Things ChangePlan on it.
Wed, 06/17/2009 - 23:00
"The only man who behaved sensibly was my tailor: he took my measure anew every time he saw me, whilst all the rest went on with their old measurements and expected them to fit me.”
—George Bernard Shaw
Can you think of a more rousing or… Verification vs. ValidationYou can verify and confirm, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.
Sun, 05/03/2009 - 15:05
As some of you know, quality “speak” and concepts have been known to bleed into my everyday life. This is not uncommon for quality professionals. The only difference between some of us and the rest of you is that many of you are still in denial.… The Things That You Know That You KnowWhat you think you know may not always be right.
Tue, 03/31/2009 - 11:11
A couple of months back I was watching “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”--one of the more enjoyable game shows in recent memory. The premise is that the contestants should be able to answer the questions, since it’s stuff we learned during or… The People, YesIgnore them at your company’s peril.
Fri, 02/27/2009 - 10:10
One of the most interesting books I’ve read is Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon and Schuster, 2006). It’s a historical narrative of Lincoln’s administration, focusing on the dynamics of his cabinet.
Lincoln was dedicated to… Perceived RedundancyFar from wasting time, customer audits ensure efficiency above common standards.
Thu, 01/29/2009 - 13:58
On several occasions while conducting a third-party surveillance audit, I’ve gotten the following query--or a variation thereof: “One of our customers called us last week and wants to come in to do an audit in three weeks. Why can’t they just… Who Ya Gonna Call?Good question
Tue, 12/02/2008 - 13:36
Isn’t it annoying when you call a company to complain about a problem and they won’t even give you the chance to describe what’s wrong? They take down the information that they think is important or whatever the generic form directs them to record.… Empowerment Without BackupKnowledge and guidance
Tue, 08/12/2008 - 22:00
E
mpowering people is a cool idea. Giving individuals authority and responsibility has many benefits. It fosters accountability and communicates confidence. It avails people the opportunity to contribute in a manner that allows their voices to be… ChoicesWithin a quality management system
Fri, 07/11/2008 - 06:23
A few months back, I wrote about the choices an organization makes regarding its quality management system (QMS). At that time, I talked about the overall system, with particular focus on management’s investment and support.
Today I’d like to… Dress RehearsalPre-assessment
Tue, 06/10/2008 - 22:00
I recently had a client who went through a pre-assessment in anticipation of his company’s certification audit. It’s kind of like a dress rehearsal for the real thing. Over the years, I’ve discovered that organizations tend to garner more value… What’s in a Name?The ISO management representative
Tue, 05/13/2008 - 22:00
Unlike many other requirements in ISO 9001, the subclause dealing with the ISO management representative is rarely the subject of debate. In fact, it doesn’t get nearly as much consideration as it deserves.
Traditionally, it’s assumed that the…