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Relation of Quality with other department.

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(@jonwil123)
Posts: 58
Trusted Member
 

Unfortunately, it is the job of the quality department to make sure all other departments are following procedure and doing what they are supposed to be doing. While this may cause some bad relations, the way to improve these relations are to hold yourself accountable for the department you're apart of. If everyone holds themselves accountable then there would be no need to get quality involved for reprimanding/punishment reasons.  

 
Posted : 02/10/2020 2:14 pm
(@jal58)
Posts: 60
Trusted Member
 

I have experienced a solution to this quality and r&d integration problem. A separate department called "Advanced Operations" assists the R&D team to formulate manufacturing & testing plans that minimize the risks associated with quality. This provides a clear plan to the engineers while minimizing things that might fail inspection. This allows quality to focus on their job, while the newly developed product comes with plans associated for passing quality control.

 
Posted : 04/10/2020 7:19 pm
(@am2343)
Posts: 77
Trusted Member
 

I think it is important to have a quality department that is comfortable and close with all other departments. Typically, there are some conflicts between quality and other departments. Simply put, this is usually because both departments are just trying to do their jobs. I think one way to minimize the conflicts and create better relations between quality and other departments is to have the departments meet on a more personal level. Hosting socials and other activities where people from different departments meet could help create more meaningful relationships. These relationships should translate back into the work environment and allow for closer, less conflicting relationships between departments. This could prove to be a bit more difficult for larger companies with many departments but with the correct events and planning, this type of solution could be implemented. I believe this could be a potential solution in having the quality department be on better relations with all departments.

 
Posted : 04/10/2020 10:35 pm
(@mg482)
Posts: 64
Trusted Member
 

As we saw in Dr. Simon's lecture, management oversees the whole process of the quality protocol. there has to be feedback loop that functions as communication between all departments. quality assurance and quality control should set certain expectations and constantly check metrics to ensure the quality and expectations in R&D teams meet the standards metrics set by quality assurance

 
Posted : 04/10/2020 10:37 pm
(@delany)
Posts: 45
Eminent Member
 

I believe keeping an open line of communication and having an understanding among the various departments is key. I do not think that this level of checks and balances should cause any confusion or bring about any bad relations between the quality department and other departments because it results in a design or device that ultimately keeps the company out of any potential legal trouble. I believe that keeping this goal in mind as he departments work together will allow them to overcome any shortcomings and help the company flourish. 

 
Posted : 17/05/2021 10:06 pm
(@mrlee5)
Posts: 49
Eminent Member
 

@ronakmandaliya made some points that I agree with. Quality specialists and engineers are some of the most important contributors to a business. Research and development/discovery can bring about most of the issues that would require quality engineering oversight, though other departments could benefit significantly as well. Ensuring that rules and regulations are followed is important for producing quality products and services.

 
Posted : 22/05/2021 12:41 pm
(@naglaa-hemida)
Posts: 78
Trusted Member
 

At the most successful and consistent firms, the quality department is embedded deep throughout the organization's structure. This means that, while there is a dedicated quality department, there must be a strong focus on integrating these workers and their procedures into all aspects of the business. For example, a member from the quality team should be present at each R&D meeting to spot potential compliance issues before they generate a bad notion. Time, money, and intercompany relationships are all saved by spotting these possible problems early in the development process. This integration example should be applied to every other department within the organization to guarantee that marketing, manufacturing, and other departments are all in compliance with FDA regulations and the company's own compliance goals. If a method is broken, I feel it is most efficient for the quality department to not only point out the problem, but also to explain the wrongdoer how to correct the error. In an ideal world, this would be done in person to better express the corrective steps and avoid the majority of misunderstandings that could damage intercompany relationships.

 
Posted : 03/10/2021 2:03 pm
(@nm523njit-edu)
Posts: 71
Trusted Member
 

@jr377 In addition to personal networking and project exposure early on, a very effective form of communication I have seen between R&D and Quality is the collaboration to meet a shared goal. For example, in my job the Quality department is making changes to a shelf life procedure that requires all material specifications (under certain criteria) to have a rationale for the shelf life listed. This places an enormous amount of 'extra' workload on R&D who own the responsibility of updating material specifications. However, aside from getting R&D's awareness of these procedural changes ahead of time (which was very useful), Quality also provided a template for shelf life rationale, provided the buy-in from the Stability group that they will be supporting this effort as well, and highlighted the non-conformance avoidance cost that making these changes to the material specs will save. In particular, the $ amount had the most influence on R&D management, and resources were assigned to this project as a result. Highlighting a shared goal and providing the support needed to ensure the policy set form by Quality helps ease relations between the functional groups.

 
Posted : 03/10/2021 9:41 pm
(@devdesai)
Posts: 79
Trusted Member
 

It is understandable that the relationship between Quality and other departments can become strained, especially when it can appear that the Quality department is making the jobs of other departments more difficult. This can be overcome if the management ensures that everyone is aware of how important quality control is for the company and why it is crucial that every department adheres to the regulations and guidelines. If the other departments understand that the Quality department is there to ensure the safety and efficacy of their product then there is less likely to be any tension when their work is questioned or reviewed. 

In addition, as mentioned above, having some level of transparency between departments will help maintain relationships. Constant communication between members of the quality department and other departments will ensure everyone is aware of what is happening regarding product compliance. 

 
Posted : 08/10/2022 2:02 pm
 amm7
(@amm7)
Posts: 39
Eminent Member
 

I agree with several of the replies above, that continuous involvement with projects can improve relations between Quality and R&D. I do not yet work in industry, but internship experience has shown me the underlying tension between the Quality department and the other departments of a medical device company. I think this tension could be relieved if the Quality department was sure to always be present throughout the entirety of a project. Quality should definitely be involved early on so that all planning includes periods for quality checks and audits. With this in the plan, the R&D department wouldn't be surprised when Quality pops in to perform an audit and "slow down" their process. Along with this, I agree with an earlier reply saying that R&D and Quality should both take full responsibility of a device's quality. Creating a level of collaboration to ensure device quality from both departments could help better relations. 

 
Posted : 05/10/2024 5:47 pm
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