As registrars and customers increasingly place focus on identifying process risks, controlling "at risk" processes, and monitoring those controls, many companies find themselves looking for

As registrars and customers increasingly place focus on identifying process risks, controlling "at risk"; processes, and monitoring those controls, many companies find themselves looking for meaningful and measurable ways to evaluate the effectiveness of their Layered Process Audit (LPA) programs.

While it is important to track standard LPA requirements such as:

1. Schedule attainment - On time completion of audits
2. Compliance - percentage of submitted non-conformances to overall questions asked
3. Number of recurring non-conformances
4. Response time to non-conformances - Past Due corrective actions

There are other key indicators in the effectiveness of both process controls and the effectiveness of your process auditing program.

These indicators include:

Leadership Engagement – What level of involvement does your Leadership Team have in your process auditing program?

1. Are non-conformances reviewed daily by Leadership
2. Is Leadership actively participating in implementing effective corrective actions for non-conformances
3. Does Leadership verify the effectiveness of corrective actions

Non-conformances: are they escalated to formal corrective action items when systemic issues and/or the need for read-across on corrections is identified?

Process Efficiency

1. Are process audits driving increased process controls, error-proofing, lower scrap/rework, reduced downtime, etc.

Customer focus – are your process audits focused on customer deliverables

1. Reduction in customer complaints and/or quantity of suspect product
2. Reduction in warranty/field complaints

LPA Admin (the lean approach to layered process auditing) was designed by manufacturing professionals to assist manufacturing plants in achieving effective process improvements through LPA.

LPA Admin provides organizations with:

• Flexible reporting options to track Attainment, Compliance, Recurrences and Corrective Actions
• Automated email notifications for Audits, Non-Conformances, Corrective Actions and Improvement Ideas
• The ability to assign Champions and Target Dates to items that cannot be immediately resolved.
• Low maintenance Administration and Scheduling
• Quick checklist modification to allow your audits to change as your process risks/needs change.
• Verification and approval process for corrective actions
• Ability to run reports by customer and/or program to track improvements in customer focus areas.
• Real time data tracking
• The ability to maintain up to 8 different audit types within one application (Process, Error-Mistake Proofing, 5S, Safety, Environmental/Health, and 3 custom audit types determined by you)
• Multiple language translation to support global organizations

To learn more about LPA best practices, download our free Guide to Implementing an Effective LPA System or contact us today.