What is quality management software (QM software)?
Quality management software (QM software) helps companies to implement the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 and other quality management systems. It consists of various components that support companies with
- increasing their customer orientation,
- building up a knowledge management system,
- to establish a process management
- introducing risk management and
- Increasing the quality of products and business processes through a continuous improvement process
In this article, you will learn about the most important components and modules of quality management software (also called QM software).
What is quality management software (QM software)?
Quality management software (QM software) helps companies to implement the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 and other quality management systems. It consists of various components that support companies with
- increasing their customer orientation,
- building up a knowledge management system,
- to establish a process management
- introducing risk management and
- Increasing the quality of products and business processes through a continuous improvement process
In this article, you will learn about the most important components and modules of quality management software (also called QM software).
Quality Management Software Definition
Components of quality management software are modules for process management, for increasing customer orientation, knowledge management software, risk management software, and CIP-Software.
In the next few sections, you will learn about these components and modules.
Quality management software supports companies in implementing the requirements of quality management systems. It consists of several modules that cover the requirements of the respective standard or management system.
Process management as part of a quality management software
A module in which process descriptions can be mapped according to topics and keywords is part of quality management software.
- According to the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, process descriptions must be accessible to employees.
- For each process, the previous process (input from the previous process) and the subsequent process (output for the next process) are described.
- Besides, a regular review of processes is an integral part of process management.
With quality management software, persons responsible for a review can be named and processes can be automatically set to a review status after a specified period.
The “Process Management” module enables companies to obtain an overview of all processes in the company and to communicate them.
Increasing customer orientation through quality management software
ISO 9001:2015 requires companies to establish a system that can be used to increase customer orientation. Above all, it is a matter of implementing tools with which companies can collect customer feedback and opinions. How this system is designed is the responsibility of companies.
This can be done, for example, through regular surveys or the establishment of a complaints management system. The increase of customer orientation can be mapped in quality management software by several modules. In the Innolytics® Business Management Software Suite, for example, this is done through
- the establishment of a workflow for the processing of customer complaints or
- the development of questionnaires for customer satisfaction surveys.
How quality management contributes to continuous improvement
An important part of the ISO 9001:2015 standard is not only the documentation of existing processes but also the further development through process optimization and continuous improvement. The module CI-Software of a quality management software helps companies to,
- Analyze problems and challenges in operations or other business processes,
- uncover weaknesses and
- develop solutions.
The basic idea of the quality management standard is to involve employees throughout the company in continuous improvement.
Quality management software that meets the principles of Collaboration Software reaches more employees. Continuous improvement becomes more broadly based. The number of suggestions, the number of feedbacks, and the number of participants in the continuous improvement process increase.
How quality management software supports knowledge management
Building a knowledge database in the company to support employees in their daily work is also one of the core requirements of ISO 9001:2015.
The knowledge management software module of quality management software support companies in build these.
Knowledge can take the form of
- internal blogs,
- internal question and answer modules or
- by making solution databases
available.
Here, too, ISO 9001:2015 does not specify a fixed form. The design of knowledge management is up to the company.
The knowledge management software is part of the Innolytics® Business Management Software.
The risk management module of a quality management software
Consideration of business risks is an important prerequisite for obtaining an ISO-Certification according to ISO 9001:2015.
- The risk management software module in quality management software makes this possible.
- Employees can enter potential risks (market risks, technological risks, financial risks, etc.) at different locations or in different departments.
- These are evaluated according to a defined risk management process, and measures are derived to counter these risks.
- Responsible persons and milestones for the implementation can also be defined.
How the Innolytics® Software Suite supports quality management
The Innolytics® Software Suite gives you full access to the described modules. Through different modules, companies can bring together their process management, knowledge management, risk management, continuous improvement, and customer complaint management in one place. Companies can thus map the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 with one software platform.
Innolytics® management systems software also offers further modules with which companies can, for example, build up their quality management system through modules like idea management software and innovation Management Software according to ISO 56002.
The Innolytics® Software Suitecan be tested for six months with two modules.