Sofema Aviation Services www.sassofia.com takes a look at Quality Control in the EASA Compliant Aviation Workplace.
Introduction and Common Understanding
a) Business Area Owners and Managers are responsible to deliver Quality Control (QC) within the scope of their own responsibilities.
b) Senior Managers are responsible to develop, document and manage effective processes based on effective QC principles (Top management should act as the main driver for TQM and create an environment that ensures its success).
c) The ability to measure Quality Processes can help to deliver an understanding regarding the effectiveness.
d) Quality Assurance (QA) within the EASA system is focused on independently assessing compliance with external and internal regulatory and organisational obligations but does NOT typically focus on Performance.
e) Quality is conformance to product specifications. Quality is product and/ or process reliability & Quality is fitness for purpose.
f) Quality is also defined as “meeting or exceeding customer expectations.” (means the goal is for the organisations’ products to genuinely provide customers with added value.)
g) Total Quality Management (TQM) is the management of initiatives and programmes that are aimed at achieving the delivery of quality products and services.
Delivering Effective QC
Focus on the delivery of Quality Control concurrent with the organisations’ Strategic Goals and Initiatives.
Ensure leadership team/executive commitment to delivering effective quality control set high-level objectives.
Embed quality control validation activities into key processes to ensure effective measurement of production activities.
a) Does what we do work?
b) Is it efficient?
c) How do we know?
Quality Control must be clearly owned throughout the business ensuring that in each case an individual is the owner of the quality function, with ultimate accountability for quality activities.
Ensure the allocation of appropriate resources to the quality control objectives based on the organization’s needs and goals.
Building a Quality Control Process
- Develop a QC support group – (Leadership Team).
- Reviewing, supporting and evaluating quality control processes throughout the business – allocate ownership of any shortfalls to the appropriate QC owner.
- Strive for continuous improvement in all business areas units.
- Develop standardized organisational quality tools, to enable detailed analysis and reporting. (Ensure consistent guidelines for implementing quality measures throughout the business.)
- Ensure appropriate training to staff engaged in QA & QC activities.
- Ensure appropriate training to ensure that ALL staff are able to deliver effectively within the scope of their individual roles and responsibilities within the organisation.
- Focus on the Top Ten Quality Measures which deliver the highest business value.
Reporting Mechanisms
- Establish real performance objectives throughout the organisation and ensure they are validated by the leadership team on a continuous basis.
- Ensure timely reporting of quality control measures are delivered at least on a monthly cycle.
Driving Continuous Improvement
- Connect quality data to continuous improvement activities.
- Share throughout the organisation a central dashboard which shows a genuine connection between individual efforts, organizational objectives and delivered improvements.
- Create challenging goals with periodic reviews and a reward structure.
- Strive to develop a team culture where employees are trained to work together in an environment that embraces individual initiative.
- Encourage employees to be pro-active in identifying and addressing quality-related problems.
Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Examples
- Effectiveness of the Quality Management System QMS;
- Effectiveness of the organization’s processes;
- Number of major non-conformities from external audits;
- Customer satisfaction measures & improvements;
- Increasing the effectiveness of production process;
- Cost reduction improvement (including the cost of poor quality);
- Meet or exceed compliance with regulatory and organisational obligations.
Sofema Aviation Services & Sofema Online provide regulatory and vocational training and consulting for both regulatory authorities and industry. Please email team@sassofia.com
Tags:
Quality Control Process, Key Performance Indicators, Quality Control Management
