By Kristin Kautz, SW Washington Account Executive

Recently, Impact Washington hosted an ISO 9001/AS9100 Standards Change: One Day Seminar held in Vancouver, WA.  It proved to be just what the participants were looking for.

The morning included a review of the new standards (AS9100 and ISO 9001) to provide an understanding what has changed.  This provided the foundation for learning what companies need to do to adhere to these new changes.

The afternoon consisted of a hands-on review of each company’s current management system, and steps to take to meet the new standard. A descriptive spreadsheet was provided with comparison of the new and old standards, and action items to address to transition to the new standards helped focus the participants’ strategies to go forward with the right amount of effort and direction.

This was not a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter approach.  By allowing each company to focus on their individual needs, the seminar became applicable and effective.

Participant feedback showed that the seminar was on target for each company’s needs.

Comments included: “It was nice to have a variety of companies so you could get real examples of other people’s experiences.”

“The side conversation to get input from others was helpful. The spreadsheet was key!”

“Seeing an example of a well-done quality management manual was very valuable.”

One company’s auditor considered it “what a good one looks like” and asked if he could keep a copy as an example. “[The quality management manual] was helpful to look through. It was simple but very thorough.”

If your company is unsure about the upcoming changes and wants to put together a plan to prepare for them, check our events page for upcoming seminars in your area or contact us today for a personalized business assessment.