RE: ISO 9000 versus Deming Philosophy

["Vic Forte" <vic@vichara.f9.co.uk>]

Our organisation became ISO9002 accredited before we came across Deming
ideas. Here is how we have tried to integrate ISO9002 into the PDSA process.

Plan for an improvement, be clear about your theory, be clear about purpose,
study the process, identify critical factors for success, establish process
performance measures to inform the critical factors, communicate.

Do - implement your plan in a small way as a test of the theory.

Study - Observe. Gather data on the process performance measures. Was it a
good theory? If not revise the theory, learn, improve. Keep going round this
loop until you are happy you have a solid process that works.

Act. This is where ISO9002 fits in. Standardise the improvement. Write it
up, teach it to others.

One of the benefits of ISO9002 is that it provides an organisation with a
way of consolidating learning. It is a kind of "ratchet" effect that
prevents backwards drift.

Some dos and don'ts for using ISO9002.

DO arrange things so that people see it as something that helps them to do a
good job, not as something externally enforced.

DO use it as part of a process of continual improvement in which all are
involved

DO find auditors from all levels within the organisation

DO, if you are a senior manager, subject yourself to internal audit
cheerfully from junior personnel ( get the people on the production or in
the office to audit the business planning process ).

DON'T use procedures as a way of bringing about change. Writing the
procedure first and then using it to change things is always a disaster. Go
through the PDSA cycle first and then write up the procedure.
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