March 2001
Volume 3 • Number 2

Contents

PRACTITIONER NOTES
Initiating Formalized Quality Management

by Jacqueline McDougall, Initiative Software

Initiative Software Ltd. has been providing business software solutions since 1990 and is the market leader in the United Kingdom for client relationship management and trainee tracking systems for local economic development organizations. The company has also been providing a scalable scripting/workflow solution for call centers. Initiative Software has grown significantly over the past two years, and there are plans to expand further, with a presence being established in the United States. With this in mind, the management team decided to implement a quality system that would provide a framework for controlled, efficient working procedures. A quality manager was appointed, and the task of creating and implementing a quality management system was started.

Key words: implementation, policies, procedures, staff education

INTRODUCTION

Initiative Software Ltd. was recommended for registration to ISO 9001 with TickIT in June 2000. Although this achievement was cause for celebration, the course was not an easy one. There are many factors that can make the creation and implementation of a quality system difficult. Lack of management commitment or lack of staff effort would have been major stumbling blocks, but a more immediate obstacle was the need for staff education–particularly the acceptance and understanding of quality concepts.

As the creation of the quality system progressed, it became clear that staff members were not aware of the terminology used in quality standards and by auditors, and there was uncertainty about how much of a problem this would prove to be.