Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
Implementing,
and Using
QMS Software
Solutions
THE QMS GUIDEBOOK
Table of Contents
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
3 | Getting on the Quality Management Software Soapbox
Introduction: Why do We Need QMS?
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
4 | Getting on the Quality Management Software Soapbox
Introduction: Why do We Need QMS?
is adapting the system to meet the business need; this is ensuring the Quality and Compliance of your operation.
extremely powerful and time-saving on resources, but is also Software can provide that time-savings through automating
putting the software design in the hands of the people who processes, integrating with other business systems, and
actually use the tools. Very powerful, and organizations are fostering better visibility and collaboration throughout the
slowly warming up to this concept. business.
2. The Fallacy that Software is too Expensive: Much like 2. Return on Investment: There’s not doubt that oftware
the advent of standardize parts in the automotive industry, is an investment. From the small desktop solutions to the
having a configured system that has all the components enterprise systems, there is an investment to be made. The
developed out of the box has driven the price point down return on that investment is where the difference is made.
considerably. One solution can satisfy many different If you can reduce your Corrective Action cycle time by 50%,
organization’s needs, and so companies can now get into a and you’re able to focus on the issues that matter most to
decent enterprise software product for a fraction of the cost organization, then you’ve already seen the return. The key
10, even 5 years ago. here is to ensure that you’ve maximized the software to
realize that return.
3. The Fallacy of the In-House Maintenance: Another
issue that comes up with many smaller businesses is a small Then there are the not-so-obvious benefits.
IT footprint. They cannot manage yet another system, and IT
will not administer the system for them. Thanks to the advent 1. Rapid Application Development: As a Quality
of cloud computing, we are seeing this paradigm slowly professional, you’re not in the business of building
fade. Software as a Service (SaaS) is growing in exponential applications. But to the earlier point, software these days is
fashion, and it enables a small organization to get into the less developing and more configuring. Many organizations
game with little to no administrative IT footprint. Much like are leveraging the workflow-based platforms to extend
we use Facebook, Pandora, and LinkedIn in our personal lives, the software to more areas of the business. Take the
so too are professional software solutions coming into the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) system for example—
fray. Applications that are delivered in the cloud and are paid many Quality systems have similar functions to that of an
as a subscription are enabling smaller businesses to enjoy the EHS system. If you can leverage your existing solution in
benefits of enterprise Quality Management solutions, without Quality, and create a similar set of modules for the EHS
having to dedicate specific resources or significant cash flow team, you’ve not only doubled the power of the software to
to a single tool. Pay as you go—it’s the way of the future. another operational area, but you’ve also created another
“hero moment” for you and your team. Many organizations
Everyone resists change. Most often, the larger companies will have become a center of excellence due in part to their
be the ones to take the first step, and sometimes the innovators use and innovation into other areas like EHS, HR, PLM, and
in the industry, regardless of size. Mainstream adoption often Supplier Management.
comes when it becomes easier to make the change from one
system (or no system) to an automated software tool. With 2. Enterprise Risk Management: QMS solutions that
flexible, configurable solutions that can be deployed in-house or incorporate risk are unique in that the risk concept
over the Web, change becomes easier, and more and more small transcends Quality. Risk is a company-wide issue. You’ve
to mid-sized organizations can enjoy the benefits of the solutions heard the mantra, “Quality is everyone’s responsibility.”
in the market today. That’s a nice statement, but often Quality is really only the
“responsibility” of the Quality department. Very few outside
What are the Obvious and Not-so-Obvious of Quality actually “speak” Quality, so there is a disconnect.
However, everyone in the company speaks risk. By using risk
Benefits to a QMS Solution? as a benchmark, you are translating your Quality activities
As with anything, you often find that your goals change over
into risks and opportunities that the entire company can
time. This is also the case with an enterprise Quality Management
understand. Enterprise Risk is a function that can come from
System (QMS). Many will enter into an investment in a QMS
Quality and be extended to the entire organization. Along
with very specific goals—“implement Document Control and
with that, a risk-based QMS can be extended to encompass
Corrective Action,” and then as they see more value, they see
the entire enterprise, thereby becoming an Enterprise Risk
more potential in the software. You get the “core” needs covered,
Management (ERM) solution.
and then as that is running smoothly you begin to look for ways
to make the software work for you elsewhere. That’s what it’s
What’s Your Price? Moreover, what’s Your
for—it makes your job easier. The obvious benefits are:
Price Not to go with QMS?
