Quality Software
SOFTWARE REVIEWS
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Quality Software |
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QA/S GainSeeker Suite Review by Felix Grant As those involved know only too well, the automation of process control can only go so far; the practical limits are finite, set by the laws of a statistical universe. The foreseeable future lies with improved integration of process management structures--certainly beyond local concerns and ultimately across whole industrial ecosystems. In this context, development of appropriate analytical database tools is the area to watch. In particular, those tools with modular structures and that facilitate seamless communications independent of geography offer the best route ahead. The QA/S GainSeeker suite from Hertzler Systems, currently comprising five modules, represents just such a route to continued improvement. Not only does it offer an interconnected web of views, it makes those views instantaneously available at any authorized location. We evaluated three of the modules: GainSeeker SPC, GainSeeker WebSPC and GainSeeker DMS. A test setup was established in three nodes of a multinational organization, with information feeds to seven internal and 19 external sites. GainSeeker SPC is an efficient and configurable statistical process variation tracker that maintains and analyzes a process database by any chosen variable or variables. GainSeeker WebSPC is the communications conduit--coherent, secure and reliable delivery of SPC information over intranet, extranet or Internet to any number of internal or worldwide users. Tracking, prioritization and defect correction provides a vital accompaniment to quality control measures; GainSeeker DMS (Defect Management System) addresses itself to the important matter of supervising the relation between quality failures and their consequences. All three modules can be used independently, but synergy kicks in when they are applied together. The actual SPC facilities are at the more comprehensive end of the market; ancillary statistical provision is conventional but solid. Data acquisition is reliable and hassle-free, either directly from equipment or via other sources, and ODBC works well, allowing establishment of a fully comprehensive tissue of data connectedness. The real value lies in the flexibility with which stored data in this construct may then be examined. Reporting, charting and analysis results are therefore available on an organizationwide basis (or, if required, beyond), regardless of their origin. For anyone with prior experience of establishing collaborative Web-based communications, WebSPC is a pleasant surprise: easy to set up, reliable, flexible, cost-effective and requiring minimal maintenance. The test site ran flawlessly on the first trial; it also refused to subsequently crash, despite deliberate efforts to bring it down. A separate, free-standing application and valuable in its own right, DMS will also integrate itself with SPC if installed. Analysis (multilevel Pareto) can be by either count or (arguably more relevant) by consequent cost. Once again, as with SPC, the user can set up relevant variables by which analysis and tracking may be most usefully defined. The module includes standard attribute control charts, as well as basic proportionality displays and an unusually full range of measures for improvement review. Reporting can be automated around customized templates, with content updated at predefined intervals. Two external considerations apply to any critical product that relates internal to external data. One, Year 2000 issues are an increasingly pressing concern for any system. Both SPC and DMS modules claim compliance in the current versions, and evaluative efforts to break them showed no obvious weaknesses. For existing users with databases from older versions, Hertzler offers a file-conversion service to ensure continuity. The other concern is security, always a sensitive issue. All three modules offer suitable controls, requiring both a user name and password before allowing entry. The results from using this trio over a period of months impressed everyone concerned in the trial. The modules offer high-grade, precisely targeted information on processes and impacts as widely and as frequently as required. Automation facilities make real-time checking and refresh feasible, and the rigorous system of user definition allows control over what is delivered where. Full treatment of QA/S GainSeeker's capabilities is impossible, and users should evaluate the modules closely for themselves. This integrated, geographyindependent enabling approach to data is the key to continued improvement of quality decision making over the next decade, and Hertzler's suite should be a "mustsee" for any organization contemplating either first steps or revised planning in that direction. About the author Felix Grant is a freelance journalist, lecturer and research consultant in the United Kingdom.
