the PDSA approach can bring us closer to whatever goal we choose.
Rate of change, that is, rate of improvement, is a key competitive factor in today's world. PDSA allows for major 'jumps' in performance ('breakthroughs' often desired in a Western approach), as well as Kaizen (frequent small improvements associated with an Eastern approach). In the United States a PDSA approach is usually associated with a sizable project involving numerous people's time, and thus managers want to see large 'breakthrough' improvements to justify the effort expended. However, the Scientific Method and PDSA apply to all sorts of projects and improvement activities.
The power of Deming's concept lies in its apparent simplicity. The concept of feedback in the Scientific Method, in the abstract sense, is today firmly rooted in education. While apparently easy to understand, it is often difficult to accomplish on an on-going basis due to the intellectual difficulty of judging one's proposals (hypotheses) on the basis of measured results. Many people have an emotional fear of being shown "wrong," even by objective measurements. To avoid such comparisons, we may instead cite complacency, distractions, loss of focus, lack of commitment, re-assigned priorities, lack of resources, etc.
The responsibilities of the Business Leaders follow the Plan, Do, Check, and Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Business Leaders create and own the business performance objectives of the organization. Senior leaders need to first understand the requirements of their customers, stockholders, workforce, suppliers, and communities. They need to understand their competition. They need to understand the environmental, economic, technological, social, legal, and political environments that they do business within. Senior leaders need to consider all of these elements as they design a Business model and business Strategy map that will meet the customer and business requirements. Business Leaders then translate these requirements and business environment issues into business performance objectives. Business Leaders then create business plans and associated resourcing plans that will cause the organization to achieve these business objectives. The Business Leaders establish business performance metrics to measure the business’s capability to meet these business objectives. Many organizations create a Balanced scorecard to organize and communicate business performance metrics.
Do: The Business Leaders are responsible to communicate to the organization their business plans. As the organization conducts business, the Business Leaders are responsible to build bridges and remove barriers that will allow the business performance objectives to be met. The business performance metric data is produced and collected as business is performed by the organization.
Check: The Business Leaders periodically analyze the business performance data and use it to visualize the business’s capability to meet business objectives over time (performance trends), compare actual performance against performance targets, and identify performance issues.
Act: The Business Leaders are responsible to create improvement actions to address the performance issues that are identified during their analysis of the business performance data. These improvement actions are created to ensure the organization is able to achieve their business plans.
Process Owner
The Process Owner is the person who is responsible to design the processes necessary to achieve the objectives of the business plans that are created by the Business Leaders. The Process Owner is responsible for the creation, update and approval of documents (procedures, work instructions/protocols) to support the process. Many Process Owners are supported by a process improvement team. The Process Owner uses this team as a mechanism to help create a high performance process. The Process Owner is the only person who has authority to make changes in the process and manages the entire process improvement cycle to ensure performance effectiveness. This person is the contact person for all information related to the process.
The responsibilities of the Process Owner follow the Plan, Do, Check, and Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Process Owners create and own the process performance objectives of the organization. The Process Owner first needs to understand the external and internal customer requirements for the process. This person uses the business plans as a source to help understand the long term and short term customer and business requirements. This person then translates these requirements into process performance objectives and establishes product (includes service) specifications. This person establishes process performance metrics to measure the process’s capability to meet the product specifications and overall process objectives. The set of metrics that are to be reviewed by Operational Managers and Process Operators are called Key performance indicators (KPI’s). The Process Owner then designs process steps to describe work that when performed will have the capability to produce product that meets the customer and business requirements.
Do: The Process Owner is responsible to communicate to the Operational Managers the details of the processes that the Operational Managers are responsible to execute. As the Operational Managers and Process Operators perform the processes, the Process Owner is responsible to build bridges and remove barriers that will allow the process performance objectives to be met. The process performance metric data is produced and collected as the process is performed by Process Operators. The Process Owner is continually involved with the Operational Managers and Process Operators as they use Kaizen to continually improve the process as they are performing the work.
