Meet Intellect’s Quality Expert: Paul Dionne
Blog: Interneer blog
Intellect’s Quality Expert Spotlight is a Q&A series that features the hardworking and intelligent people that make Intellect shine. Get to know the experts behind Intellect’s Quality Management Solution.
About Paul, Intellect Solutions Engineer and Quality Expert
Paul Dionne comes to Intellect as a Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA) having held numerous technical roles including Systems Administrator, Database Developer and Programmer. He is also certified in the Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF 8.1.1), and holds certificates in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Clinical Practices (GCP) and Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). He holds a MS in Management of Information Systems and an MBA. Oh, and he’s also fluent in Spanish.
Q: Hi Paul! Let’s get right into it. In your opinion, what are the top problems Quality Managers are looking to solve?
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A: Where do I start! First and foremost, getting off tedious paper-based systems because who has the time to run around and checking off boxes. On average, switching from a paper based system can reduce onsite audit time to about 3 days, which means no more late nights and weekends. Woohoo! Here’s a fun fact. Did you know that it costs about $125 every time a document is misfiled? On average, filing costs about $20 per document.
Other potential problems include, being able to add in and fields and modify the software without help from IT. Also, setting up a system to use complaints and nonconformances for the purpose of improving their product and streamlining manufacturing operations. Finally, moving away from manual data entry and being able to quantify how much they can save by improving their operations. Our customer Olly, mentioned that each QM can handle more CAPAs compared to before using qms software.
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Q: What are the biggest hurdles for Quality Managers?
A: The biggest hurdle is undoubtedly metrics. Without data to prove that a new system will make things better you just can’t move forward. Once quality managers are able to convince managers to move to a system that automatically displays metrics, the quality staff can focus on higher-level things to will improve operations.
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Q: So it’s a positive feedback loop?
A: Yes absolutely. But winning management support at the beginning is super difficult. As a QMS software provider, our biggest competitor is the status quo. Often, we follow up with people a year later and they’re still stuck on paper.
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Q: What quality resources do you use most?
A: I have a copy of the Indiana Quality Council’s CQIA prep book on my desk. I reference it often when trying to help someone build a business case for process improvement. I also use it to freshen up on quality concepts. I also attend ASQ meetings in LA and Orange County. I look to walk away from any such meeting with just one little thing that I can apply at work.
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Q: What do you think quality managers are overlooking?
A: Hands down, it’s making the case for change. People don’t want to change the way they do their jobs. And then Quality shows up and tells them they’re doing it all wrong. Quality Managers need to step back and focus on the positive, like asking couldn’t we do it better if we did xx?
And of course, learning how to build a business case. Management wants to know how to cut costs. That will never change. So, go with it and show that by spending X we will save even more. It’s very hard to do but reach out on LinkedIn and ASQ forums for help. Your situation is never as unique as you think.
My Advice:
Lead, don’t push.
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Q: What advice would you give to people who use the Intellect platform?
A: Deming said that Quality is everyone’s responsibility. But when I talk to quality professionals about our system they’re only thinking about quality concepts like Nonconformance and CAPAs. Our platform offers quality professionals the ability to turn every tedious paper form into a mobile app that will return data directly to quality.
They say that for every person with Quality in their job title , you still have 19 others doing Quality. Our platform lets you create apps to help those other people doing quality. I want more of our customers to create apps for inspecting the grounds, verifying cleaning, checking traps…anything that there is a paper log to get rid of.
Interested in learning more? Speak to an Intellect Quality Expert Today.
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