QA/S GainSeeker Suite System requirements: Workstation--Pentium 133 or better, 32 MB RAM, 20 MB free disk space. Fileserver--Pentium 200 or greater, 48 MB RAM, 1 GB free disk space. Windows 95, 98, NT. Network--Novell 3.12 or higher, NT 4.0, other NetBIOS compatible. Price: Contact company ISO 9000 Records Management Proquis 9000 Review by Jeff Kempton Make, integrate or buy? That's a dilemma which often confronts quality and information systems managers contemplating ISO 9000 management software. Should the application be built from the ground up to meet your specific requirements? Should you purchase the "best of breed" components and integrate them with each other? Or, is there a fully integrated solution already on the market that meets most of your requirements? If you're leaning toward the last option, Proquis 9000 from Proquis Inc. is a product to consider. It's written in the 32-bit flavor of Imprise's Delphi and offers good integration, a broad range of features, a consistent user-interface and a reasonable price. Proquis 9000--a networkable, Windows-based software package--offers a broad range of capabilities provided via nine separately priced modules: Customer Care, Document Control, FMEA, Supplier/Vendor Rating and Control, Equipment Control, Testing House, Fault Log, Audit and Management Review, and Health and Safety. These modules give users more than they need to automate an ISO 9000 implementation and management effort. Yet, users are not forced to purchase nor use every module. Like today's ERP programs, Proquis 9000 consists of linked tables of data used for reporting, follow-up and review. For example, vendor returns can be entered and then later analyzed for trend analysis and vendor approval decisions. We tested Proquis 9000 on a 133 MHz notebook PC with 48 MB RAM. While performance generally was good, loading modules proved somewhat sluggish considering they were being loaded from a local hard drive. Product installation via a single CD-ROM is straightforward and well-documented. Proquis' technical support staff via e-mail and phone quickly resolved a small issue during installation. The core of the product is the Document Control module, which, when used with the DocView feature, could eliminate printed documentation. This module also tracks document changes, organizes the work effort and ensures accountability. For example, users can create relationships between documents, departments and ISO 9000 sections, which eases updating and revision control. Update and approval permissions combined with distribution lists allow users to perform reviews, approvals, revision control and user access online via the program and a MAPI- or VIM-compliant e-mail system. Another key component is the Fault Log, which provides for the recording of all nonconformances along with the party responsible for raising, fixing and approving the fault. This makes tracking easier. However, combining the Fault Log with AutoWarnings is the real timesaver. The AutoWarnings feature can free the quality staff from the time-consuming tasks of reminders and follow-ups for audits, document reviews, calibrations, fault solutions and training. Warnings can be set up to automatically notify appropriate individuals of events such as audits due, calibrations required or corrective action due dates. The FMEA and Audit & Management Review modules are uniquely useful. With Proquis 9000, top management and the engineering staff won't have a reason to complain about the paperwork hassle. And they may even thank you for making their lives easier. Imagine that. The Design Control screens in the FMEA module are well-laid-out, allowing an inexperienced engineer to easily move through the product documentation process. The Management Review screen provides a handy way to quickly meet ISO 9000 requirements while making file-keeping quite painless. The one key thing missing from Proquis 9000 is a keyboard-friendly user interface. Given that the program is a set of related databases and relies heavily on data entry, it's almost mandatory for the program to offer keystroke shortcuts to access most commands, functions and fields. This isn't the case and requires frequent use of the mouse, especially when switching between the various modules. On the positive side, though, user interface does stay generally consistent throughout the modules. The bottom line? Proquis 9000 can save a few administrative types from doing hours of manual paperwork or a few programmers from having to reinvent the wheel. The product is well-written, well-thought-out and designed to not only meet ISO 9000 audit requirements but also improve business functions and customer satisfaction. About the author Jeff Kempton is quality assurance manager and mechanical engineer at SpaceAge Control Inc., a sensor and instrumentation manufacturing company based in Palmdale, California. He can be reached at (661) 273-3000, fax (661) 273-4240 or e-mail jkempton@qualitydigest.com. Proquis 9000 Version 4.1 System requirements: Minimum: 486/33 PC, 16 MB RAM, 45 MB free disk space, VGA graphics, Windows 95 or later. Recommended: Pentium PC, 32 MB RAM, 45 MB free disk space, Super VGA, Windows 95 or later. Price: $1,608.52 for single-user license, $3,264.52 for five-user license. |
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