Check: The Process Owner periodically analyzes the process performance data and use it to visualize the process’s capability to operate within control limits over time (performance trends), compare actual performance against performance targets, and identify performance issues.
Act: The Process Owner is responsible to create improvement actions to address the performance issues that are identified during their analysis of the process performance data. Improvement actions may include the initiation of Lean projects to reduce waste from the process or include the initiation of Six Sigma projects to reduce variation in the process. Improvement actions may include the use of problem solving tools that would include risk assessment and root-cause analysis. Risk assessment is used to identify and reduce, eliminate, or mitigate risk within the process. This is the proactive approach to avoid problems being created from the process. Root-cause analysis is the reactive way to respond to problems that occur from the process. Root-cause analysis is used to identify the causes of problems within the process and identify and implement improvement actions that will ensure these problems do not occur again.
Operational Manager
The Operational Manager is responsible to bring the resources and processes together to achieve the objectives of the business plans that are created by the Business Leaders.
The responsibilities of the Operational Manager follow the Plan, Do, Check, Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Operational Managers - in collaboration with each Process Operator, create Process Operator performance objectives for the employees they supervise. The Operational Manager needs to understand the performance requirements of the process. They match employees (Process Operators) with the competency and skill requirements of the process to be performed. They ensure that the Process Operators have the budget, facilities, and technology available to them that is necessary to achieve the performance objectives of the processes.
DO: The Operational Manager is responsible to teach Process Operators how to perform the processes (work). Process Operator instruction usually consists of classroom and on-the-job training (OJT). The Operational Manager oversees the work and ensures Process Operators receive ongoing informal feedback as to their performance. As the Process Operators perform the processes, the Operational Managers are responsible to build bridges and remove barriers that will allow the process and Process Operator performance objectives to be met. Process and Process Operator performance metric data is produced and collected as the process is performed. The Operational Manager ensures that Process Operators are using Kaizen to continually improve the process as they are performing the work.
Check: The Operational Manager periodically analyzes the Key performance indicators (KPI’s) during the production cycle to evaluate the work group’s ability to achieve the process and Process Operator performance objectives. This data is used to visualize the process and Process Operator capability to meet business plan objectives over time (performance trends), compare actual performance against performance targets, and identify performance issues. They review this performance data and sort out Process Operator performance issues from process performance issues. Many organizations use a War Room concept to post performance data. Within the War Room, the Operational Manager conducts periodic review and analysis of this performance data.
Act: The Operational Manager is responsible to create improvement actions to address the performance issues that are identified during their analysis of the process and Process Operator performance data. They address Process Operator performance with ongoing feedback to the Process Operator and/or by using an employee performance management review process. They communicate process performance issues to the Process Operator(s) and the Process Owner.
Process Operator
The Process Operator is responsible to learn and perform the processes (work) necessary to achieve the objectives of the business plans that are created by Business Leaders.
The responsibilities of the Process Operator follow the Plan, Do, Check, and Act PDCA Cycle.
Plan: The Process Operators - in collaboration with their Operational Manager, create and own their performance objectives. Process Operators are responsible to understand the performance objectives of the process they are to perform and the specifications of the product they are to produce.
Do: Process Operators are responsible to learn the processes (work) that they are to perform. They ensure the processes are performed to meet the process performance objectives and produce product that meets specification. As the Process Operators perform the processes, they are responsible to communicate to their Operational Manager (supervisor) the bridges that need to be built and the barriers that need to be removed to allow the process and Process Operator performance objectives to be met. Process and Process Operator performance metric data is produced and collected as the process is performed.
Check: The Process Operator periodically reviewes the Key performance indicators (KPI’s). The Process Operator makes adjustments to their work based on their actual performance compared to KPI targets. The Process Operator is responsible for identifying and reporting any performance issues and stopping production if necessary.
Act: Process Operators practice Kaizen to continually challenge the process and communicate improvement suggestions to their Operational Manager (supervisor).
