How can you identify areas for improvement in your quality audit?

Although no process can survive in isolation and independently of the others, those processes that connect directly with customers are my favourite to analyse because anything that can alienate a customer is a risk to business continuity. The audit could prioritise them and look for evidence to prove that the company's processes and products align with the market.

Identifying improvements in Process compliance or Work product audits is a common practice. However, it is key to identify the right ones. Let me try to elaborate more on that. Improvements that we identify should contribute to triple constraints of the project - Cost, Quality and Schedule in my honest opinion. The improvements should contribute to Cost savings , Quality improvements in terms of early detection of the defects thus reducing the rework or timelines. Now, this will be add value to the project and the improvements make sense for implementation.

Despite advocating for flexibility, it's essential to note that adherence to standards remains paramount. However, blindly adhering to predefined audit objectives and scope can inadvertently lead to tunnel vision, hindering the audit's effectiveness. Embracing a balanced approach that combines adherence to standards with flexibility can unleash the true potential of audits, driving meaningful improvements while ensuring compliance.

The major aim of quality audit is to identify if the defined processess are in place . 1. Audit should be done in one department at a time. 2.Pointers in Audit checklist should be defined as per defined process 3. The auditors should be trained on how to perform audit and they must be well versed in the SoP of the concerned dept.. 4. Previous audit report should always be checked to observe the continuation of the action taken on the identified gaps. 5. The findings can be done based on document check, interview and observation.

Compliance is a baseline, not a ceiling. Your audit objectives and scope should aim to evaluate if processes are efficient, effective, and agile enough to adapt to new challenges. Compare your processes against industry leaders. This can reveal gaps in your systems and inspire higher performance standards.

Feedback is somehow a rare activity that an auditor would do. Try the following, when you are auditing against a specific criteria focus on that standard objective and reflect it back in the feedback questioner to your client post the audit. "Ex: You are auditing against ISO9001:2015 so you can ask a feedback for each finding when its closed by asking how would the client rate its contribution to help his organization meeting the needs of their customers and other stakeholders more effectively." By that you can ensure a proper correlation between your findings, its corrective actions and the objective of the standard itself.

Reviewing previous audit results is like having a roadmap for process assessment. It provides a history of process performance, helping identify strengths and weaknesses. By analyzing past audits, auditors gain insights into the areas needing refinement and he can compare the current process maturity. Customer feedback( internal and external), complaints also shall be considered while auditing.

Past audit findings, results & feedback help as best source of information to define QEHS Internal Audit planning, prioritize process/functions for the audit, audit frequency increased, more focus on high nonconformance process/function and we can also understand how best the team following systematic approach in closing audit findings by using problem solving tools (why-why analysis, CAPA) and update of relevant QMS Standards, Procedures, SOPs, WIs. I see that "Review past audit results and feedback" itself as one of the best practices in audit program, but normally it is neglected area. People involvement/change of mindset required by considering this as one of the agenda in Management Review Meeting/Quarterly Performance Review Meeting.

To find ways to improve your quality audit, look at what happened in past audits… Check if problems came up again and if the action taken were worth… Also, ask people involved in the process about their perceptions… By learning from the past and listening to others, you can make the audit process better…

In my experience should see each area under the Audit as a process and perform risk-based thinking (request previous Audits or Quality issues… and capture the organization's reactions. No need for anything else, I am sure those help you to find a lot of OFI.

The tools available depend on the level of the audit. - A layered or product audit will use a simple checklist - A manufacturing audit will use the control plan, PFMEA, and maybe a checklist of questions. - A system-level audit requires a lot more preparation and cannot use a canned checklist. A system-level audit must follow the process approach and the questions must be refreshed based on the audit plan.

Cross functional vertical audits are the best ways to find improvement areas. This allows you to address the pain points of your stakeholders (internal supplier/ customer role). MFA (market feedback analysis) also plays a crucial role in identifying improvements.

