Background

Audits and corrective actions represent the driving engine of continuous improvement in the quality system, so it is vital to keep strict control by tracking all of the nonconformities from their detection to the final elimination of the root cause. It is very common to see companies that have detected a nonconformity, but although corrective action was requested, there was no follow-up. Or someone simply misplaced forms, and thus the problem has not been solved. Other companies have successfully passed certification audits, but continue having customer complaints, non-conforming products, rejects, etc.

Description of the Solution

QACTION controls audits, customer complaints, non-conforming products or services, plus corrective and preventive actions. It automates the Eight Disciplines Methodology, facilitating problem solving so the improvement cycle can continue.

When a problem is detected, a message is sent by email to the person responsible. This has a certain deadline (configurable) for response by taking immediate action, performing an analysis of the root cause, and taking permanent corrective action. The action goes through a stage of authorization to ensure the authenticity of the information. Finally, it goes to the closing phase where it records and addresses the following:

• If the problem was solved.
• If the root cause was removed.
• If preventive actions are needed.
• The result of the action.
• . . . as well as verification and control.
• And you also have a configurable time.

If any of these activities is not carried out on time, a daily Delay Report is automatically generated by QACTION and sent via email to any authority in the organization concerned with the management system performance.

Moreover, those responsible for each of the tasks are notified of the time required to execute them. Computers take charge of controlling the process. No more forms filled out. People just receive messages, record the appropriate actions, and execute them. You stop working for the management system and now the management system starts to work for you . . . for the continuous improvement of the company.

Vigilance

There are companies where nonconformity is detected, the corrective action is requested, appropriate actions are taken, and the records are stored. Yet after a month, the same problem is detected, and . . . following the same procedure . . . records are again filled and stored. Three weeks later the same problem recurs, and forms are refilled. For auditors, this company looks good, because it meets the standard; however the company is not healthy, because it really is not solving the basic problem. It is true that it complies with the standard and the procedures for filling out records, but they have problems and their quality system is not helping solve them.

How do we solve this?

QACTION provides electronic vigilance, and automatically analyzes the problems’ recurrences. This means that if a problem type is repeated several times (configurable) in a given time interval, QACTION sends an alert message of problem recurrence, which means that although the information of corrective actions is recorded, actually it is not eliminating the root cause of the problem. Therefore in these cases, a deeper analysis of the root cause should be made. With QACTION, the recurring message problem will come to an authority who will help the person responsible for the problem to make a proper analysis of the root cause and take corrective action that actually eliminates it.

Features and Benefits

• Automates the continuous improvement.
• Reduces the number of open actions.
• Controls the problems recurrence.
• Allows interaction and communication among the members of the organization.
• Contributes to the intelligence of the organization through the option of similar problems.
• Monitors customer complaints.
• Meets the requirements of the highest standards.
• Eliminates paperwork generated by the audits, customer complaints, corrective actions requests, etc.
• Makes monitoring and troubleshooting of nonconformities easy.
• Gives warnings: the staff takes seriously the quality system, as QACTION will take care to warn when there are delays and alert when the causes of the problems are not eliminated.
• Is an analysis tool that will lead to implementing continuous improvement efficiently and effectively.
• Allows customized fields and reports.
• Provides WPF technology that allows installs on the server and then runs the program from any PC as if it were local.
• Is easy to use.
• Is friendly. Maintains the design standards of MS Office.
• Provides graphical analysis.
• Tracks all changes occurring in the system.
• Allocates time constraints for the steps’ compliance.
• Sends email reporting delays to the person responsible, with a copy to the head of the area.