1. Time-savings: Let’s face it—manually processes are time- How much to pay for an Enterprise Quality Management
consuming. Chasing paper is not what you’re in Quality for. solution? Again, when we look at this, we have to discuss in terms
You need to be able to free up as much time dedicated to of not price point, but also investment and return. How much
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
5 | Getting on the Quality Management Software Soapbox
Introduction: Why do We Need QMS?
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
6 | 8 Simple Rules for Selecting a Quality Management Software System
Getting Started on Your Journey
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
7 | 8 Simple Rules for Selecting a Quality Management Software System
Getting Started on Your Journey
more and more companies scale their systems to span the many come from a technology background, and never take
enterprise, it will become necessary for the QMS to follow into account the user experience. The result is a software
suit. When selecting a software system, think about the system that is technologically advanced, but completely
long-term goals on how you plan to scale. It may not be “un-user friendly.”
an immediate need, but having the ability to expand your
QMS beyond your four walls to include other facilities, or When selecting a software system, take into account the
even suppliers and customers, can make a difference in the end user’s experience. Make sure the software can easily be
system’s long-term value. Watch out for false scalability configured to help the end user—whether it is familiar forms
promises—some systems will claim scalability, but have and layouts, even colors that match the corporate look. If you
no real experience in the matter. A scalable system must are replacing an existing system, see if you can match the new
obviously be technically capable of handling the load of system’s look and feel, even the form layouts to the old system.
additional users, but that is only half of the picture. The This can make the transition much easier, and make the end users
scalability of administration is equally important and can be more productive right from the start.
much more expensive to fix later if not considered up-front.
8. Time to Value—Implementation and Deployment:
Look for customer references that have scaled the system to a You’ve covered your needs in terms of the solution and it has
level that is equal to your business, specifically in the ability to all the bells and whistles your company needs—now what?
delegate administration to different levels in the organization, The solution needs to be implemented. This is where, many
across the entire enterprise. Truly scalable systems include times, software selections fail. In fact, in a recent study of over
location-based administration that extends beyond simply 9,000 software implementations, 71% of them either failed
managing different user groups, to enabling location-specific or were late or over budget. Many of these projects cited
configurations and dynamic filtering of location-specific data. the implementation project as a major reason for failure. It
is critically important that the software vendor be able to
6. Tying Systems Together through Integration: demonstrate their capability to not only deliver the solution
Operational areas no longer live in silos when it comes to to you on time and on budget, but do so in a fashion that
business systems. Whether they are Production, Financial, lets you use the system as you intend to use it—with all your
or Quality systems, the ability to interact, collaborate, and configurations and best practices built in.
coordinate across the business is key to uncovering any
gaps in processes, and creates visibility from one operational Look for a solution that has a proven implementation method
area to the next. It is of paramount importance to be able to that involves the requirements gathering, the side-by-side
integrate your systems. collaboration with their folks and your team, and sticks to an
agreed upon project scope. Furthermore, get your requirements
When looking to select a system, keep in mind the integration finalized up front—adding new features and functions
options available within the solution. Avoid solutions that claim mid-stream often delays projects as more time is added to the
integration, but will only do basic integration “lookups.” While project to meet these new “last minute” entries. Finally, make
this is powerful and eliminates some degree of double-entry sure all the stakeholders in your organization have had their
of data, true integration will not only pull data in from production opportunity to contribute to the requirements phase. This will
systems, but will also push data back to those systems, such ensure that all parties are satisfied before the implementation
as nonconformance issues, overall cost of Quality activities begins.
and more.
These 8 rules of engagement when selecting a software solution
7. Know Your Audience—End User Acceptance: (which can really be applied to any enterprise solution, not just
Typically, the team selecting a software system is made up of Quality or EHS), can have a tremendous impact on how you
multiple areas—IT, Quality, Operations, Purchasing, and more. approach your software purchases in the future.