Para llevar a cabo una auditoría de manera efectiva debemos disponer de: - Procedimientos de auditoría que describan la frecuencia de las mismas, El alcance y los requisitos que debe cumplir el equipo auditor. - diagramas de flujo de los procesos o servicios a auditar - El alcance de una auditoría debe abarcar todos los departamentos y procesos que se quieren certificar. En el caso de realizar varias dentro del mismo a?o se realizarán análisis de riesgos para determinar las veces que se audita cada área o proceso. - una de las herramientas más útiles para desarrollo de una auditoría son los check list en los que punto por punto se indica el cumplimiento o no del mismo dejando evidencia en ambos casos.

Benchmarking can help identify where your business falls short and how it can improve its performance by working harder on areas that are not performing as well as they should be. Benchmarking is a method of comparing your quality audit process and practices with those of other organizations that have similar or better performance levels. It can help you identify gaps, strengths, opportunities, and best practices for improving your quality management system.

The key is to conduct vertical and horizontal audit, across core and support processes both, across the value chain, and check how customer is affected by positive and negative deviations both, AND reveal the learnings from the audit for all stakeholders to see: A road to improvement is there before everyone and a roadmap then can be drawn to scale a new high in quality journey.

By the right method of Evaluation of Evidence we can give improvements Points ,Risk Based Opportunities & NC for Proper follow the IMS.

To add up, we shall also Conduct Follow-Up Audits: Conduct follow-up audits or inspections to verify the sustained effectiveness of corrective actions and to identify any new issues or areas for improvement that may have arisen since the initial audit. Use findings from follow-up audits to validate the closure of audit findings and to identify opportunities for further refinement or enhancement. "Behind every successful quality audit lies a commitment to meticulousness, a dedication to improvement, and a pursuit of excellence." Diamond Chan KL :-)

In my experience, it is always advisable to provide a brief summary so that anyone can get an idea of what was found. Following this, detail specific findings and nonconformities, recommendations, conclusions; as an additional bonus, I would suggest involving those affected to share these findings and together understand the root cause and build an action plan to precisely improve those nonconformities.

During audit process, information and supporting documentation that was gathered by auditor is called audit evidence. It takes various forms such as reports, interviews, findings and any other relevant documentation or data. Audit Findings are the results or conclusions drawn by auditors based on the evaluation of audit evidences that was gathered. Evaluate the data because findings can be positive, compliance, negative, non-compliance, observation and areas for improvement. Audit Findings provide insights into the current state of the process, controls and systems.

One other area we highlight are “opportunities for non-conformance” without judgement. These are areas that without some sort of attention, are likely to result in a future NC.

Prioritisation and implementation of improvement actions is multi stage process. 1) Analyse and categorise findings: The audit findings should be classified based on a criteria. first, it is their Severity/ impact on business objectives. Critical issues affecting compliance or safety are prioritised. another aspect will be Feasibility. We should consider the resources and effort required to address each issue. Quick fixes with high impact might be tackled first. 2) Develop an action plan to to address each prioritised issue. Use quality tools such as Pareto to prioritise issues. 3) Assign responsible persons and set realistic deadlines for completing each action. 4) Track progress and monitor the actions. make corrections as needed.

This is a post-audit activity that must required. The most successful companies are never satisfied with the status quo. They constantly have their eye on the next innovation, the next level of performance. They know the importance of continuous improvement in all areas of the business. This is the opportunity to study the chosen approach, evaluate the results, prioritize and compared to your expectations when planning. Ask questions like - Was the approach successful/effective? - Did it work as planned? Why/why not? - What worked and what didn’t work? Regardless of the degree in which you practice continuous improvement, the results will show up incrementally over time. Remember, continuous improvement is a mindset, not an additional task.

to add up 2 new logical points, 1) Monitor and Measure: We should monitor key performance indicators related to the areas addressed by the corrective actions. Track improvements in quality, compliance, efficiency, or other relevant metrics, and conduct regular audits or reviews to verify that improvements are sustained and to identify any new areas for attention. 2) Document Lessons Learned: Document the lessons learned from the audit experience, including insights gained, best practices identified, and areas for further development. We should share lessons learned with colleagues and management to promote knowledge sharing and continuous improvement across the organization. Make sense? :-)

Wherever there are systemic issues that is the result of system failure that needs immediate attention..Audit issues which are one off nature due to human errors etc need not be given more attention.

