Integrated Management Systems

I've been doing some work recently for a client to implement an Integrated Management System. "What's that?" I hear you say... Contrary to what you might expect, it's not a computer system - it's a system in the style of a Quality Management System like ISO9001, or an Environmental Management System like ISO14001. The IMS takes the common parts of systems like these and creates a uniform approach across the organisation. (The standard we were using is PAS99:2006.) The team created some quite pithy insights to explain it to the really busy client personnel (and I mean REALLY BUSY!):

"A way to communicate 'how we do things around here'" "A way for the Senior Management to communicate their expectations." "A way to ensure the equitable satisfaction of all stakeholders as the business grows and evolves."

The components are simple:

1 - Communicate expectations from a very senior level executive. 2 - Create a formal process and organisation by which the IMS will be governed. 3 - Create a framework for its content that allows people to find what they need. 4 - Figure out what content should be included. 5 - Divide-up ownership of the content, to ensure it is created by the right people. 6 - Create an over-arching review process to ensure that the IMS content is integrated across functions 7 - Implement a document management system that allows broad read-only access to documentation, and limited publication rights (OK, there is a computer system component). 8 - Launch. Re-launch. Re-launch. etc.

Yes, you guessed it, the hard part is getting the organisation to accept it, adopt it and provide the content. I'll blog a little more on this in future, as there's some neat content insights I want to share...what goes in it, and how to organise it. -- Philip Greenwood

Comments

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[Project Management]

The 4th and 5th components are really important in any kind of project management, others may call it "know your part and have it done" pretty tough though its how the whole system works.

[Jenifer Hasan]

I like the post so much. Integrated Management Systems is defined here clearly.8 simple components are also defined. To know about Integrated Management Systems, everybody should know about Project Management clearly. Thanks to the writer for writing such a nice post.
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[Project Management Software]

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