More often than not, the participants are manager-level,
and are making the decision on behalf of themselves and
the end users. The end users, while most likely the highest
volume user, are more than likely not involved in the ultimate
decision. Many software systems will have the technology
and process management needed, but once implemented,
the end users are lost. It doesn’t look familiar; it doesn’t look
and feel right, and requires significant adjustment to get used
to. Look and feel may not seem like a “deal breaker” but it
can be a hindrance in the learning curve for many users, and
cause delays in getting implemented and effective. Many
software vendors do not come from your industry. In fact,
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
8 | Look Under the Surface: 4 Things to Ask a Compliance Software Vendor
Getting Started on Your Journey
In this day and age, very rarely do people buy anything without draws so much focus, that the service element becomes
doing their research. This rings true when it comes to the buying an afterthought. Look for a vendor that has a proven track
process for enterprise software systems. In many ways, the buyer record of implementing their solutions successfully, and make
has so many tools available to research vendors and understand sure to spend some time reviewing their strategy. Proper
the pros and cons, we see a much more informed and educated implementations, whether large or small, should incorporate
enterprise buyer. Web-based research will give you some of the some element of project management that involves both
key areas to rate a vendor on, such as: parties. The best way to find out if the implementation
methods are “proven” is to look for proof from existing
Market expertise
customers.
Features and utilities
Broad company overview 2. Customer Satisfaction: Today’s enterprise software buyer
will no doubt ask for references. Most vendors will gladly turn
Pricing and support structure you towards their go-to reference or load you up with case
Breadth of applications offered studies. And most buyers will discuss the cursory questions—
“What do you like about the software,” and “does the
All these things can be commonly found after some basic
software meet your needs,” etc. When doing your reference
research, and a few discovery demonstrations. However, we
call, it’s also a good practice to delve into some more
still see cases where a company has selected a vendor, and
intangible questions. Remember, enterprise software is not
that vendor continues to fail on their delivery of the solution.
only an investment in a solution; it can be an investment in
You would think that these failures would be picked up on
the people within the company. Questions like “What do you
during their extensive, informed research, but there is more to a
think of your account manager or service manager,” or “Do
company than the above bullet points. Below are some additional
they respond to your needs at this company,” or even“ What
considerations to be aware of when selecting an enterprise
is their user conference like” will give you a deeper insight
vendor—those that go beyond pricing, features, and tools.
into how this company operates. These types of questions
1. Implementation Track Record: One of the primary (which may seem silly at first) add dimension to the vendor,
reasons software implementations fail is a lack of and also give you an indication of the health and longevity of
communication and project management within the the company. You want to invest with a company that will be
implementation team. To put it more simply, the project around for as long as you continue to work with them.
scope goes over time and over budget. Often (and especially
in the Compliance software market), the software sale
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
9 | Look Under the Surface: 4 Things to Ask a Compliance Software Vendor
Getting Started on Your Journey
3. Financial Well-Being: As stated above, you are investing be time to suggest a workshop or proof of concept. These
in an enterprise solution and the company behind it— are typically 1-2 day engagements with the vendor whereby
it’s critically important that you feel comfortable about you give them a simple set of requirements, and ask them
the company’s financial well-being as well as their product to implement it on a small scale. It’s like a “test-drive” of the
offering. In this day and age, software companies are being system on your terms and using your processes. What makes
bought and sold, and a company’s control is sometimes it powerful is that you can get a glimpse of how your future
in the hands of a venture capitalist rather than a software relationship with the vendor will be, and how they work when
architect. In some cases, the software vendor is a minority implementing your solution. These workshops can be time-
shareholder in their own company. Venture capital consuming (and occasionally a pay-for exercise), so reserve
investment, loans and lines of credit to keep operations this for special circumstances.
going—truth is, a software vendor may have more debt
than equity. Don’t hesitate to get financial information from In our world where we have all the information at our fingertips,
the vendor. it’s sometimes easy to say we know everything. But there are
still those data points that are not publicly known, and getting
Now many may not be apt to opening their books for you, the right answers can make a big difference in your decision.
and that’s fine—there are a few ways to get an accurate So it’s important to do your research and come to the table
financial picture: prepared, but don’t be afraid to ask for more information on your
enterprise software solution.
a. Search the Web for Investment News: Vendors
may not actively promote when they are bought or
invested in, but the investors love to talk up their
portfolio. Look for press releases from investors
on your vendor, and read carefully on whether the
investment firm is providing capital, or actually
purchasing the vendor.