BPI: Key Considerations
Processes need to align to Business Goals An organization's strategic goals should provide the key direction for any Business Process Improvement exercise. This alignment can be brought about by integrating programs like Balanced Scorecard to the BPI initiative. e.g. When deploying Six Sigma, identification of projects can be done on the basis of how they fit into the Balanced Scorecard agenda of the organization.
Customer Focus Fast-changing customer needs underscore the importance of aligning business processes to achieve higher customer satisfication. It is imperative in any BPI exercise that the "Voice of Customer" be known, and factored in, when reviewing or redesigning any process.
Importance of Benchmarks BPI tools place a lot of emphasis on "measurable results". Accordingly, benchmarks assume an important role in any BPI initiative. Depending on the lifecycle of the process in question, benchmarks may be internal (within the organization), external (from other competing / noncompeting organizations) or dictated by the senior management of the organization as an aspirational target.
Establish Process Owners For any process to be controllable, it is essential that there be clarity on who is the process owners, and what constitutes success/failure of the process. These success/failure levels also help establish "control limits" for the process, and provide a healthy check on whether or not a process is meeting the desired customer objectives.
Methodology of BPI
• Carrying out BPI is a project, so all principles of project management apply.
• The first step in BPI is to define the existing structure and process at play (AS-IS).
• Then, the BPI process owners should determine what outcomes would add value to the organization's objectives and how best to align its processes to achieve those outcomes (TO-BE).
• Once the outcomes are determined, the organization's work force needs to be re-organized to meet the new objectives, using the variety of tools available within the BPI methodology.
Rummler-Brache Methodology
Geary Rummler and Alan Brache defined a comprehensive approach to organizing companies around processes, managing and measuring processes and redefining processes in their 1990 book, Improving Performance. This is probably the best known, systematic approach to business process change and ideas first introduced in this book have been very influential on other, less comprehensive approaches. This book draws heavily from the basic approach laid out in Improving Processes.
Implementing BPI
Most resistance to BPI comes from within an organization. Managers often do not wish to change existing structures. The labor force may resist BPI because of fears of layoffs; however, an organization using BPI on a regular basis, argue many proponents, will already have the proper work force to meet existing business challenges.
Some organizations have implemented BPI on a smaller scale and reported success, by doing the following:
• Start with a small process that can be completed in a short time frame.
• Set clear timelines.
• Do not spread resources thinly and focus on the short term payoff.
• Management and primary stakeholders must be involved, or else even a limited implementation will fail.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
变革型领导问卷
1－非常不同意
2－不同意
3－不好确定
4－同意
5－非常同意
德行垂范
1、廉洁奉公，不图私利。
2、吃苦在前，享受在后。
3、不计较个人得失，尽心尽力工作。
4、为了部门/单位利益，能牺牲个人利益。
5、能把自己个人的利益放在集体和他人利益之后。
6、不会把别人的劳动成果据为己有。
7、能与员工同甘共苦。
8、不会给员工穿小鞋，搞打击报复。
愿景规划
1、能让员工了解单位/部门的发展前景。
2、能让员工了解本单位/ 部门的经营理念和发展目标。
3、会向员工解释所做工作的长远意义。
4、向大家描绘了令人向往的未来。
5、能给员工指明奋斗目标和前进方向。
6、经常与员工一起分析其工作对单位/部门总体目标的影响。
个性化关怀
1、在与员工打交道的过程中，会考虑员工个人的实际情况。
2、愿意帮助员工解决生活和家庭方面的难题。
3、能经常与员工沟通交流，以了解员工的工作、生活和家庭情况。
4、耐心地教导员工，为员工答疑解惑。
5、关心员工的工作、生活和成长，真诚地为他（她）们的发展提建议。
6、注重创造条件，让员工发挥自己的特长。
领导魅力
1、业务能力过硬。
2、思想开明，具有较强的创新意识。
3、热爱自己的工作，具有很强的事业心和进取心。
4、对工作非常投入，始终保持高度的热情。
5、能不断学习，以充实提高自己。
6、敢抓敢管，善于处理棘手问题。
Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed.
