1. Limiting quality objectives to traditional quality topics.
The term “quality objective” is not limited to rework, cycle time, on-time delivery, or another operational objective. A quality objective can relate to finance, safety, employee satisfaction, benchmarking. Look beyond quality assurance and control issues. What matters the most to your business? Integration of Business and Quality Objectives

2. Holding infrequent (and redundant) management reviews.
Holding twice a year management reviews? Instituting preventive measures, effective resource allocation, and addressing customer concerns takes more than twice a year. Don’t create redundant meetings. Use your current senior mgmt reviews/operational group meetings to address requirements.

3. Sending out long, complex customer surveys.
Your customers (even you) don’t fill out long complicated surveys. Let your customers tell you what they think and want. We always tell our clients the first question to ask customers is “Why do you buy from us?”

4. Assuming everyone knows what “nonconforming” looks like.
Do you assume that everyone knows what nonconforming product is? Do you have operational definitions for your types, categories, dispositions, etc.? The broken, destroyed, that somehow got to the customer continue to happen. Error-proof your system.

5. Failing to use the corrective action process effectively.
The more your business uses the corrective action process, the better you get at identifying risks, problems, and failures. “We don’t understand root cause, we have no root cause/problem solving method, we don’t have the time to write it down and analyze.” There are no problems with corrective action, just the approach the organization uses.

6. Applying document control only to official documents.
Most organizations do a good job at identifying the QMS documentation, controlled versus uncontrolled. The unofficial documents can be just as important. Ensure post-it notes, drawings/pictures of what a product should look like, inspection defect pictorials are not forgotten.

7. Focusing audits on non-strategic details.
Internal audits are a fact driven system that can create huge improvements. This happens when auditors focus on the right things. We have seen audit evidence with much effort spent on trivial items rather than big picture thinking. Auditors must have the training and freedom to carry out their duties and investigate in detail customer satisfaction, management review, business/quality objectives and to see that improvements have been made. Auditors must have the ability to “go after” the things that make the business successful.

8. Training some personnel, but not all.
A disparity exists between what training production personnel receive and managerial personnel. When an hourly employee makes a mistake it could cost you money. When a manager makes a mistake you could be put out of business. Don’t make the error that training is not a tangible process.

9. Doing anything just because an external auditor told you to do it.
External auditors statements and audit results have great influence. However, external auditors can and do carry mental models of what “others have done” and may lead you down a path of nonconformities or perceived improvements. Your auditor does not work within your business and is far removed. Do a reality check on what is recommended and do what’s right for your business.

10. Having someone who only oversee the QMS.
Ensure that the person overseeing your system is not the only one serving the QMS. A system can become bloated when someone spends all their time. Responsibility and effectiveness lies with the entire management chain, not just one quality manager or management representative.