Ian Saunders <tpians@cix.compulink.co.uk> says:
> It also, although not specifically, highlights the problems of the
> standards based awards. (BS 5750, ISO 9000, IIP etc)
>
> People seek to achieve the numbers without thought, learning or
> improvement. Isn't this ironic as the standards were often purported to
> be
> about quality!!
Although I agree that many of the standards base certifications and
registrations are problematic, it is not because they are based on
standards. These standards are nothing more than templates for the
installation of feedback mechanisms on you business system. The Baldrige
(and other national quality awards) go further, by looking at performance
as well as compliance. An even more interesting outlook (LO and Agility
seen as Shared Values ) could produce significant breakthrough.
But then again, so could BS 5750, ;ISO 9000, MIl-Q-9858. One problem with
most standards based quality systems is that they are seen as a "quality
system." Why do we need a "special" system to give us the results we would
expect as normal? Then comes the notion of "third-party" assessment. The
"system" is now at the whim of an assessor who may not have the foggiest
idea of what is being done. Often, there is a bias for signatures, check
sheets, complex routings, etc. which create bureaucratic nonsensicalities
which neither improve quality not assure that products will be made well.
A secondary, and more serious effect, of the ISO industry, is the lack of
trust inherent in the standard and the process by which it is enforced.
All "verification resources" must be independent of the function being
verified.....think about it: you can't trust people to check their own
work, to review their own function, AND you have to hire someone from
outside your organization to verify the entrenchment of your bureaucracy..
-- jzavacki@wolff.com John Zavacki The Wolff Group 800-282-1218Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>