The Standard Answer: Ship Shape
How is it possible to ship customers the right product, on time, and still fail to fulfill their requirements? Most organizations do a pretty good job of determining what product the customer wants.
Only One Correct Action Process
A recurrent theme that dominates discussion on the establishment of corrective action programs is the practice of channeling problems through multiple conduits for assessment and resolution.
The Art of Interviewing
I’ve long been a proponent of involving as many individuals as possible in corrective action, both during the root cause analysis phase and during the development of the The Fable of the Monkey Gardeners
Have you ever wondered how to demonstrate to a manager the rationale behind the ISO 9001 requirements for competence and training?
Selling the Benefits of Preventive Action
Perhaps one of the hardest persisting sells for the average quality professional is the challenge of effectively communicating the benefits of preventive action to senior management.
What’s the Best Quality Management Software?
I often get asked: “What’s the best software package?” Individuals are usually looking for guidance in selecting a program to manage corrective actions, facilitate documeWho’s on First?
The Abbott and Costello routine “Who’s on First?” is one of the greatest comic treasures of our time.ISO 14001:2004 Management Review
This article reviews management review in the latest ISO 14001 standard revision, including the management review requirement update and system recommendations for ISO 14001:2004 compliance.
Purchasing Department Vs. Purchasing Process
It’s logical to expect the purchasing process to fall under the purview of the purchasing department. However, the reality is that in most organizations there are people from different departments who generate purchase orders and sign contracts.
Auditing as an Integral Part of the Business
Occasionally, when I’m waiting for a flight, the small talk with fellow travelers will meander into discussions about the purpose of our respective trips.