One of the challenges organizations are faced with is having their quality management system keep pace with technology. For organizations that have an established quality management system that dates to the beginning of ISO 9001 (1987 or 1994), it is possible that they continue to use tools that were developed when technology was in its infancy.
Think back to the time during audits when it took an hour to locate a purchase order or training record or documented procedures maintained in manuals. These scenarios simply no longer exist. When data can be accessed so quickly, how do auditors provide value during the audit process and focus their time in other areas?
Auditing in a technology world also means the methods in how audits are performed should consider evolving from reports and corrective action that use PDF forms versus methods that allow for collaboration by audit team members.
The reluctance to change may due to the concepts “don’t fix it if it is not broken” or “if we change it, we may no longer be compliant.” It could also be due to the lack of information technology support or the lack of funding to invest in off-the-shelf solutions.
Organizations must also consider that changes in the diversity of the workforce are an indication that organizations need to think about how to work differently than what they have in the past. In today’s age of low unemployment, organizations need to consider the aspects of the business that make individuals want to work at their company. This includes technology.
This session will outline the steps that an organization can take to ensure that it is auditing technology as well as using technology to improve audits.