|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Welcome to the Whittington & Associates e-Newsletter! Visit and bookmark our web site today: http://www.WhittingtonAssociates.com This
e-newsletter is in HTML format and may not be displayed properly by some
email programs.
The
US TAG to ISO/TC 176 submitted a vote of “disapproval with comments” in
December on the final draft of ISO/TS 16949:2002. As a result, the next
edition of the automotive standard may be delayed beyond its planned March
2002 release date. More details on the status of ISO/TS 16949:2002 will
be provided in our next e-newsletter.
Ten Tips for Selecting and Using a Consultant Note: The first five tips were covered in our last e-newsletter: 1. Understand
the reasons for using a consultant.
When you receive the proposals, you will evaluate them using the agreed selection criteria. Know in advance who will participate in the evaluation and make the recommendation. Will a committee make the decision, or an individual manager? In any case, you want the decision fully supported so the consultant can work effectively with your organization. You will evaluate their personal traits, especially their communication skills. You will also look at their experience in performing the defined scope of work. If you are dealing with consulting firms, identify the consultants that will be assigned to your organization and evaluate those individuals. Remember to assess their availability for the work, as well as, their responsiveness in returning calls and answering questions. Be sure to check the supplied references. Ask the identified contacts what value they received from the consulting activity and if they would use the consultant again. Use the proposals to create a short list of consultants. Thank the others, but let them know they were not selected. Evaluate the remaining candidates by interviewing them. In person is best, but by telephone may be acceptable. You want to get a sense of how compatible they seem to be with your organization. It is also an opportunity to clarify their proposals. Although difficult to accomplish in an interview, check for possible conflicts of interest and see if you feel comfortable with the honesty and ethics of the consultant. Confirm the consulting fees and estimated expenses. Although negotiating the terms of the agreement remains to be done, you will make your initial decision based on the available facts. Notify the preferred
consultant of the selection (pending negotiation of acceptable terms).
Wait until after the negotiation completes before notifying the remaining
candidates.
You have made a tentative selection. Discuss the specific dates for the initial visit. See if the consultant will reduce the quoted rate based on the size of the project. Depending on your location and the types of services, you may find the consultant is willing to lower the fee to gain your business. Remember that you’ve
already decided this consultant is the best choice if the terms can be
worked out to the satisfaction of both parties. Don’t automatically exclude
the person if the fee cannot be negotiated to a lower amount.
At this point, the consultant has been selected and you need to prepare an agreement for both parties to sign regarding the scope of work. The agreement could be a legal contract or simply a letter of understanding. The bigger the job, the more formal the agreement. The agreement should describe the expected deliverables and their timing. Identify your contact for authorizing and scheduling the activities. Explain that monthly payments will be made based on completed work. Attach the consultant proposal to the agreement. Use the agreement
to emphasize the need for confidentiality. Describe when and how you expect
the consultant to report on project status. Include a cancellation clause
that allows you to terminate the agreement at any time and only pay for
services already rendered.
Even an expert consultant needs to be managed well. Ensure the primary contact at your organization fully accepts this coordination role. Any issues or misunderstandings must be promptly resolved. Keep management informed. Remind your organization to strive for self-sufficiency. You want to avoid a prolonged dependence on the consultant. Give the consultant
access to the appropriate people, documents, and records. Ensure the organization
cooperates, but remember, the consultant makes suggestions, not business
decisions. The project success depends primarily on management, not the
consultant.
When the project completes, evaluate the results. Were the deliverables acceptable? Were they produced on schedule? Did the outcome satisfy the objectives? This evaluation will give you insights on possible improvement activities. Assess the consultant’s performance. Did the consultant do a good job of planning? Was the plan followed without significant deviation? Were you kept informed throughout the project? Did the consultant work well with others and foster teamwork? Was the expertise of the consultant reflected in the results? Were the recommendations workable? Does the quality management system perform as expected? Be fair and consider the impact of the organization’s performance when you evaluate the consultant. The real test: would you use the consultant again and recommend to others? Summary and Guidance If thoughtfully selected and wisely used, a consultant can be a valuable partner in setting up or improving your quality management system. However, remember that the system is owned by your organization. Take care to avoid these common problems:
We hope you find
these tips useful in selecting and using a consultant. Best wishes for
an efficient and profitable journey with your consultant as a seasoned
and skillful guide.
The IEEE Software Magazine recently included an article on "The Nine Deadly Sins of Project Planning" by Editor in Chief, Steve McConnell. The project planning sins are listed below (with my comments): 1. Not planning
at all (carefully consider your project needs).
