A quality check done, but where is the form?
The site manager watched part of a test last week, checked a few items against the tester's results, and found a minor point to discuss. They had a word with the tester. It was a good check. They meant to write it up, and did, on a form that is now under a pile of invoices.
When the manager tries to remember when each tester was last checked, the answer is roughly. One tester has had several checks. Another has had none for a long time, because they work the Saturday shift when the manager is not there.
Why quality checks slip
Quality control is the kind of work that is always important and never urgent. The day's tests come first. Checks happen when there is time, which means they cluster around the people and times the manager happens to be present.
The paperwork is usually a form, printed or on a shared drive, filled in after the event if at all. There is no schedule and no summary, so nobody can see gaps. What your centre's quality arrangements require is set outside the centre, and the manager has to show that the checks happen, not just that they were meant to.
Small centres feel this most. When the manager is also a tester, checking someone else's work means taking time out of the bay. Without a plan, that time is the first thing to go when the diary fills, and a few busy weeks become a few quiet months with no checks recorded.
What informal quality control costs
| Gap | Effect |
|---|---|
| No schedule | Some testers checked often, some rarely |
| Paper forms | Records lost, hard to show when asked |
| Findings not followed up | The same issue appears again |
| Weekend and late shifts missed | Blind spots in the centre's quality |
| No summary | Manager cannot see trends across testers |
What counts as enough quality control for your centre is decided by the requirements that apply and your own advisers. This makes whatever you decide easier to do and easier to show.
How we build quality control you can see
- You set the checks your centre does, such as observed tests, rechecks of a completed test, or reviews of test records, and how often each tester should have each type.
- A schedule spreads checks across testers, shifts and vehicle classes, so weekend and late testers are included.
- The manager records each check on a short tablet form: tester, vehicle class, what was checked, findings, and any action agreed.
- Actions, such as a discussion or refresher, are tracked until closed, with the date and a note.
- A history per tester shows every check and its outcome, and a centre summary shows gaps and common findings.
- Reminders go to the manager when a check is due, so it is planned rather than squeezed in.
We keep the forms short. A long form is filled in less often, and the aim is checks that happen, recorded simply.
A quality record that builds itself
The Saturday tester's check is on the schedule, so the manager plans to come in one Saturday morning. The check is recorded on the tablet in a couple of minutes. A small finding leads to a short discussion, recorded as an action and closed.
When the manager wants to see where the centre stands, every tester's checks and outcomes are in one place, with no gaps hidden by paper.
- A schedule that includes every tester and shift
- Short forms completed at the time
- Actions tracked until closed
- A history per tester and a centre summary
Is your quality control hard to show?
- Quality checks are recorded on paper forms, if at all.
- Some testers are checked much more than others.
- Weekend or late shifts are rarely checked.
- Findings are discussed but not recorded.
- You could not quickly show your quality checks for the last year.