转型工作的领导者可以是一个美好的和令人振奋的经验。他们把激情和精力投入到一切。他们关心你，希望你成功。
2－不同意
3－不好确定
4－同意
5－非常同意
德行垂范
1、廉洁奉公，不图私利。
2、吃苦在前，享受在后。
3、不计较个人得失，尽心尽力工作。
4、为了部门/单位利益，能牺牲个人利益。
5、能把自己个人的利益放在集体和他人利益之后。
6、不会把别人的劳动成果据为己有。
7、能与员工同甘共苦。
8、不会给员工穿小鞋，搞打击报复。
愿景规划
1、能让员工了解单位/部门的发展前景。
2、能让员工了解本单位/ 部门的经营理念和发展目标。
3、会向员工解释所做工作的长远意义。
4、向大家描绘了令人向往的未来。
5、能给员工指明奋斗目标和前进方向。
6、经常与员工一起分析其工作对单位/部门总体目标的影响。
个性化关怀
1、在与员工打交道的过程中，会考虑员工个人的实际情况。
2、愿意帮助员工解决生活和家庭方面的难题。
3、能经常与员工沟通交流，以了解员工的工作、生活和家庭情况。
4、耐心地教导员工，为员工答疑解惑。
5、关心员工的工作、生活和成长，真诚地为他（她）们的发展提建议。
6、注重创造条件，让员工发挥自己的特长。
领导魅力
1、业务能力过硬。
2、思想开明，具有较强的创新意识。
3、热爱自己的工作，具有很强的事业心和进取心。
4、对工作非常投入，始终保持高度的热情。
5、能不断学习，以充实提高自己。
6、敢抓敢管，善于处理棘手问题。
Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed.
转型工作的领导者可以是一个美好的和令人振奋的经验。他们把激情和精力投入到一切。他们关心你，希望你成功。
Saturday, July 18, 2009
ISO 9001:2000 Standard
The first four clauses (clause 0. Introduction to - clause 3. Terms and Definitions) do not provide any requirements for a QMS. They provide background information as to the purpose; concepts and principles used in the standard (e.g. process approach; PDCA); guidance on the QMS scope; reference to related documents; and key terms and definitions used. These clauses will all be explained in more detail as we go through each section.
The remaining five clauses numbering 4 through 8 provide the control requirements that a QMS must implement. The following is a summary explanation of these 5 major clauses or elements of the ISO 9001:20000 standard. Each major clause has several sub-clauses. Collectively, these 5 clauses set out the requirements for your QMS.
Clause 4- Quality Management System - sets requirements to identify, plan, document, operate and control QMS processes and to continually improve QMS effectiveness.
Clause 5- Management Responsibility - sets requirements for top management to demonstrate its leadership and commitment to develop, implement and continually improve the QMS.
Clause 6- Resource Management - sets requirements to determine, provide and control the various resources needed to operate and manage QMS processes; to continually improve QMS effectiveness; and to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements.
Clause 7- Product Realization - sets requirements to plan, operate and control the specific QMS processes that determine, design, produce and deliver an organization’s product and services.
Clause 8- Measurement, Analysis and Improvement - sets requirements to plan, measure, analyze and improve processes that demonstrate product and QMS conformity and continually improve QMS effectiveness.
The overall objective of your QMS must be to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting their requirements. This objective can be achieved by using the ISO 9001 requirements to control your QMS processes and by continually improving QMS effectiveness.
The remaining five clauses numbering 4 through 8 provide the control requirements that a QMS must implement. The following is a summary explanation of these 5 major clauses or elements of the ISO 9001:20000 standard. Each major clause has several sub-clauses. Collectively, these 5 clauses set out the requirements for your QMS.
Clause 4- Quality Management System - sets requirements to identify, plan, document, operate and control QMS processes and to continually improve QMS effectiveness.
