Mobile First Quality: Nothing Interesting Happens at Your Desk

Mobility in Enterprise Quality Management Software (EQMS) isn't new. Far from it. There are some processes that lend themselves in particular to data capture on the go. The most obvious is an audit or inspection of some kind. This could range from a full-blown compliance audit to a random process or product inspection. Auditing lends itself particularly to mobile because often auditors are literally on the move physically.

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The auditor is typically using specific criteria, or a requirement of a standard to validate or verify against. It makes sense that what used to (and in many cases still does) take place on a clip board with checks in boxes and scribbles is better captured and immediately logged/submitted as it occurs on the shop floor or anywhere else in an organization.

Mobility Demands at a Conference Illustrate the Value

Most vendors of EQMS have risen to the challenge and provide an 'App for that.' Some still have a way to go but inevitably, they will follow suit—it's a given. Why? Because that's how we work—it's how we live and work today actually. This is in its exaggerated form when we're not physically located at our place of work. For example, at a customer location perhaps, or travelling to meet with or assess suppliers or at a conference.

What struck me today as I observed the mass exodus from the sessions at the very well attended, broad spectrum of technical and non-technical streams here at the ASQ World Conference on Quality and Improvement (#WCQI2015), was that as these quality leaders, experts, and practitioners disengage from the session, they immediately re-engage with their work, work that without laptops needs to be conducted via phones and tablets.

There it is right there--and it isn't a surprise. In fact it has been the case for years and previously to get something done meant delegating, via a phone call, to colleagues or rushing back to hotel rooms to open up the laptop. Today, they aren't carrying their laptops because that would mean they might have to sacrifice the volume of thumb drives, pens, screen wipes and (not as common these days) candies. Oh, and the laptop means finding a spot to sit down, boot up, search for Wi-Fi, wait, and then wait some more. By the time that's done, the next session is on and the opportunity is lost one way or another.

Away from Your Desk Doesn’t Mean Disconnected

This exaggerated scenario typifies the on-demand nature of keeping things in motion. Granted that the normal, back-at-the-facility day is not as intense - at least it might not be. However, there are many scenarios where huge efficiencies can be gained by quality management on the go. Wherever I might be, it's conceivable (and possible with EQMS) that I may be required to acknowledge a non-conformity, perhaps add my insight or search to identify if this has been experienced before, determine if it is a repeat (same place, same thing) or recurrence (elsewhere in the organization). Perhaps overnight a corrective action was completed and I am the approver required to push it into verification of effectiveness stage. A third example is that I am asked for my opinion on the latest Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) stats out of my three plants and I want to take a last look before they go into the rolled up report for the CEO.

I should be able to do all of this and more from my phone or better yet, my tablet. Some of the attendees at this conference were able to do all of this and more today. Though they are currently the minority, in the near future, this will be the norm.

The Vendors Understand the Demand

I spoke with many of the EQMS vendors at the conference in the exhibition hall. When asked about mobility and end user expectations/demands, Adam VanderBurgt, a global environment, health, and safety (EHS) and quality sales exec from Intelex Technologies articulated very clearly that, "the user wants to be able to drive leading indicators by capturing events as they happen and documenting them, and those with responsibility for these performance indicators want to know what's happening and what's being done to address the issue and prevent recurrence. Notifications and workflows make this happen automatically with a consistent experience across platforms."

Detach From the Desk, Not the Challenges

The outcome of all of this is that information is captured and tracked to conclusion, regardless of whether the stakeholder is at his or her desk, elsewhere onsite, or at a conference in another state or even another country.

The desk will not become redundant for the quality professional, but the need to be at it to be informed and active will. This is a great opportunity to be out where it all happens for the quality professional and for he or she to provide the tools for those who contribute to quality (everyone) to do so in the same way they do.