Phase 1: Development
This phase focuses on your business processes. Steps include:
- Determine your primary business activities and the role that each employee plays in performing these activities.
- Identify each aspect of your business to determine how each business function will work together within the company.
- Update your processes, so that when the system is being documented it is an accurate representation of your activities.
- Identify the requirements of the standard and how they will be covered within your business activities.
Phase 2: Implementation
This phase focuses on putting the quality management system into action. Steps include:
- Involve your employees by asking each to list their primary activities within the company.
- Collate their submitted activities into processes that are relevant to your list of business activities.
- Record your quality policy and overall business objectives and ensure that all other activities documentation is in line with these policies and objectives.
- Identify the ISO standard and how it can be applied to your business activities.
- Ensure that all documentation relating to each employee’s activities is accessible to each employee, with the help of document control software or similar tools.
- Ensure that the system is simple, functional and appropriate to business operations.
- Conduct internal audits on a regular basis to ensure that the system is supported throughout the organisation.
Phase 3: Maintenance
This phase focuses on managing the quality management system. Steps include:
- Note potential areas of concern from corrective action activities and audits to gather information and note trends.
- Track overall feedback from the implementation phase to identify improvement strategies and ideas.
- Monitor and measure all changes that have been made in order to track results.
- Identify the use and duration of resources and spending on activity or service delivery.
- Track mistakes and their cost to identify areas for cost-saving within the system.
With the help of these three phases, you will be able to begin reaping the many benefits offered through an effective quality management system, ensuring a solid return on investment for your improvement strategies.