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
10 | Build vs. Buy: Best-Practice QMS Solution over Custom Development
Tips for Implementation Success
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
11 | Build vs. Buy: Best-Practice QMS Solution over Custom Development
Tips for Implementation Success
Research revealed that nearly four in ten major software Because a best-practice configured solution requires little to no
purchases ended up as “shelfware”—software that was development costs and uses a proven method of implementation
purchased, but never implemented. to ensure projects are kept on scope, the actual risk associated
with implementing is considered lower than that of a custom-
The root of all these challenges lies in the ability of the project built application. This is primarily due to the unknown factors that
to be defined properly. With custom developed solutions, the can occur in custom development, as well as long-term costs to
project scope encounters obstacles not foreseen at the outset of update and maintain the custom-built system.
the project, and it is extremely difficult to estimate the time and
expense associated with a major development project. This is Avoid the Dangers of Buy…then Build
primarily due to development of new features not inherent within When making the decision of build versus buy, it’s important
an existing application or customer developed application, which to determine the level of development required, in either case.
creates a tendency to change and modify the scope “on the While many off the shelf software systems will claim to have the
fly.” The result, according to the Standish Group, estimates that best practices built out of the box, what is often not determined
52.7% of all custom application projects cost 189% of the original is any level of custom development that may be needed after
estimate provided. the software is purchased. Often times, purchased solutions will
incorporate a framework of best practices within their solution,
Software vendors with best practices built-in draw on a history
but in order to tailor the system to meet your needs, the system
of implementation of similar processes, and have implemented
must be custom developed. As a result, the customer is left with a
hundreds of projects of similar focus and scope. These
purchased solution that will need a custom development project
implementations follow a proven process, and follow a pattern of
added into the purchase, creating the same challenges with a
project management that delivers the product on-time and within
purely built solution. Look for systems that have the flexibility
scope.
to adapt to specific processes without any need for custom
5. Return on Investment—Look for the Hidden Cost development. These solutions often enable the administrator
of Development: While many custom-built applications (or “Power User”) to configure all aspects of the system to meet
outline a broad scope for a project, without having a best unique business needs. Configurable systems such as these
practice approach it is impossible to determine how long the completely eliminate any custom development needs, and
project will actually take. Vendors that offer a best practice provide a truly flexible and adaptable system that embodies the
solution are able to leverage years of implementation and purpose of a purchased, best-practice solution.
product development to accurately scope out a project and
The decision to implement enterprise software is not a simple
will not incur the same project overruns custom developed
task. Software solutions typically represent an investment of
solutions encounter.
5-7 years, often up to a decade for many organizations. When
Consider the breakdown on build versus buy conducted in a weighing the options of determining software selection, the
Standish Group Report, illustrated in the tables on the next page. “Build versus Buy” decision is one that will always come up,
and requires careful consideration on the path to take for your
When comparing these two scenarios, we can assign a risk investment.
ranking to build versus buy, as illustrated in the risk matrix below:
While both options have merit, many organizations opt to
leverage the existing best practices implemented within the
industry, the proven track record of success and innovation, and
the most flexible technology that will help them seek returns on
their technology solution. For many, the growing trend lies in
purchasing a solution that provides the most functionality and
features, and presents the lowest total risk to the organization.
