Thinking about adopting a Digital Quality Management System?
Choosing the right digital quality management system for your organization begins with figuring out if you’re ready to adopt a new solution. Not all digital QM systems are created equal. Some only deal with specific problems while others offer a broad range of solutions. Depending on the size and scope of our business, some systems will be a better fit than others.
To assess which Digital Quality Management System best fits your needs, take a survey of your internal resource capabilities. Then, ask the following questions:
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Do I have the budget for this implementation?
Not only will you need to procure a new QMS, but you’ll also have to budget for implementation, maintenance and support.
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Do I have the correct number of skilled staff to implement a digital QMS?
You’ll need IT, quality support professionals, and the willingness of internal stakeholders to give feedback during the implementation process. You can also explore third-party resources to support your implementation.
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Do I understand which systems the QMS will need to integrate with?
More than likely, you have an existing suite of software that provides solutions and creates processes. When considering a digital QMS implementation, understand how well the system will integrate with existing software. If there are potential conflicts, establish a path to resolution.
If you have these resources in place, you’re ready to take advantage of the benefits a streamlined and integrated digital systems offers. Once you’re ready to proceed, you can begin reviewing the solutions landscape.
During this phase, you’ll want to make a list of the critical elements your organization needs from a digital QMS. When choosing a digital quality management system, consider functionality, processes, and integration.
Another important consideration is customization. The key to realizing all of the benefits a digital QMS can offer involves examining how the system can be tweaked in order to meet any evolving needs your organization may experience. If new customers come into the mix, or the business processes strategically shift, you will need your digital QMS to be able to respond accordingly.
Our eBook, Best Practices Checklist: Selecting the Right Quality Management System for Your Organization, will help you develop a comprehensive checklist to assess your readiness for a digital system and how to choose one that best fits the needs of your key business processes.
