Quality system, advantages

KwaLeteitssystem, what is it? The ISO 9001 quality standard has a nice formal definition for it, but simply put, it is the entirety of all activities (organization, processes, procedures, etc.) needed to realize quality assurance. To meet the quality requirements of customers and other stakeholders. 

Where it used to be paper, difficult to maintain and therefore 'dusty', a digital setup is now the most obvious. How can the advantages and disadvantages of the different ways to set up such a digital quality system be compared? Whether it is about quality alone or integrated with safety, HR, environment or health and safety. You want to have the right application: a digital quality system with the right content, which the employees are comfortable working with and which can be quickly adapted in a social way . After all, the employees determine the success of a (quality) system. 
But there are already so many solutions to compare. Therefore, everything in a row, so that an improvement process can be started quickly, see also Software quality system
 

Quality system, differences in design

Broadly speaking, there are 5 methods for a (digital) quality system:

• Everything in Word, Excel or Visio 
  Simple and all in all. The big 'but' is that it is very maintenance-intensive and documents are difficult to find. There is a risk that the structure will become unclear over time due to the different insights of the different employees (move, copy, adjust). This is certainly a point of attention if the organization is larger or growing rapidly. Version management, distribution and any read confirmation are not even taken into account.
   
• PDFs in the cloud
  A cloud solution is possible with OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox. Accessible from anywhere and the folder structure can be set up according to the standard or the processes in place. This provides an overview, but is not an advanced navigation strategy. With the PDF, the reader has a 'frozen' version. However, the author must make a new version of a pdf. Authorization is a point of attention. Furthermore, they remain separate files, without direct coherence and difficult to search.
   
• Sharepoint, Teams
  The Microsoft solution, which is immediately available 'for free'. The IT department has already set it up. Sharepoint and Teams can do a lot a little. But as soon as you want something more (clear authorization, quality-oriented coherence, risk process, practical overviews), the consultants will come by... And for a (few) hours of consultant, you will soon have a 'dedicated' quality system for a month / months .
   
• Wiki environment as Confluence, intranet
  A big advantage of the wiki environments is that they are easy to refer to. Everything can be systematically expanded and many people can work on it. Points of attention are the formal approval of documents and the implementation of specific processes such as risk management.
   
• 'Dedicated' quality system
  With a 'dedicated' quality system such as Proware , you immediately gain knowledge about quality management. Version management, navigation, mapping, process information about the management is immediately taken care of. The risk management process can be integrated directly. Sample documents can be made available at the beginning of the project and adapted to one's own situation in the course of the project according to the existing assessment and authorisation mechanism. The dedicated system is the platform that enables fast and effective project implementation.

It's a cost/benefit trade-off, but a 'dedicated' quality system like Proware can be used quickly.  (Just for fun, put this Proware system online in 60 seconds as a test ....)

Everything there and more ..

On the IT side, developments are perhaps even faster than in certification land: mobile working, social quality systems, straight from the cloud. Quite different from the collection of process descriptions, procedures, instructions and forms. Printed and bundled inthe system or book in the cupboard of every department manager.... A digital (quality) system can do so much more, apart from the different 'ISO standards'.

An overview of 'standard' functionalities of a 'dedicated' (quality) system:

Get our cloud solution Proware, software tool for quality management, ready in 60 seconds. And spot the differences...
Immediate action ? With our colleagues at Meta-audit.nl , we deliver with one annual subscription of the management system platform (min. Proware + Infoware Bronze) certifiable example documentation (ISO9001/27001/NEN7510) included.
 

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