Optimize QMS & Yellow Belt Investments by Using Yellow Belts to Meet Quality Audit Requirements
A core commandment of my philosophy toward Quality Management Systems is that the QMS is not separate from the business environment, but rather just another facet of the business. This leads us to the idea that there is no room in the QMS for non-value added activities, however due to the segregation of the systems, much of the time Quality Auditing is seen as just that… non-value added. Historically this is not an untrue view, as previous quality systems relied on a complex checklist that only scratched the surface of a process, and provided little or no value to the organization. For this reason my next few posts will deal more specifically with how Six Sigma and other Continuous Improvement techniques and methods can be used to achieve the GOAL of certification while actually adding value to the business.
Our Complimenary Executive Brief on how Yellow Belts can play a key role in Quality and CI programs
To re-affirm my stance, certification is the GOAL, how you get there is up to you; coincidentally what you have to work with at the end is your choice as well (for good or bad). This week we will focus on the application of Six Sigma Yellow belts as the foundation of an Internal Audit Program, a requirement of ISO 9001. This applies to all of the System and process audits that ISO9001 requires, product audits are a whole other animal. 
In his post “What can Yellow Belts do…really” Eric Harris hit on a few key roles for Yellow Belts in a Six Sigma organization, these were:
- Characterization of processes
- Establish/ Validate Measurement Systems
- Establish process Control Systems
- Perform Small Scope projects
In ISO 9001:2008 the requirement is to have an internal audit program with qualified auditors. Now if you are looking to add value to your organization doesn’t it seem most advantageous to have an auditor with the skills listed above. Training an “internal auditor” traditionally revolves around a lengthy class of standards exploration, leaving them competent to fill out their checklist and audit to the “shalls” in the standard, but what value are you really getting from these “checklist jockeys”? Wouldn’t it make sense to have your auditor explore the process map, improve the process and continually push the process to new levels? Yellow Belts can do this, and this is more powerful than you realize due to the fact that you are actually performing Continual Improvement (a requirement of the ISO standard) and at the same time knocking out the requirements for ISO 9001:2008 relating to internal auditing….. This is a multiple win when coupled with the below suggestions:
- Use your Yellow Belts as your Internal Audit staff, the standard is easy to learn and application is simple.
- Use your auditors to follow the process through using a process map highlighting the non-value added steps and constraints to feed into your CI activities
- In the event of an audit NC to the standard the Yellow Belt can assist the auditees in performing true systemic correction with adequate measurement systems, their mentoring can provide sustainable change in an organization, and this is a huge cultural change win!
This in the end comes down to a fundamental decision as management: Do I have a Yellow Belt that knows the standard, or someone that knows the standard more completely but cannot help me along my way? In my humble view I feel there is more value derived from an individual familiar with process improvement that knows what the process must do, rather than someone that can recite the standard but cannot improve process and metric. As mentioned above, the GOAL is ISO certification… how you get there is up to you. What you do to meet the requirement for internal auditing can very well make the difference between having to add overhead and cost to meet the requirement, or multiplying the power of your CI activities in a way that happens to meet the requirement. In the end the results you end up with are exactly what you have set yourself up for ….. Which will it be? If you wish to discuss contact me.
