If your company is like most, you’re storing your policies and procedures on a file server. Perhaps your working drafts are in one folder, approved versions are in another folder, and previous versions are archived in yet another folder. Some companies will create folders for the different clauses of ISO 9001 or arrange documents according to functional areas or departments. A lot of these companies aren’t even practicing the most basic security techniques, like limiting “read-write” privileges to a select few.

Read more...   |    1 Comment »

Policies and procedures need to be managed, not simply collected, as we oftentimes tend to do.  Add in the offspring of policies and procedures — records — and you have the making of a problem common to business…a lack of control.

Control of records and documents is critical to compliance.  ISO 9001 requires document control, record control, and specific procedures that clarify how you are maintaining control.  HIPAA requires access control.  Sarbanes-Oxley requires access and revision control.  Document and record control are at the heart of many of the various compliance schemes businesses encounter.

Read more...   |    1 Comment »

Lean approach simplifies the ISO 9001:2008 quality procedures manual and clearly points out the required QMS procedures and records.

St. Louis, MO – June 18, 2009 – Bizmanualz, Inc., a business publications, training, and consulting company based in St. Louis, MO, today announced the release of the updated ISO 9001 Policies and Procedures Manual. The company has greatly improved its product by modeling its policies and procedures on the Deming (“Plan-Do-Check-Act”) Cycle.

Read more...   |    Leave Comments »

Lean Visual Management System cuts through the paperwork typical of ISO 9001:2008 quality certifications.

St. Louis, MO (April 24, 2009) - Bizmanualz, Inc., a business strategy consulting and quality publishing company based in Clayton, Missouri, today announced the successful certification to ISO 9001:2008 for the design, development, realization, and delivery of its policy and procedure publications, training courses, and consulting services.  The certification demonstrates the Bizmanualz commitment to continually improve its ability to assist business owners achieve the growth they envision. 

Read more...   |    Leave Comments »

Here is the story of two companies.  One company, Company A, is struggling.  It can’t seem to get potential customers to become actual customers.  Sales and revenue are way down.  The other company, Company B, is growing, even in this tough economy.  Sales are up, and new customers are regularly signing on the dotted line.

Read more...   |    1 Comment »

Implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) that complies with ISO 9001 requirements can be challenging.  That’s why a useful approach may be to implement the QMS in phases, where you focus on different elements of meeting the ISO 9001 Standard in progressive stages. 

Read more...   |    2 Comments »

In this series of articles we are discussing implementing an ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) in four distinct phases. By breaking the implementation into stages, it becomes more manageable and less overwhelming. In phase one, the general requirements described in Clause 4 of ISO 9001 QMS requirements are implemented, and in phase two the elements of continual improvement from Clause 8 are set in place and practiced.

Read more...   |    Leave Comments »

If your goal is ISO certification, the best method is to create a compliant QMS in stages.

Read more...   |    1 Comment »

Creating a Quality Management System (QMS) that fulfills the requirements of the ISO 9001:2008 Standard can seem like a daunting task.  But it doesn’t have to be. 

Read more...   |    1 Comment »

Interactive learning style helps students become familiar with using the ISO 9001 Standard as criteria for auditing, the importance of an audit program along with basic auditing principles.

St. Louis, MO – February 27, 2009 – Bizmanualz, Inc., a business publications, training and consulting company based in St. Louis, MO, today announced the launch of a completely redesigned version of its ISO 9001 QMS Internal Auditor Training course.  This ISO training course demonstrates requisite auditing skills to beginning auditors, and is also valuable to experienced auditors and quality managers looking for a refresher course or the opportunity to discuss innovative approaches.

Read more...   |    Leave Comments »