The Promise

Training is an integral part of what we do at RQS, whether it’s one on one or in a more formal setting. Recently, as I talked with staff members at one organization, I realized that we needed to do a basic class on documents that make up the Quality Management System.
As process owners, these folks know the most about what they do every day and the way things should work. Technically, they knew more about the process than I did, that’s the way it is in every organization. A procedure or process map can’t be written in a vacuum. The real people must be involved to represent “what really happens.” How else will the document be practical? I can facilitate the format and ensure that requirements are met, but the real folks provide the content.
In the Quality Manual, the commitments to quality are outlined per the requirements. The broad commitment should be endorsed by management and maps out the processes by which the company ensures quality. The Quality Manual is a Level I document, the “parent” of all of the other documents.
The Quality Procedures are the methods used to ensure that quality commitments are fulfilled. These Level II documents promise certain outcomes, further demonstrating that the quality thread permeates the organization and that there is a plan to ensure quality. Examples may be a Service Procedure, Complaint Handling Procedure, Purchasing Procedure, etc.
Work Instructions are the Level III documents used to tell staff members the actions that are taken for a specific task. Work instructions or standard operating procedures outline the day to day tasks that ensure that the promises are kept. If tasks are carried out with consistency, the outcome is more likely. (notice, I didn’t say guaranteed!) Examples of work instructions are: PM tasks, how to upload an electronic file, or how to run the dishwasher. These instructions ensure that we have clean dishes!
Records are proof that you have kept the promises that were made. Along the process, there is a record of what has taken place - a great tool for proving reliability or problem solving. If the promises couldn’t be kept for some reason, the company has taken the proper actions to realign the process – and there is a record of the steps that were taken.
That’s Documents 101.

-eaf