When it comes to decision making, the factual approach plays an important role within quality management. The ability to make effective & appropriate decisions is essential to ensure customer satisfaction, employee management and overall increased operations within the organisation. This ensures that effective decisions are determined by analysis of data rather than by pure intuition. The factual approach should be applied for decisions that necessitate corrective action after a nonconformity as well as preventive actions when a potential nonconformity may arise. Intuitive decisions should be applied in instances where a certain amount of risk is involved, such as a product launch, new service or financial decisions that could result in rewards.
3 Benefits of Factual Decision Making in Quality Management
Factual decision making has a number of benefits within the quality management process, which include the following:
- The ability to make decisions based on circumstances requiring action.
- Enhanced ability to prove the efficiency of previous decisions through reference to factual records.
- Enhanced ability to evaluate, challenge and alter opinions and decisions.
5 Steps in the Factual Approach to Decision Making
Each step of the factual approach to decision making is part of one of the most important principles of quality management, and aid organisations to implement the best strategies for decision making across the board. These steps include:
- Take measurements and collect data and facts that are applicable to the specific objective in order to begin the decision making process.
- Make sure that the data and facts are correct, reliable and accessible to all parties concerned in the decision making process.
- Analyse the data and facts using binding procedures and methods to ensure an effective overview of facts.
- Recognise the importance of applicable statistical techniques used within the decision making process.
- Implement decisions and take appropriate action based on the outcomes of valid analysis balanced with knowledge and insight.
Used as part of your organisation’s quality management strategy, the factual approach to decision making will ensure that all decisions are made using the most effective means possible, thereby ensuring a greater level of improvement across the organisation.
Our quality management software isoTracker provides tools to support factual decision making and the running of an efficient quality management system. Find out more or see for yourself with our 60-day free trial.
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