Technical report: Processes for innovative QM solutions

Volatile markets, shorter product life cycles, increasing cost pressure and the effective implementation of standards such as IATF 16949, ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001 are putting companies in the automotive industry under increasing pressure. Static management systems are no longer sufficient to react to the dynamics of change - proactive action is required. And in order to generate innovative strength that can keep pace with future markets, technologies and trends, processes and structures in the company must become more dynamic and lively.

Digitization as a basic requirement
The comprehensive electronic implementation of all business processes is a “must” in many industries. Without digitalization, a company will no longer be fit for the future. Constantly changing customer requirements and ever shorter innovation cycles in a highly competitive market can only be implemented quickly and easily with a flexible and digital system.

The automotive industry realized this years ago. Organizational structures, cross-company and cross-departmental targets, business and support processes, networked business relationships and standards and rules of all kinds are already recorded in numerous companies in a variety of IT systems and are intensively used, monitored and adapted operationally. Thanks to this major step in the digital transformation that has already been taken, efficiency and productivity have been increased and costs saved.

However, when it comes to management systems, many companies are living in the IT Stone Age. Individual systems, different storage methods on servers and high maintenance and coordination costs for old solutions are often the reality. Although a wide range of information is modeled digitally, the execution of processes, the implementation of regular review mechanisms or the creation of new document versions often remain static and require manual control processes - often including media discontinuity, as approval processes or confirmations are still carried out in writing. The potential of digitalization, in particular the entire process knowledge mapped, remains untapped. Which brings us to the decisive advantage of an end-to-end, integrated and, in particular, living management system.

The key to success: automation with executable process execution
The management systems, with the processes and company structures statically mapped in them, form an optimal basis for the dynamization of internal processes and their digitalization. The modeling and mapping of information and processes is the first step towards an innovative, future-oriented management system. However, automation through dynamic, executable and executable processes is crucial for a smooth-running, well-oiled company engine. This requires a software solution that enables multi-stage workflows (which trigger new processes and measures at the touch of a button), rule-controlled release steps and flexible form design. Together with role-based user administration, this enables simplified, responsibility-based task management to be implemented.

"This allows us to make the leap from a static, documented model to a living, executable process implementation, ” says Kurt Gailer, Head of Sales and Member of the Executive Board of IMS Integrierte Managementsysteme AG. IMS supports companies in regulated industries in the implementation of integrated, continuous and dynamic management systems.

The IMS PREMIUM software is used to support and promote this crucial, automated distribution and documentation of company-wide processes and forms. The possibilities through different solution packages and configurations are almost endless. Whether audit management, personnel management (e.g. with employee entry procedure), customer feedback or product change management - paper-based and e-mail-based processes and control procedures are now a thing of the past. Managers, engineers, technical specialists, administrative staff and line employees all benefit from the simplified and automated use.

Advantage through "limitless use"
The digitally documented processes therefore provide a decisive advantage in the fight against media disruptions and static process models. The challenges of networking different systems, software products and devices in use still remain. Information from the existing, company-wide user administration should not have to be recorded twice or laboriously adjusted manually when personnel changes occur. Employees working from home need direct, secure access to up-to-date information. Open tasks should also be able to be completed on the go with a mobile device. This networked way of working is only possible if the software used to implement digitalization supports literally "limitless" use.

IMS PREMIUM is also state of the art here and offers unrestricted, cross-system, mobile use thanks to the latest web technologies. Thanks to cloud capability and numerous interfaces, third-party systems can be easily integrated and thus dynamic data exchange is possible across the entire system landscape of a company. Regardless of which devices (fixed workstation, tablet or smartphone) are used, the full range of functions is available at all times.