Clause 5- Management Responsibility - sets requirements for top management to demonstrate its leadership and commitment to develop, implement and continually improve the QMS.
Clause 6- Resource Management - sets requirements to determine, provide and control the various resources needed to operate and manage QMS processes; to continually improve QMS effectiveness; and to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements.
Clause 7- Product Realization - sets requirements to plan, operate and control the specific QMS processes that determine, design, produce and deliver an organization’s product and services.
Clause 8- Measurement, Analysis and Improvement - sets requirements to plan, measure, analyze and improve processes that demonstrate product and QMS conformity and continually improve QMS effectiveness.
The overall objective of your QMS must be to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting their requirements. This objective can be achieved by using the ISO 9001 requirements to control your QMS processes and by continually improving QMS effectiveness.
The Eight Quality Management Principles
Principle 1 - Customer-Focus
Your organization depends on customers and therefore your organization should understand current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations (see clause 5.2; 7.2; and 8.2.1).
Principle 2 - Leadership
Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives (see clause 5)
Principle 3 - Involvement of People
People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization’s benefit (see clause 6.2).
Principle 4 - Process Approach
A desired result is achieved more efficiently when related resources and activities are managed as a process (see clause 4.1).
Principle 5 - System Approach to Management
Identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes as a system contributes to the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objective (see clause 4.1)..
Principle 6 - Continual Improvement
Continual improvement of the organizations overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organization (see clause 8.5.1 and 4.1).
Principle 7 - Factual approach to decision making
Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information (see clause 4.1e and 8.4).
Principle 8 - Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
An organization and its suppliers are interdependent, and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value (see clause 7.4).
These eight management principles form the basis for all QMS standards within the ISO 9000 family. Each of these principles is included as requirements in one or more clauses of the ISO 9001:2000 standard.
Your organization depends on customers and therefore your organization should understand current and future customer needs, meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations (see clause 5.2; 7.2; and 8.2.1).
Principle 2 - Leadership
Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives (see clause 5)
Principle 3 - Involvement of People
People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization’s benefit (see clause 6.2).
Principle 4 - Process Approach
A desired result is achieved more efficiently when related resources and activities are managed as a process (see clause 4.1).
Principle 5 - System Approach to Management
Identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes as a system contributes to the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objective (see clause 4.1)..
Principle 6 - Continual Improvement
Continual improvement of the organizations overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organization (see clause 8.5.1 and 4.1).
Principle 7 - Factual approach to decision making
Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information (see clause 4.1e and 8.4).
Principle 8 - Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
An organization and its suppliers are interdependent, and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value (see clause 7.4).
These eight management principles form the basis for all QMS standards within the ISO 9000 family. Each of these principles is included as requirements in one or more clauses of the ISO 9001:2000 standard.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Disciplines
Above explanations, principles and general techniques lies the many professions in which changing minds is a core discipline. This section digs directly into the literature of these subjects to bring you some of the key aspects of the major disciplines of changing minds.
The disciplines list: A long list of disciplines that seek to change minds.
Argument: Classical argumentation, critical thinking and logic.
Brand management: Includes subtle changing of minds from a distance.
Coaching: Helping people develop.
Communication: Connecting with one another.
Change Management: Creating change in organizations.
Human Resources: Providing the right people for organizations.
Job-finding: One of the most critical skills you may need.
Leadership: Leading people requires much influencing of what people think.
Negotiation: Request, concession and exchange.
Politics: Power and influence in the large.
Propaganda: covert persuasion of populations.
Psychoanalysis: Freud and beyond.
Rhetoric: The art of persuasive language.
Sales: Perhaps the most direct and obvious discipline for changing minds.
Sociology: Understanding and supporting society.
Storytelling: Using stories to change minds.
Teaching: Educating others (mostly young people).
Warfare: Fighting the enemy.
Workplace design: The places where we work affect how we feel.
The disciplines list: A long list of disciplines that seek to change minds.
Argument: Classical argumentation, critical thinking and logic.