To prioritize the improvement actions you have to determine the key performance indicators that are most relevant to the organization's quality objectives.

Learning and improving from our quality audit experience involves several steps, and here is what I do: 1) Reflect on the Audit Process: Take time to reflect on the audit process itself. Consider the objectives of the audit, the methodology used, and the overall effectiveness of the audit approach. 2) Review Audit Findings: Review the audit findings in detail. Identify areas of strength and areas for improvement within your organization's processes, systems, and procedures. "Embrace the rhythm of quality audits; they are the symphony orchestrating harmony between ambition and achievement, aspiration and actualization." Diamond Chan KL :-)

Engage Stakeholders:?Involve relevant stakeholders like management,?auditors,?and affected departments in the improvement process.?This ensures buy-in,?facilitates knowledge sharing,?and promotes collaboration. Use Technology:?Consider utilizing data analysis tools and audit management software to streamline data collection,?analysis,?and reporting,?improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your quality audits. Learn from Best Practices:?Share your findings and lessons learned with others within your organization.?This fosters a culture of continuous improvement and ensures everyone benefits from the insights gained through your audits.

Engage Stakeholders:?Involve relevant stakeholders like management,?auditors,?and affected departments in the improvement process.?This ensures buy-in,?facilitates knowledge sharing,?and promotes collaboration. Use Technology:?Consider utilizing data analysis tools and audit management software to streamline data collection,?analysis,?and reporting,?improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your quality audits. Learn from Best Practices:?Share your findings and lessons learned with others within your organization.?This fosters a culture of continuous improvement and ensures everyone benefits from the insights gained through your audits.

O permanente exercício de busca por padr?es e de identificar nexos entre os diversos processos / áreas é algo que vai permitir que sua próxima auditora seja sempre a melhor que você já conduziu.

No particular audit is perfect. There is always room for improvement and revalidation. Hence, it is important to analyze the performance of the audit, identify not-so-good practices or methods and how to arrive at better outcomes

Incident reporting, Audits, Feedback from patients and healthcare workers, Survey, Suggestion box are some of the common ways to identify areas for Quality improvement. Among them the most effective ways are listening to customers ( patients, staff) and safety rounds. Once you identify these areas that need improvement, classify them as person, processes, policies & procedure, penny related and address them accordingly

Data Quality and Accuracy:?Ensure the data you are trained on is accurate, unbiased, and diverse. Evaluate the quality of your responses and identify any factual errors or inconsistencies. Bias and Fairness:?Analyze your responses for potential biases based on factors like race, gender, or language. Implement measures to mitigate bias and promote fairness. Transparency and Explainability:?Make your decision-making process more transparent and explainable to users. This will build trust and help users understand how you arrive at your responses. Adaptability and Learning:?Evaluate your ability to learn from new data and adapt to changing contexts. Identify areas where you could be more flexible and responsive to user needs.

Here are a few profound quotes about Quality Audit, based on my years in the Quality Management field. "An audit is not just a tool for finding faults, but an opportunity to uncover hidden strengths and opportunities for improvement." Diamond Chan KL :-) "An audit is a journey of discovery, where diligence illuminates the path to excellence. "Diamond Chan KL :-)

In Any Audits ,planning is essential for a successful audits. Reviewing previous findings can give you an idea which area to focus and this is Risk based approach. Process and Product requirement can be verified together if you have a good understanding of grouping any QMS standard clauses with PDCA e.g Do Section would include Clause 8 (Design, Production/Service, Purchase/control of Ext property)of Iso 9001 and all Iso Management stds has a 10 Clause structure so this methodology will fit easily. Review any specific local/customer requirements from contract documents.Audit techniques used can be forward ,backward or as needed when you sample. Findings can be classified based on categories defined by CB's or stakeholder.

En una auditoría se debe tener en cuenta que en un solo proceso pueden intervenir varias áreas, por ende, se debe tener en cuenta el análisis desde el enfoque de gestión de procesos, para identificar el área o las áreas que incurren en desviaciones.