This post is part1 in a series on the topic of the “Process Based QMS”. 

The “Process Based” approach to implementation of your QMS is one method of making your QMS work for you, not against you. This approach allows your QMS to add value vs adding headaches and cost. Historically many organizations have implemented the “silo based quality system” meaning a compliance/ procedure based QMS that does not identify or evaluate how effective the QMS actually is.

The “Process Based Approach” merely means looking at your Quality system as a series of linked value adding processes that form your QMS or system.

The first step in implementation of a “process Based QMS” is to identify the critical or core business processes that make up your QMS. Some examples are Contract Review, Marketing, Purchasing, Quality Planning, etc…

Once your company has identified these processes you will want to map them out using any number of good process mapping tools that exist. My favorite is the SIPOC diagram. SIPOC stands for S= Supplier, I= Inputs, P= Process, O= Outputs, and C= Customer and is a good method of completely understanding the information flow and requirements of your specific process from a high level. It also forces you to look at the outputs of the process so you can determine what metrics can and should be monitored or measured.  One important aspect of the “Process Based” approach is that it is a closed loop approach meaning you will know the effectiveness of the process in meeting it’s objectives. 

The next step is to identify the interrelationship of all of the identified processes to understand the flow of inputs and outputs to each other. Example – the output of the Marketing process may be a solid sales lead which should result in an input of a  feasible quote for the Quote process. 

Typically a macro level process map is used to illustrate the relationship of the QMS processes to each other.

In the next blog I will get into the specifics of the process itself in detail.

Remember – if you cannot measure it you cannot improve it.

Mark