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
12 | Build vs. Buy: Best-Practice QMS Solution over Custom Development
Tips for Implementation Success
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
13 | Avoid Scope Creep in Enterprise Software Implementation
Tips for Implementation Success
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
14 | Avoid Scope Creep in Enterprise Software Implementation
Tips for Implementation Success
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
15 | ROI: Assessing Value in a Quality and EHS Management System
Tips for Implementation Success
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
16 | ROI: Assessing Value in a Quality and EHS Management System
Tips for Implementation Success
4. Demonstrate Definable ROI: This one is tricky—how only do leading QMS and EHS system provide the low-entry,
do you define ROI? Many companies look for quantifiable high value mix, but are prime examples of gaining ROI in a short
ROI, but often have no baseline to compare it to. As many period of time.
organizations are not tracking ROI metrics on a particular
software solution, they seek ways to determine how much
value a system like Quality Management or EHS Management
will provide. Here are just some sample cases where ROI is
provided on QMS and EHS systems:
So, ROI is all in how you perceive value in the system. Look for a
solution that not only is able to provide value in a short period
of time, but demonstrates the value in a way that you can relate
to your organization. The above are just specific examples. You
would need to use these as a base, but will have to determine
your own metrics based on your unique business needs. The
take-away is that ROI comes in all shapes and sizes, and not
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
17 | The Importance of Risk in the Complex Quality Lifecycle
Best Practices for QMS Solutions
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
18 | Risk Assessment: Creating a Risk Matrix
Best Practices for QMS Solutions
How do you define risk? It’s not as easy as you may think.
Companies spend plenty of time and money coming up with a
scheme on how to calculate risk for their organization. Risk is
defined as the “systematic application of policies, procedures, and
practices to the tasks of analyzing, evaluating, and controlling
risk.” All this really means is that we put tools in place to help us
look for risks, assess those risks, and then take action on the risk. This is not always an easy answer. Some companies have to
The trick here is finding the risk, isn’t it? How do we find the risk? weigh the costs versus benefits on these risks, without creating a
disproportionate cost to risk (Example: spending $1M to prevent
The components of risk usually manifest themselves in two forms: a blister is disproportionate; spending $1M to prevent a fatality
hazards or harms. Hazards represent the potential source of is proportionate). Companies will carefully vet these zone, and
a harmful event (the cause). Harms are the resulting damages typically adopt a concept called ALARP (As Low as Reasonably
to products, persons, or the environment (the effect). Risk is Practicable). Simply put, this means that the risk is as low as we
essentially cause and effect on a defined scale. It’s the scale in can possibly get it, or it’s “Tolerable” or “Undesirable”—but it isn’t
which most struggle. critical or catastrophic. So then, with the ALARP in place, you have
a risk matrix:
Usually, when trying to quantify hazards and harms, most
organizations look at two metrics: Severity and Frequency (or
likelihood). Taking these metrics into account, we can develop a
scale in which to measure hazards and their harms. This can be
numeric (scale of 1-5), verbal (excellent to poor) or both. If you
were to graph these scales, you would come up with a numerical
matrix, one that highlights the risk “zones” by their multiplied
number on the axis, much like this one below:
Now you can go off and start using it, right? Well...you need to
“vet the matrix”—put it through real-world historical examples
and see if the risk matrix comes up with the correct risk based on
historical events. You may need to “tweak” the matrix based on
the vetting process. Hard mathematics will not properly assess
the risk without a little real-world honing. Once you’ve fine-tuned
the matrix, you can start utilizing it in your Compliance system.
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
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19 | Risk Assessment: Creating a Risk Matrix
Best Practices for QMS Solutions
Risk Assessments and risk matrices are wonderful tools to help 4. Use Risk to Ensure Effectiveness: For an action to be
guide decision-making in an organization, but they are not truly corrective to the process, it must be effective, otherwise
meant to be stand-alone tools. They help to provide a guide for you’re back to square one. Much like risk can be used to filter
Risk Assessment, using quantitative and repeatable metrics to adverse events, risk can also be used to ensure effectiveness
ensure a consistent method of determining risk. Most best-in- of a CAPA. Risk helps to ensure that not only is the CAPA
class organizations will assemble a “risk team” to go over adverse effective, but it’s within the risk limits of your organization’s
events and determine the risk. It’s up to the team to decide how compliance standards.
an event will be handled, and what the true risk is. Risk matrices
are the keys to unlocking quantitative risk-based processes, but CAPA is an effective and essential tool but, like many processes,
the people are the drivers of the system. can be blocked up if you are too reactive to events. In order to
streamline your CAPA process, it is important to look at adverse
The next question becomes, “How do I incorporate Risk into events and filter them to properly determine how critical they are.
my Quality Management System?” More specifically, how can
Risk ease the bottlenecks in an organization’s Corrective Action
process?
