Lean ISO

[SimonM]

I thought that I might besmirch the virgin emptiness of this forum space by making a post about how we approach the world of business systems.

We use the concepts of waste minimisation and value on demand as the basis for most of what we do since they have obvious impact on the bottom line. ISO9001 and ISO14001 are particularly good as a framework for Lean. They are not prescriptive and much like an operating system on a computer with no applications. The tools or applications that run under an operating system are what personalise the computer and give it its utility.

Many implementers approach the ISO standards with the single objective of gaining compliance. We think that compliance should be simply one of several outcomes. If you can't demonstrate the value that you are getting from your management system then have you really got one?

There are many different QA religions and all espouse their virtues as total solutions. But in practise they are not available to all. For example, it is very difficult and hugely expensive for a tiny business to go down the Six Sigma path. They simply don't have the resources to get trained and work out how to do the breakpoint stuff.

In any case, many SMEs are unaware of just how much waste they have in their systems. In fact many of them don't have systems and to make it worse, some of them don’t even think that they have processes. So I guess that they don't have a business they just own their job.

Therefore we have found it useful to take a framework operating system and then put in simple, proven improvement tools that satisfy the requirements of the standards. Long ago, we came across a stripped down version of 8D, a problem solving tool primarily used in manufacturing. We now use 5 Phase as it covers non-conformance, customer complaints, continual improvement, preventive and corrective action and even some of the internal audit requirement etc. It is simple to run and gives massive of useful information.

Using tools to demonstrate compliance by satisfying the requirements of standards is Lean as well; less reliance on intrusive audits to demonstrate that the system is working. As the customer gains faith in the tools they can run projects to extend the competence of their management systems; to use ever more powerful tools. ISO audits serve to keep the discipline levels needed to maintain the system. That for me is the major value of maintaining compliance.
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Simon Morice