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QMS Operational Procedure	QOP-85-01
Section 8.5	Section Revision: A	Revision Date: 7/12/2010
Continual Improvement
Approved By: Todd Gifford		Date: 7/12/2010

 

I  PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to provide for a system and instructions, and to assign responsibilities for facilitating continual improvement of the quality management system.

II  APPLICATION

This procedure applies to all activities comprising the quality management system.  This procedure concerns all departments.

III PROCEDURE

1. General

1.1 Dee Electronics deploys continual improvement philosophy throughout the entire organization. The quality system itself is designed to incorporate all elements necessary to identify opportunities for improvement and to implement improvement projects.

1.2 Everyone in the organization is encouraged to come forward with ideas for improving products, processes, systems, productivity, and working environment. Improvement suggestions are evaluated and prioritized by the executive management team.

2. Identification of improvement opportunities

2.1 Opportunities for improvement are identified form such sources as:

Data of process and product characteristics and their trends;

Records of product nonconformities;

Customer satisfaction, dissatisfaction and other customer feedback;

Market research and analysis of competitive services;

Feedback from employees, suppliers, manufacturer representatives and other interested parties; and

Internal and external audits of the quality system.

2.2 In addition to the above-listed systems for continual performance monitoring, special assessment projects may be initiated to identify opportunities for improvement in other areas. Examples are:

Non value-added use of floor space,

Waste of labor and materials,

Excessive cost of non-quality, and

Excessive handling and storage.

2.3 Opportunities for improvement of operations and systems are identified on two levels: continuously, by the management team and supervisors, based on daily feedback form operations and other activities; and periodically, by the management review, based on analysis of loner-term data and trends. Opportunities for improvement of services are identified mainly by Sales/Marketing Management.

3. Evaluation of improvement opportunities

3.1 Those opportunities for improvement based on daily feedback from operations are evaluated by executive management and, when appropriate, are implemented through the system of corrective and preventive action. Typically, they would be triggered by such events as identification of a nonconforming process or product, customer complaint, internal audit finding, and other such specific events.

3.2 Opportunities of improvement based on longer-term data and trends are evaluated by the management review. They are prioritized with respect to their relevance for reaching the quality policy and quality objectives. When new important opportunities for improvement are not adequately supported by the current policy and objectives, the management review may change the policy and/or establish new quality objectives. This evaluation and prioritizing process is defined in Operational Procedure QOP-56-01, Management Review.

3.3 Opportunities for improvement of services are evaluated by the President and Vice President, Sales.

4. Implementation of improvement projects

4.1 Improvements required to address daily feedback from operations and other activities are usually implemented through corrective and preventive actions. Operational Procedure QOP-85-02, Corrective and Preventive Action, defines the process.

4.2 Longer-term improvement projects to fulfill the quality policy, attain quality objectives, or correct unfavorable trends are implemented through special management actions defined by the management review. These actions may be documented in management review minutes, or be issued as directives, memoranda, policy statements, etc. The corrective and preventive action system may also be used for this purpose.

4.3 Service improvement projects are usually implemented via projects guided by the President.

ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS

QF-85-01-01 Quality Form: Employee Idea, Feedback, Concern Form

QOP-56-01 Operational Procedure: Management Review

QOP-85-02 Operational Procedure: Corrective and Preventive Action