RE: Why ISO 9000 really sucks

["Miller, Alan" <Alan -dot- Miller -at- prometric -dot- com>]

Andrew, Geoff, you are close, but I get to keep the cigar. ISO 9000 and all that goes with it was intended to be part of a Quality Assurance program. Not one of those namby, pamby "Total Quality" things that HR wonks trot out, but a real program targeted at product quality. This entails a buncha stuff, only one of which is repeatability. And that's why ISO 9000 really sucks. It artificially shifts attention and resources from the product to the repeatability of the process.
 
When Andrew says "... it raises the price of goods," he's hit on the final test of a the effectiveness of a quality program. A quality program should add value to the product, through higher quality at the very least, without raising the cost. Or if it does, it should be in such a way that the user/buyer/consumer will view as valuable (the product lasts longer, performs more efficiently, is cheaper to maintain, is safer to use, has the best users' manual on the planet, etc.).
 
Just an old Level III inspector's view.
 
Al Miller
"Chief Documentation Curmudgeon"
Prometric, a part of the Thomson Corporation
Baltimore, MD
 
-----Original Message----- 
From: Andrew Plato [mailto:gilliankitty -at- yahoo -dot- com] 
Sent: Mon 8/5/2002 11:08 PM 
To: TECHWR-L 
Cc: 
Subject: Why ISO 9000 really sucks



	While I thank Eric for bringing up such a delightful topic as ISO 9000, I would
	ask that he (and the rest of TECHWR-L) please refrain from assuming my opinion.
	Like all living organisms, I am evolving. And just because I posting something in
	1999 raving about ISO 9000 doesn't mean my feelings are the same today.
	
	But, in this case they are about the same. But for new reasons.
	
	The largest reason why ISO9000 sucks is because it raises the price of goods. Its
	a largely uncessary certification process that uses up vital company resources.
	This cost is ultimately passed on to the consumer in either cheaper quality goods
	or more expensive goods.
	
	The fact is, any complex manufacturing or production system must be analyzed,
	documented, and improved as a matter of good business. Obtaining a meaningless
	certification implies capability that might or might not exist. Its also just
	another reason to prop up an industry - the auditing industry.
	
	Certifications are one thing for an individual, a component, or an isolated
	process. But trying to certify the entire operation of a business is absurd.
	Especially since any decent business will immediately dispose of a process to
	remain competitive and capable. Hence, auditing does not really provide any
	meaningful insight. A company that develops a process merely to assuage auditors
	is basically creating nothing of value. Somebody has to pay for this waste - and
	that somebody is you, the consumer.
	
	Andrew Plato


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