MARITIME QUALITY CONSULTANTS,
INC. MARITIME QUALITY CONSULTANTS,
INC.
NEWSLETTER Vol. 7
DOCUMENTING YOUR QUALITY SYSTEM
Follow the "KISS" Principle
Many companies who attempt to design their system by themselves make the mistake of writing too much in their manuals. This is one area where the KISS (Keep is short and simple) Principle needs to be followed religiously. Remember; whatever you say in your documentation is subject to audit. Don’t say you always do something unless you always do it.
A simple test can be applied to most questions concerning how much to document. If it is something that the person doing the job is expected to know how to do when hired, then it probably does not need to be documented; e.g. there is no need to write a procedure for taking phone messages.
Make it "User Friendly"
Manuals are written first and foremost so that everyone in the organization knows how to do the work affecting quality. By keeping the manuals short and to the point, it will be easier for all employees to read and understand them. Simple manuals also make an excellent tool for training new employees.
The other reason for making the manuals "user friendly" is that the auditors will use them. You want your manuals to address all the applicable requirements of the Standard and to be organized in a way that the auditor can easily locate your procedure covering each requirement of the Standard.
Most manuals are arranged in the order of the requirements of the Standard. Many procedures can be documented using simple flow charts.
Involve Employees in Writing the Manuals
Whether you decide to write your manuals in-house or with a consultant, it is very important to involve as many people as possible in writing and revising the manuals.
The best approach is to have the person doing the job write his or her own procedure. This, however, can be very time consuming so companies usually assign document writing to an individual or team or employ a consultant.
However it is done, it is still important for employees to have a chance to read and comment on drafts of the manuals before they are finalized. A procedure written "behind closed doors" by someone who is not doing the job will most likely not describe how the job is being done. Make sure that as many employees as possible review your procedures so that changes can be made before they are finalized.
Levels of Documentation
The Standard requires a quality manual and written procedures. How these are arranged is up to the company and should depend on the complexity of your operations. There can be up to four levels of documentation. (See the Documentation Pyramid).
The Quality Policy Manual is the highest level of documentation and thus, is the least detailed. It sets out your company’s policies regarding complying with the Standard. It defines the major elements of the Quality System, assigns management responsibilities, and describes how the system will be documented.
Level two Quality Procedures Manual contains brief procedures for each applicable requirement of the Standard. Procedures assign responsibilities, outline the main steps to be taken, and instruct what records must be established to evidence the result of the activity. For example, a ship agency will have procedures for receiving agency appointments, and handling the vessels port activities.
There may also be level three Work Instructions to detail how to carry out a specific task rather than a whole activity. Level three documents may also include Safety Management Manuals, Employee Manuals and other more detailed documents.
Level four is the records and documents that your company maintains as evidence of complying with your procedures. Every procedure requires records, reports, forms, or checklists.
Maintain a Uniform Style
Using the same style for all levels of manuals lends an organized and professional look to your manuals. Document control requirements can be satisfied by using a header at the top of each page showing:
The procedures should be numbered, indexed and all associated records and forms should be given reference numbering.
There are quality manuals for sale on the Internet and in book form. These have limited usefulness, as they need to be revised to reflect how your company operates. In our experience it is much easier to start from scratch than to try to revise someone else’s manual to apply to your company.
Remember to keep your system simple. A 300-page manual will just sit on the shelf and never get used.
Created by JoAnne Sterling, Sterling's Business
Services, jaganann@earthlink.net.
Copyright © 1999 [Maritime Quality Consultants, Inc.]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 11/01/04