Still using paper for work instructions & data capture? Is your data flattened in binders?

Whilst both international standards, ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001 focus on different aspects of organisational management, ISO 27001 does not specifically focus on traceability, but ISO 9001:2015 does.

ISO 27001 does include several key aspects that relate to traceability in the context of information security, however a more specific standard ISO 9001:2015 contains a number of key points within the ISO standard where moving to a ‘digital thread of quality’ and ‘digital traceability’ enhances your companies quality scoring.

One of our customers said the following – “Auditors have been incredibly impressed by our detailed procedures and extensive version controls, right down to the ‘Bill of Material’. In fact, because our high audit scores are inserted into vendors’ databases, this has meant we have been identified for other contracts and have the potential to win new business.”

Enhancing your quality scores

Electronic version & revisioning control provides a digital record from inception through the lifecycle of a process through to archiving and ensures a permanent record is always available to audit. This is essential for any modern manufacturer to proviing robust evidence as to your systems and processes comply with stringent standards. Providing access to data and reports for auditors with electronic records demonstrates that your company is serious about compliance and removes the frustrations and time consuming methods associated with paper.

Quality data capture – What, when, where.

Product quality and specification data adherence are critical to ensuring your manufacturing processes for your products meet the anticipated requirements for your customers and your companies wider market reputation. Additionally ensuring the prevention of issues are eradicated from continuing down the production line, creating re-work, scrap or even worse product recalls.

Quality ‘In-built’ also means quality is embedded in your build processes, not on a piece of paper, in a separate system or home grown database, inextricably linked to the process itself. When quality is part of your electronic work instruction you can enforce responses such a simple confirmation, set upper & lower limits and present questions based on the outcome of a previous response.

Quality ‘In-built’ in the process validates and captures results and prevents work from continuing where the results fail to meet the anticipated criteria. This approach also ensures any issues found or raised can be triaged, tracked through the use of dispositions with costs and other implications can be assessed and managed.

Using simple confirmations shop floor operators are validating their accountability for the work to progress or a cross buddy check, creates a record that a suitably qualified person has certified a task has been completed correctly.

The use of upper and lower limits ensures the process is meeting the specification and prevents re-work.