Jump Start Your Process Approach

Many of today’s most commonly imposed management system standards by purchasers—ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949:2002 and AS9100—are now based on a process approach. But even professional third-party auditors are struggling to grasp this elusive concept.

With technical contributions from The Boeing Company and General Motors Corporation, Jump Start Your Process Approach, shows you how to avoid systemwide inefficiencies and the resulting poor return on investment. You will learn how to break the "checklist" mentality, how to audit the "human" side of quality, how to identify key processes and how to measure the cost of quality in a step-by-step approach that teaches you how to focus your critical processes on the customer.

Author Alan J. Peterson cuts through the misinformation and presents this indispensable tool for organizations that want to improve using the process approach. This book is a must read for the legions of auditors, line operators, managers and CEOs to whom a management system registration certificate simply will not suffice to put their children through college, buy houses for their families and even pay for an occasional vacation—in other words, organizations that want to improve.

Alan J. Peterson dispels the mystery surrounding the process approach with technical contributions from some of the world’s largest purchasers using it as a sourcing consideration—The Boeing Company, General Motors Corporation and DaimlerChrysler Corporation.

As director of product research and development at Plexus Corporation, Peterson has led the company’s product research and development efforts since its inception. In that role, he has designed training programs for the automotive, aerospace and health care industries and supervised the creation of customized programs for Plexus’ clients.

He developed training, training materials and selected computer applications for QS-9000, ISO/TS 16949, TE Supplement, ISO 14001, ISO 9000 and AS9100. He has worked closely with the QS-9000 Supplier Requirements Task Force and the International Automotive Quality Task Force (IATF) and has been manager for the QS-9000 and ISO/TS 16949 Registrar Auditor Certification Programs. He was appointed to the IATF’s Training and Exam Commissions and continues to serve on those commissions.

Prior to joining Plexus, Peterson served as a department chair at North Dakota State College of Science and was a quality system consultant for North Dakota’s university system and department of economic development. In addition, he has served as a North Dakota state legislator.