Re: ISO9001

[Jon Leer <jleer -at- LTC -dot- MV -dot- COM>]

Thanks for the comments. Regarding writers being "compliant"...
what about writers who own their own business? Or consulting groups on this
list? Are they compliant?

Jon

----------
> From: Smokey L Bare <slbare -at- juno -dot- com>
> To: jleer -at- LTC -dot- MV -dot- COM
> Cc: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Re: ISO9001
> Date: Friday, April 03, 1998 1:06 PM
>
> Jon Leer
>
> I am curious, has anybody on the list gotten ISO certified? Would there
> be
> any direct benefit for a writer to get certified? (I know large companies
> do this, but could a contract writer's reception be better if certified?)
>
> ......
>
> Jon,
>
> There is no 'certified' status in North America.  You are either
> 'compliant' or 'registered'.  Most firms elect to become compliant (due
> to high audit costs).  For those companies who wish to do business with
> ISO Registered Corporations, they precede on to become registered.
>
> It is documenting processes, not people.  Ralph Robinson has a wonderful
> book out for ISO on documentation guidelines.  It is a very strong
> QA-type of writing. [r2innovations -at- myna -dot- com] -dot-   Every town which hosts
> major corporations usually has a local branch of ASQC, and they can
> assist you.
>
> You may wish to watch referring to being 'certified', I have learned from
> working with various project managers that they will close out writers
> for ISO projects because the writer doesn't really know the concept of
> ISO.
>
> Consulting firms are being very knowledgeable lately in regard to the
> 9003 for services.  So...they become compliant in order to become
> eligible to be on a vendors' list.  The company I am with is compliant.
> Writers document the processes, and then a company has the choice of
> meeting (complying with) the regs (internal audit) or call an outside
> source in for an audit (Coopers Lybrand, Ernst & Young).  This is new for
> the service providers (computer consultants, management consultants, and
> so on).
> One large national business management firm, who specializes in
> deployment and development, ran an ad in our local paper that they were
> certified (hoping to be the first in the area).  It backfired in their
> face.  Editorials were done by those who were compliant, warning managers
> to be careful who they hire as ISO was being the 'buzz' word with trade
> lately.  In this case, ignorance was not bliss.  The company lost two
> major banks over it.
>
> So I pass this experience I've learned on to you.  You would be surprised
> the number of people who don't understand and mix up QA with QC.  Check
> with your management directs to see which way they are going.  I am sure
> they would appreciate reviewing your ASQC material as well.
>
> I also feel Ralph's outline-style of writing will offer you a quick
> reference approach to a very organized checklist.
>
> SLBare
>
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