Brand management: Includes subtle changing of minds from a distance.
Coaching: Helping people develop.
Communication: Connecting with one another.
Change Management: Creating change in organizations.
Human Resources: Providing the right people for organizations.
Job-finding: One of the most critical skills you may need.
Leadership: Leading people requires much influencing of what people think.
Negotiation: Request, concession and exchange.
Politics: Power and influence in the large.
Propaganda: covert persuasion of populations.
Psychoanalysis: Freud and beyond.
Rhetoric: The art of persuasive language.
Sales: Perhaps the most direct and obvious discipline for changing minds.
Sociology: Understanding and supporting society.
Storytelling: Using stories to change minds.
Teaching: Educating others (mostly young people).
Warfare: Fighting the enemy.
Workplace design: The places where we work affect how we feel.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Managing Quality
This first step in building a ISO 9000 Quality Management System is the creation of a "Quality Manual". This is a separate and distinct step from developing quality procedures. The purpose is to state in a concise and brief format, the policies and objectives of the company required to achieve a desired level of quality for the organization or division.
More than likely the input for the Quality Manual will come from your customers. It is the customer that drives the Quality Process. There requirements, needs, and future desires are the basis for implementing an ISO 9000 quality system in the first place.
At a minimum, the ISO 9000 Quality Manual is required to address each one of the paragraphs of the applicable ISO 9000 Series that the company plans to become registered against. ISO 9001:2008 is the focus of this manual. But, you may need to expand the scope to include EMS 14001, QS-9000, AS-9000, or other industry specific quality requirements.
Each area that is written should include, at a minimum, three parts: Scope, Policy and Responsibilities.
The Scope portion should simply state the purpose of the covered area.
The Policy portion should state the company policy regarding the applicable ISO clause.
The Responsibility portion should state who, in generic titles or positions, is responsible for the policy.
ISO 9000 does not require a specific format for the Quality Manual. A sample manual is provided in this guide for your use as a template to create your own Quality Manual. The Quality Manual Table of Contents is based on the ISO 9000 standard itself. This ensures that each required element is addressed and provides an excellent starting point for building your Quality System.
ISO 9000 Quality Manual Consist of:
Master List
Forward
Administration
Company Information
Quality Management System
Management Responsibility
Resources Management
Product Realization
Measure Analysis Improvement
Attachment
b. ISO 9000 Operating Procedure
The ISO 9000 Operating Procedure Template includes and integrates the top level ISO 9000 quality manual and the six required quality procedures, thus containing the most difficult part of the ISO 9000 documentation. The ISO 9000 Operating Procedure Template include the detailed samples of the Operating Procedures to fulfill the ISO 9001 : 2008 requirements for the procedures, making the customization process even easier. The entire manual follows the structure of ISO 9001 : 2008.
ISO 9000 Operating Procedures Consist Of:
Control of documents
Control of records
Internal Audit
Control of non-conformance product
Corrective Action
Preventive Action
Training
Purchasing
c. ISO 9000 Forms
ISO 9001 : 2008 does not require forms but ISO 9001 : 2008 requires to keep records. Our well-designed forms make it easy to record the necessary information. In addition, our well-designed forms guide the user through a business process (for example, our Corrective & Preventive Action Plan Form guides you through the entire corrective action process), ensuring not only that all data is recorded but that all steps have properly been executed.
All our ISO 9000 Forms:
can immediately be used without any or with only little modifications(if you really need to, you can easily edit and customize in Microsoft Wordor Excel).
are designed by experienced quality managers and ISO 9000 auditors so that all forms are fully compliant with ISO 9001 : 2008 requirements.
are professionally laid out so that they are really easy to use without separate instructions.
