RE: ISO

In a former life that required too much heavy lifting, I had intimate
contact with government specifications for the heat treatment of steel and
aluminum and the process required to become a certified vendor for companies
making things out of metal on government contracts.  It seems to me that the
essence of formal QA is documentation and adherence to policies set by the
bigger dog.  One of the interesting byproducts is highly accurate finger
pointing.

A well designed QA system (oxymoron?)has sensible rules that actually
contribute to the quality of the product.  In my experience, people who
audit others' QA systems often don't have the interest or the expertise to
decide whether the rules are sensible.  The criterion becomes some measure
of procedural soundness that has nothing to do with the product or service
the QA system was meant to support.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: DAsmussen@aol.com [mailto:DAsmussen@aol.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 1999 3:12 PM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Re: ISO
> 
> 
> Richard,
> 
> In a message dated 2/17/99 10:59:17 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> ARWilson@compuserve.com writes:
> 
> > If the manual says that code is promoted with no testing, 
> and that is what
> >  you do, then fine.  If it says that you conduct a walk 
> through with a peer,
> then
> >  that's fine - but someone should sign something to say it 
> was done. 
> 
> That's the main gripe that I have about ISO certification.  
> It doesn't care if
> they're _GOOD_ procedures, just that they're documented and 
> followed by
> everyone.  Companies unable, through their own incompetence, 
> to properly
> implement MRP can get ISO certification.  Other than the 
> clout it gives you in
> dealing with European companies, ISO is about as meaningful 
> as an apology from
> Bill Clinton, IMO...
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Dean Asmussen
> Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
> Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
> E-Mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com
> 
> "Miracles happen to those that believe in them."  -- Bernard Berenson
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