Consistent, clear, and usable process documentation, including a clear chain of responsibility and management of change, is a key aspect of any management system. Documentation allows companies to monitor and audit processes, streamline business practices, and continually improve products and services. When processes change, document revisions clearly communicate and track the change.
International standards, such as ISO 9001 and 2923, require documentation. Many customers require their vendors to be certified in such standards as a condition of doing business. Of the customers that don’t require adherence to a specific standard, many require specific documentation. Documentation is often required for the following processes and tasks:
• Purchasing
• Information Technology
• Document Control
• Maintenance
• General Oversight of Management System
• Contracts
• Human Resources
• Customer Service
• Business Risk & Continuity
• Testing and trials
Freer Consulting has extensive experience with management system documentation, technical documentation, and customized documentation to meet specific customer requirements. For example, a recent customer required approximately 40 test procedures and accompanying data sheets for a large deliverable in order to adhere to many requirements and standards and be able to generate records that proved the customer met them. This documentation integrated information from a number of sources and included multiple industry standards (such as NFPA 1925 and ISO 20283), applicable part and product information from approximately 15 vendors, regulatory requirements (such as safety equipment) technical specifications provided by the customer. Furthermore, the documents required review by an industry expert to ensure that they were in accordance with industry best practices (such as the proper scope for each test procedure). For this project Freer Consulting provided research, project management, technical writing and subject matter expertise, and substantial coordination between Freer, the customer, and the customer’s vendors. Freer was able to deliver the documents on time and within the customer’s budget.
If you need help with your existing documentation or in creating new documentation as part of standards implementation, contact Freer Consulting at (206) 285-9044 or at [email protected]