ISO 9001:2015 has significant structural changes that differentiate it from the previous standard. The new high-level structure is common to all ISO management system standards (i.e., quality, environmental,  IT security) and enables us to start looking at integration of these systems. There is a standard core text and structure and, important for ISO 9001, there is now the inclusion of services.

User-centric firms should identify and track the core actions that can make or break their businesses.

Traditionally, executives have used standard metrics, such as cash flow, inventory turns, and operating income, to get a broad sense of the health of their firm. However, the game has changed with the rise of digital business models centered on the user. New metrics need to be devised based on the core user actions that drive value creation in such models.

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Story update 9/26/2017: The words "distribution of" were inadvertently left out of the last sentence of the second paragraph.

Some practitioners think that if data from a process have a “bell-shaped” histogram, then the system is experiencing only common cause variation (i.e., random variation). This is incorrect and reflects a fundamental misunderstanding about the relationship between distribution shape and the variation in a system. However, even knowledgeable people sometime make this mistake.

As of Sept. 14, 2018, ISO/TS 16949 certificates are longer valid, which means automotive suppliers must certify to the new version, IATF 16949. Transition audits are underway and will continue into next year, but many companies still have a long way to go to prepare.

Let’s look at some of the biggest challenges companies are facing, including new requirements that could trip you up and how to efficiently document compliance.

QDL from Fri., Sept. 15, 2017, demonstrated that everywhere you look, you’ll find the positive effect of better quality. Here’s what we chatted about:

““U.S. Business Sectors Gain or Hold Steady in Public Esteem”

In general, people hate confrontation and will do just about anything to distance themselves from it, but a manager owes it to her employees to overcome this fear and address problems directly and honestly. The key is knowing how to handle problems with employees, and knowing what will happen before it happens. In doing so one can be prepared ahead of time and not surprised.

What does hailing a ride with Uber have to do with 19th-century geometry and Einstein’s theory of relativity? Quite a bit, it turns out.

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Coatings play an essential role in the product development cycle, whether for corrosion resistance, protection against moisture intrusion, or simply to beautify a product. Since over- or under-application can lead to poor performance or product failure, thickness measurement is essential to help production teams deliver quality products while also controlling costs.