Quality System (QSA) Comments/Questions

QUALITY SYSTEM ASSESSMENT (QSA) COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
AND MANAGEMENT QUALITY SYSTEM

Developed by qualityg

The following QSA questions go with a previous post that explained the process for conducting a Quality System Assessment in your company. The post can be found at http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/08/quality-tooltechnique-quality-system.html

The following comments/questions are generic in nature so they can serve as a guide or model for your own assessment. By no means are they all encompassing, once you start to answer the questions additional questions come naturally.

Make sure you document your findings to create an objective feedback report to your customer. The combination of this assessment and the objective trend data collected will help you in your improvement efforts.

COMMENTS:

1. Analyze process by starting at the end of the process.

2. Reduce Cycle Time by eliminating rework (measure- right the first time).

3. Before working to improve cycle time, teams should look to improve/standardize the process.

4. Do all people do the same thing and do it the same way?

5. Search for parallel processing.

6. Don’t use survey results, focus group research to establish problem statements. Use Cause and Effect Process Indicator measures that reflect source of customer pain and it
gets measured continuously (need predictability).


QUESTIONS:

Ice Breaker: If our company were to stop servicing phones and went into the business of making cars, what kind of car would we manufacture based on the quality of work we do today? How many of you service your car as outlined in the Preventive Maintenance schedule?


I. General Categories - (Document what you do. Do what you document.)

A. Position Job Description

1. What kind of work do you do? Is there a job description for it? Is there a process to update your job description?

2. How did you learn your job? Who trained you? How long does it take (months/years) or do you think it will take to be proficient on your job (know job, feel comfortable)?

3. Does the Center have a formal plan for training replacements (Manager)?



B. Standardization of Policies/Procedures

1. What type of standards (i.e., call standards, procedures and documentation (i.e., Policy & Procedures, M&P) do you have in the center? And, are they current? Is there someone who ensures updates to the procedures?

2. Where are they located (On-Site Library, At their desks, On-line)?

C. Process Improvement (Problem Solving Method)

1. What type of breakdown do you encounter?

2. What corrective action steps do you follow?

3. Who is responsible for ensuring that corrective action is taken?

4. Who follows up to ensure root cause is removed from process and standardized?

5. What document or procedures tell you how to do this?

6. Can you provide documented results from this methodology?

7. Is there a formal feedback system in the dept/center for making suggestions for quality and productivity improvements? Do you contribute? Do you receive recognition? Is something done with your ideas?

II. Specific Categories

A. Organizational Leadership

1. Name the top three things you need to do your job correct 100% of the time -- be specific (i.e., training - what kind of training).

2. Name the department(s)/group(s) that your center needs to work more closely with to meet department/center initiatives.


B. Design, Development and Control

1. When you, as a Supervisor, receive a policy or procedure for a new or revised product or service, IT too or M&P, how do you roll it out to the department/center? How do you determine its effectiveness?


2. Do you have a procedure that tells you how to provide feedback to Field, M&P, Training, IT and Sales/Marketing (If yes, request a copy of the procedure)


C. Process Management

1. How do you listen to the voice of the service order process? Do you have a process management system in place to assure this process meets the Company key initiative of service order accuracy?

2. Are there documented corrective action procedures that you follow? (If yes, request a copy) Note: If yes to the previous question, then what type of corrective action and prevention are you doing in the center?


3. Do you provide feedback on poor design of procedures/services/products? How do you know that the new procedure/product/service has been tested? Did it improve quality/cycle time?


4. a. Are you or any of your people on a Process/Quality Action Team or attended Quality Classes/Training within the center or outside the center? If yes, b. what are the subject areas that you are improving (cycle time, timeliness, accuracy)? c. What kind of process/quality tools or techniques is used on the team or if you are not on a team, what tools and techniques do you use on your job? d. What type of documented results did the team achieve? e. Does leadership support it?



5. Name the last two working instructions you received. Were they current, well defined, and user friendly? Did you receive corresponding training, if applicable? What are the major steps or objectives for the two procedures?




D. Customer Preference
1. a. As a Customer Service Center employee, who are your Internal Suppliers? b. Do you as a Customer Service Center employee have expectations of these suppliers? c. Do you as a Center Management Team Representative have a process to communicate Center expectations to your suppliers? d. If yes, are there formal processes that describe this partnership (can we get a copy)?



2. Are your customers (internal/external) happy with the quality of your work? How do you know? Are they Loyal? How do you know?



3. Name the five most important things to you on your job?
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4. Do you have a form, method or procedure developed for or with your supplier that identifies defects (can we see it or get a copy)? Does the form, method or procedure have a problem solving process for corrective action (prevent it from recurring, root cause)?



5. Is there an internal measurement system that measures non-conformances (i.e. failures -- types, rates, and service levels)? Are the measurements meeting or exceeding internal standards? What process improvement plans are in place to improve them? (obtain copy if available)?


E. Organization Behavior and Change

Change
1. What would it take for the dept/center to change to become best in class?

Behavior
1. What would it take for you to help this dept/center become the best in class?