We released the industry’s first Solution Selection Guide for EQMS in October 2012. Because the software space for quality management is ill-defined, we felt that this was not only necessary, but could also serve as a critical resource for industrial and manufacturing decision makers.
Choosing an EQMS solution is a process that can consume considerable resources and be a source of much confusion for industry executives. To help smooth this process, LNS believes our EQMS Solution Selection Guide should be the first stop on the journey. With 18 of the market’s top vendors covered in depth, it provides executives with everything needed to make a shortlist of potential EQMS solutions.
Over the past few weeks, we've been blogging about vendors listed within the publication, touching briefly on strengths, weaknesses, functionalities, industries served, technology architectures and more. This week we’re covering IQS, a veteran in the Enterprise Quality Management Software space focusing on the delivery of closed-loop quality management solutions.
Headquartered in Ohio, IQS is a 24 year old software company that provides EQMS with integration capabilities for Enterprise Resource Planning and Product Lifecycle Management. The vendor serves a wide range of discrete manufacturing businesses with its scalable and flexible cloud-based solution.
By integrating both ERP and PLM systems, the software helps organizations to take a closed-loop approach to quality management. Functionalities include non-conformance and corrective and preventive actions management, compliance and regulatory management, product management (failure modes and effects analysis, inspection plans, control plans, etc.), and quality cost management.
Many organizations using IQS are from less regulated industries, allowing the vendor to focus on providing business value by improving the quality of the product, rather than focusing on the management of compliance issues. More recently, though, IQS has moved into the medical device industry, offering compliance management capabilities and validation services. It’s also emerging in the food and beverages industry.
IQS’s software capabilities have been well suited for large, discrete manufacturing companies. However, its release of the cloud-based Java solution makes it a good bet for small to medium sized businesses as well. In the future, we expect to see further innovations in the IQS solution, especially in terms of mobility of business intelligence.
For a more extensive overview of IQS, read LNS Research’s EQMS Solution Selection Guide. It covers industries served, specific functionalities included with its EQMS, company sizes served, geographies covered, technology delivery platforms, and technology delivery models. The guide also breaks down the vendor’s central attributes by total coverage areas, areas of strength, and areas of emerging strength.
Reviewing the analysis of IQS alongside the other 17 vendors covered, executives can take a comparative approach to selecting an EQMS solution. They will have everything needed to produce a shortlist of potential EQMS vendors for their organization’s implementation. More quality management software vendors can be found on our site as well.
If you are currently using or considering IQS’s software, we would like to hear about your experiences. Please feel free to reach us by email at info@lnsresearch.com.
For this selection and implementation, more information can be found in the links below:
Research Spotlights:
Enterprise Quality Management Software Best Practices Guide
Top Integration Points for Enterprise Quality Management Software
Blogs:
Top 3 Strategies for Selecting an EQMS Solution
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