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IATF 7.1.6 - Organizational knowledge

Discussion in 'IATF 16949:2016 - Automotive Quality Systems' started by bkirch, Jul 17, 2017.

  1. bkirch

    bkirch Active Member

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    I am struggling some with the IATF 16949 requirement of organizational knowledge (clause 7.1.6). Could anyone share how they showing evidence that they are meeting this requirement? Also has anyone had their 3rd party audit and could share what types of questions the auditors asked in regards to this subject?
     
  2. John C. Abnet

    John C. Abnet Well-Known Member

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    Good day bkirch;
    Please allow me to offer my experience/opinion in response to your question.

    As you are likely aware ISO 9001:2015 clause 7.1.6 (as referred to by IATF clause 7.1.6), like most clauses, does not mandate how this is to be accomplished. However, a common practice is to consider "knowledge" (in this context) as consistent with "curriculum". For example, ...
    - it is likely that your organization has operation standards and/or work instructions that are a compilation and/or summation of knowledge gained.This would equate to "...shall determine the knowledge necessary...".
    - it is likely that this curriculum is documented and maintained under your organization's documented information methods (doc/data control). This would equate to "...shall be maintained...".
    - it is likely that your organization links/requires and subsequently trains those curriculum to specific job titles/roles. (i.e. as a requirement for being placed into those job titles/roles). This would equate to the "...made available to the
    extent necessary".

    Hope this helps.
     
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  3. bkirch

    bkirch Active Member

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    Thanks, yes, that helps a lot.
     
  4. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    This is like asking "how long is a piece of string", really...

    Have your organization (management) ask, "How do we know what we know?" For process control, how the last job was made etc etc. Then add in, "How would we find out what we need to know?" if you obtained a new product, new customer, new machine and so on...
     
  5. Golfman25

    Golfman25 Well-Known Member

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    Frankly after looking at it myself, this requirement is just double speak. The questions above seem relevant -- how do we know what to do? Modern companies have process sheets, routings, control plans, fmeas, files with history, etc. which seem to cover it.
     
  6. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    From your POV, maybe, but not for many others.
    So what happens when it's NOT historical? When a new process/technology/market is entered? What then? Dig out the historical stuff? Take self driving cars? Look back at horse drawn carts for inspiration? I think not...
     
  7. Golfman25

    Golfman25 Well-Known Member

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    That's not organizational knowledge. If it's new, then by definition it isn't known yet by the organization. But they do research and learn. As they learn they gain knowledge and compile that knowledge in the documents and such that I referenced.
     
  8. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    But that's part of the standard! How does an organization discover what it doesn't know? Since the standard is about prevention - which many people find a tough concept to grasp and practice, it's important to plan how to acquire knowledge. Simply using hard-won experience isn't so effective.