ISO 9000 Forms Consist Of :
Orientation Checklist
Training Calendar
Training Needs Analysis
Training Record
After Training Valuation Form
Training Request Form
Application Form
Leave Application Card
Meeting Attendance
Training Attendance List
Store Card
Order Tracking Form
Material Issue Record
Material Return Note
Document Issue Record
Request For Uncontrolled Document
Document Change Notice
Preventive Maintenance Record
Approved Supplier List
Selection / Evaluation of Supplier
Audit Schedule
Internal Audit Checklist
Corrective Action Report
Preventive Action Report
Outgoing Form
Corrective &Preventive Tracking List
Equipment Calibration Tracking List
Customer Semi-Product Inspection
Non Conformance Corrective Action Report
Record Master List
Customer Feed Back Form
Customer Satisfaction Evaluation
Customer Information List
More than likely the input for the Quality Manual will come from your customers. It is the customer that drives the Quality Process. There requirements, needs, and future desires are the basis for implementing an ISO 9000 quality system in the first place.
At a minimum, the ISO 9000 Quality Manual is required to address each one of the paragraphs of the applicable ISO 9000 Series that the company plans to become registered against. ISO 9001:2008 is the focus of this manual. But, you may need to expand the scope to include EMS 14001, QS-9000, AS-9000, or other industry specific quality requirements.
Each area that is written should include, at a minimum, three parts: Scope, Policy and Responsibilities.
The Scope portion should simply state the purpose of the covered area.
The Policy portion should state the company policy regarding the applicable ISO clause.
The Responsibility portion should state who, in generic titles or positions, is responsible for the policy.
ISO 9000 does not require a specific format for the Quality Manual. A sample manual is provided in this guide for your use as a template to create your own Quality Manual. The Quality Manual Table of Contents is based on the ISO 9000 standard itself. This ensures that each required element is addressed and provides an excellent starting point for building your Quality System.
ISO 9000 Quality Manual Consist of:
Master List
Forward
Administration
Company Information
Quality Management System
Management Responsibility
Resources Management
Product Realization
Measure Analysis Improvement
Attachment
b. ISO 9000 Operating Procedure
The ISO 9000 Operating Procedure Template includes and integrates the top level ISO 9000 quality manual and the six required quality procedures, thus containing the most difficult part of the ISO 9000 documentation. The ISO 9000 Operating Procedure Template include the detailed samples of the Operating Procedures to fulfill the ISO 9001 : 2008 requirements for the procedures, making the customization process even easier. The entire manual follows the structure of ISO 9001 : 2008.
ISO 9000 Operating Procedures Consist Of:
Control of documents
Control of records
Internal Audit
Control of non-conformance product
Corrective Action
Preventive Action
Training
Purchasing
c. ISO 9000 Forms
ISO 9001 : 2008 does not require forms but ISO 9001 : 2008 requires to keep records. Our well-designed forms make it easy to record the necessary information. In addition, our well-designed forms guide the user through a business process (for example, our Corrective & Preventive Action Plan Form guides you through the entire corrective action process), ensuring not only that all data is recorded but that all steps have properly been executed.
All our ISO 9000 Forms:
can immediately be used without any or with only little modifications(if you really need to, you can easily edit and customize in Microsoft Wordor Excel).
are designed by experienced quality managers and ISO 9000 auditors so that all forms are fully compliant with ISO 9001 : 2008 requirements.
are professionally laid out so that they are really easy to use without separate instructions.
ISO 9000 Forms Consist Of :
Orientation Checklist
Training Calendar
Training Needs Analysis
Training Record
After Training Valuation Form
Training Request Form
Application Form
Leave Application Card
Meeting Attendance
Training Attendance List
Store Card
Order Tracking Form
Material Issue Record
Material Return Note
Document Issue Record
Request For Uncontrolled Document
Document Change Notice
Preventive Maintenance Record
Approved Supplier List
Selection / Evaluation of Supplier
Audit Schedule
Internal Audit Checklist
Corrective Action Report
Preventive Action Report
Outgoing Form
Corrective &Preventive Tracking List
Equipment Calibration Tracking List
Customer Semi-Product Inspection
Non Conformance Corrective Action Report
Record Master List
Customer Feed Back Form
Customer Satisfaction Evaluation
Customer Information List
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