Transforming Current QMS

Hi Everyone,

I need your advice. I am a new senior manager with an aerospace defense company. We have a very small QMS team of only 4 including me. We are responsible for ISO 9001 and AS 9100 quality audits, regulatory compliance, DCMA and DCAA, CMMI, and CMMC. We oversee 4 factories around the US. My goal is to do more with less instead of less with less. I want to implement force multipliers that will allow my small team to be high performing and effective. Above all, I need to transform our current QMS into a high-performing and effective system including an effective team structure.

Here is my plan:

1. Staff member "A" will be assigned as the "lead" quality auditor. Staff member "B" will be an auditor (not a lead). Both will be assigned two locations each, both will be responsible for any and all matters concerning ISO 9001 and AS 9100 at their assigned locations including any other locations (i.e., admin offices). These two will also manage CMMI as well. Staff member "C" will be assigned to oversee any and all matters concerning DCMA, DCAA, and CMMC. Each staff will be cross-trained. All staff will be given authority and the support they need to make decisions and carry out the continuous improvement.

2. First, Identify 5-year major and minor NC trends. Attack the 20% causing 80% of the problems. Then create audit schedules where the crucial or high-risk processes will be audited quarterly or twice a year. Low-risk processes will be audited just once a year or every other year. Well-established processes that run efficiently can be audited once a year or every other year. Newly developed processes should be audited more frequently, for example, quarterly, until they are stable.

3. Reduce paper-based systems. Prune documents, policies, procedures, forms, etc. Automate wherever possible. Implement an electronic QMS system. Create a centralized e-folder for all rules and regulations and standards. Update as necessary.

4. Create quality working groups within the company. For example, get all the factory managers together in a meeting to discuss solutions to problems. Additionally, create a QMS that will promote workers and customers to share improvement ideas and feedback. Annual staff and customer quality surveys.

5. Establish a quality training program for new and existing staff. Instill that quality is everyone's responsibility. Train factory and office personnel to be internal auditors.

6. Create a factory internal audit program. Train factory workers to be internal auditors. Create a schedule. The factory's internal auditors will audit one process each month of the year for a total of 12 processes audited annually. Internal auditors will write reports and submit them to our unit. Our unit will critique the audit reports and provide feedback to the factory's internal auditors for continuous improvement.

This is a very rough draft of my plan, but any advice or suggestions you can give is greatly appreciated. Also, if you have any suggested KPIs, that would be appreciated as well.

Thank you

 

Yes, I mean “we.” We are experiencing a lot of problems with compliance in general. Our DCMA audits are becoming more rigorous and our CMMC certifications are becoming more expensive. We have had a lot of conformance issues in the factories as well. Overall, our current structure and system is not exactly effective and focusing on where it should be focusing. It’s very inefficient and expensive. Most of our staff our not specifically assigned to areas and are not traveling to locations. We’re sort of stagnant and not staying on top of tasks. Right now we are trying to transition to a electronic document control system as well. That’s the current situation.

 

What would you suggest? I don’t have any other staff at this time, so I need to make do with what I have now for the time being. That’s why I am looking for force multiplier opportunities where I can leverage one person to be able accomplish as much as two or three people. How can I leverage my staff? What would you advise? How would you structure the team? Maybe we might need to outsource help with DCMA and DCAA? Above all, I am trying to figure out a way to setup a high performing system with an effective and efficient team. My boss wants us to create a world class QMS that is top quality. We need to be on autopilot and smoothly functioning, that is our goal. I would like to split quality and compliance into two separate sections of the hierarchy. I want each set of staff to have accountability and ownership of each area.

 

Yes, that makes total sense. What would be the best way of doing that? Surveying staff? Looking at nonconformance and noncompliance trends (5yr, 10yr?)? I’m new to this role, so I’m trying to figure out the best way to approach this whole thing.

 

Wow, thank you, this gives me a whole new perspective. Are you basically saying that I should give staff my expectations, empower them, and let the QMS transform and become better organically? As a result overtime, my staff who are boots on the ground, will find ways and become more inspired to change areas that matter most? Rather than me trying to dictate and come up with a plan?

 

Thank you all for your help. This post has helped me tremendously.