The language of ISO 9001:2000 is less manufacturing oriented for the benefit of its readers in the software and service sectors. As a result, "statistical techniques" seem to have been relegated to a lesser role. The old clause 4.20 in ISO 9001:1994 was entirely devoted to Statistical Techniques. Now the techniques are only mentioned in clause 8.1 of ISO 9001:2000 as possible methods for process monitoring, measurement, analysis, and improvement. However, look more closely. Clause 4.1 (c) requires determining the criteria and methods for effectively operating and controlling your processes. Clause 4.1 (e) requires process monitoring, measurement, and analysis. Clause 7.1 (c) requires you to plan your verification, validation, inspection, and test activities, as well as, determine your product acceptance criteria. Clause 8.1 requires the use of applicable methods (including statistical techniques) to demonstrate product conformity, ensure system conformity, and continually improve the effectiveness of the system. Don't overlook that clause 8.2.3 requires process monitoring and clause 8.2.4 requires monitoring and measurement of product characteristics. So, if you want to implement statistical techniques, where can you turn for advice? See ISO 11462-1:2001, Guidelines for Implementation of Statistical Process Control (SPC) -- Part 1: Elements of SPC. ISO 11462-1 can help you define your SPC goals, for example, to reduce process variation, predict process behavior, and quantity process capability. It also describes the conditions that must be present for a successful SPC system. Management must use the data to react to process disturbances and make improvement decisions. Section 7 of ISO 11462-1 addresses the key elements of an SPC system. Some of these elements are: Plan: (7.1) process documentation and control plans; (7.2) process targets and limits; (7.3) measurement system evaluation Do: (7.6) data recording and collection; (7.12) process output monitoring; (7.13) process control system Check: assessments of short-term (7.14) and long-term (7.15) variability; (7.16) communication of process analysis results Act: (7.20) process improvement, optimization, and troubleshooting Support: (7.4) work instructions; (7.9) process sequence; (7.10) process logs; (7.5) employee training; (7.19) project teams For more information,
read the on-line Quality Digest article: "Do
You Know Your SPC".
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) has acquired a new Web site address - www.iso.org - which gives access to information on more than 13,400 International Standards for business, government and society. The iso.org address will eventually replace the currently used iso.ch in ISO's Web location and e-mail addresses. However, in order to ensure a smooth transition, both iso.org and iso.ch will function in parallel in ISO's Web and e-mail addresses for an indefinite period. ISO will gradually replace iso.ch by iso.org in its electronic and paper documents. The ".ch" suffix which ISO has used up to now is drawn from the ISO standard for country codes (ISO 3166-1:1997 ); "ch" is the standardized abbreviation to denote Switzerland, where the ISO Central Secretariat is located ("ch" derives from Confédération Helvétique - the Helvetic Confederation - the alternative name for Switzerland). Experience revealed
that potential visitors to ISO's Web site, especially members of the general
public who may not be so familiar with the organization, search for it
using a generic domain name such as iso.org or iso.com, rather than by
the domain name built around the country code for Switzerland. As several
of these generic domain names are owned by other organizations, ISO has
been taking steps to acquire at least one - culminating in the transfer
to the organization of the domain "iso.org".
President George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Don Evans today announced five winners of the 2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's premier award for performance excellence and quality achievement. For the first time in the history of the Baldrige awards, winners were named in the education category. The 2001 Baldrige Award recipients are:
"We are especially pleased to announce the first Baldrige Award winners in the education category," continued Evans. "They will be outstanding role models for 21st Century education organizations. As President Bush has so often said, if we succeed in educating our youth, many other successes will follow." In addition to including the first-ever winners in the education category, this year's awards include the first winner in the quick service restaurant industry, Pal's Sudden Service. Chugach School District, with just 30 faculty and staff, is not only one of the first education winners, it also is the smallest organization to win a Baldrige Award. Three of the 2001 winners also have won state quality awards: Clarke American Checks, 2001 Texas Award for Performance Excellence; Pal's Sudden Service, 2001 Tennessee Quality Excellence Award; and Pearl River School District, 1994 New York Governor's Excelsior Award. These organizations are expected to receive the Baldrige Award in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., early in 2002. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is given to U.S organizations that have exemplary achievements in seven areas: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process management, and business results. All applicants for the Baldrige Award undergo a rigorous examination process that ranges from 300 to 1,000 hours of outside review. Final-stage applicants are visited by teams of examiners to clarify questions and verify information. All applications are reviewed by an independent board of examiners primarily from the private sector. Each applicant receives a report citing strengths and opportunities for improvement. Named after the 26th secretary of Commerce, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was established by Congress in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness of US businesses. The award promotes quality awareness, recognizes the quality and performance achievements of US organizations, and publicizes successful performance strategies. It has five categories: manufacturing, service, small business, education and health care. The award is not given for specific products or services. Since 1988, 46 organizations have received the Baldrige Award. The Baldrige program
is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an agency
of the US Department of Commerce's Technology Administration, in conjunction
with the private sector. You can read more about the Baldrige program
at: <http://www.nist.gov>.
To enroll in any
of these public classes, go to Courses
at our web site, or call us at 800-404-7585. ISO 9001:2000
Lead Auditor (ANSI/RAB-NAP Accredited) - CEEM, Inc.
ISO 9001:2000
Internal Auditor (ANSI/RAB-NAP Accredited) - CEEM, Inc.
ISO 9001:2000
Auditor Transition (RAB-Approved)
Implementing ISO
9001:2000 (for New Systems)
ISO 9001:2000
Conversion (for Existing Systems)
Quality System
Documentation (Revised for ISO 9001:2000)
To arrange an economical
class at your site, please call us at 800-404-7585.
Our last e-newsletter included the first five tips on Selecting and Using a Consultant, plus articles on:
To see previous e-newsletters,
go to the Newsletter
Archives at our web site. If
you want to unsubscribe to this e-newsletter, simply reply to this e-mail
with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject. For other questions or comments, please
e-mail us at Larry@WhittingtonAssociates.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