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
20 | Three Keys to Global Harmonization in Quality: Learning to Share
Best Practices for QMS Solutions
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
www.etq.com • 800.354.4476 • info@etq.com
21 | Is Quality Dying a Slow Death, or Evolving Beyond Definition?
Final Thoughts: Fun Takes on QMS Software
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
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22 | What Star Wars Can Learn from Quality Management Software
Final Thoughts: Fun Takes on QMS Software
Project Management: From the time that the Death Star plan 3. Supplier Management and Supplier Rating: Let’s
was conceived, it took The Empire almost 20 years to complete face it—The Empire had to have contracted out to build
it. A project this large requires multiple roles involved and this Death Star. All the components that go into building a
delegation of activities. The Death Star project management team finished product rely on suppliers and contractors to help
consisted of three key people—Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Vader, complete the process. When watching the movie, we know
and Emperor Palpatine. These are not the more flexible managers, that the Rebels found a weakness in the design of the Death
and are not above taking employee errors or missed deadlines Star (thanks to the weak Document Management System). If
with the aid of a lightsaber, force lightning or a death ray. The Empire would have had a real-time inspection and rating
system, they would have been able to inspect that access
Perhaps if The Empire implemented a Quality-based Project port, and send out a Corrective Action to the knuckleheads
Management System, they would be able to clearly define the who thought putting a direct access to the Death Star core
roles involved in the project, assign tasks to those roles, and was a good idea.
manage the project from an aggregate level. Workflows keep the
project deliverables on track, and perhaps this level of visibility 4. Nonconformance, Audits and Corrective and
would enable them to maintain control, without having to resort Preventive Action: Let’s stay on this, then. Obviously, we
to the Dark Side as their only means of clairvoyance. know that the Death Star had a defect. It was only in the final
hour did The Empire realize the danger, and by that point it
1. Document Management: Let’s be honest—even The was too late. If they had a Quality system in place, they would
Empire could’ve used a strong Document Management have found this flaw, whether through regular space Audits
System. Given the sheer size of the Death Star with the (or at the very least an Audit through tremors in the Force), or
thousands of “employees” that worked there, there would a Nonconformance when the defect was installed, and issued
have been tens of thousands of records that would need a Corrective Action to fix the problem. Clearly, Quality took a
to be controlled—work instructions, job descriptions, backseat to their overconfidence, and ultimately resulting in,
procedures, floor plans, and the like. You would think that well…you know the rest.
with this “technological terror” The Empire constructed, there
would be a secure Document Management System in place. 5. Management Review and Reporting: As I said before,
the primary project managers used fear as their primary
Then how did a small droid like R2-D2 plug into the network motivator, and seldom relied on the data to help them with
and download the Death Star plans like it was a space walk in Quality. In the movie, you see the officers of the Death Star
the park? My guess is that The Empire, in all its glory, was using sitting in a conference room, and not one of them produced
a file system to store documents. If The Empire would have used a report—if they had a robust reporting system that collected
a Document Control system like those in a QMS, access to these
The QMS Guidebook: Selecting, Implementing, and Using QMS Software Solutions
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23 | What Star Wars Can Learn from Quality Management Software
Final Thoughts: Fun Takes on QMS Software
Quality data from all areas of the Death Star, and rolled this
data up to help determine the top risks and top Quality
issues, then maybe that meeting would have gone differently.
Perhaps if that poor guy had shown Darth Vader his latest
Quality Report, he wouldn’t have gotten the old “force choke”
from the Dark Lord of The Sith. Having a top-level reporting
system that presents the Quality system challenges in a single
view might have mitigated their risks.
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24 |
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