The Quality Conundrum and Small Business – PART 2

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) offers these suggestions for development of a QUALITY POLICY. A Quality Policy is part mission statement, part operational rules. When combined these procedures generate a set of standards for a company that should be fixed in stone.

One test of the value of any standard is whether it can be bent or broken. A quality policy is a formal statement from management, closely linked to the business and marketing plan and customer. Click Here to review the case for having a quality policy.

Some general standards for a QUALITY POLICY include:

	The quality policy is understood and followed at all levels and by all employees.
	Each employee works towards measurable objectives.
	The business makes decisions about the quality system based on recorded data.
	The quality system is regularly audited and evaluated for conformance and effectiveness.
	Records show how and where raw materials and products were processed to allow products and problems to be traced to the source.
	The business determines customer requirements.
	The business has created systems for communicating with customers about product information, inquiries, contracts, orders, feedback, and complaints.
	When developing new products, the business plans the stages of development, with appropriate testing at each stage. It tests and documents whether products meet design requirements, regulatory requirements, and user needs.
	Records show how and where raw materials and products were processed to allow products and problems to be traced to the source.
	The business determines customer requirements.
	The business has created systems for communicating with customers about product information, inquiries, contracts, orders, feedback, and complaints.
	When developing new products, the business plans the stages of development, with appropriate testing at each stage. It tests and documents whether products meet design requirements, regulatory requirements, and user needs.
	The business regularly reviews performance through audits and meetings.
	The business determines whether the quality system is working and what improvements can be made. It has a documented procedure for internal audits.
	The business deals with past problems and potential problems. It keeps records of  these activities and the resulting decisions, and monitors their effectiveness.
	The business has documented procedures for dealing with actual and potential  non conformance problems involving suppliers, customers, or internal problems.
	The business makes sure no one uses a bad product. Determines what to do with a bad product. Deals with the root cause of problem. Maintains records to use as a tool to improve the system.