188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) - Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Trial 3 Evolution*****

Trial 3 often shows the Hero evolving (becoming closer to his New Self), In Straw Dogs (1971), David enters the pub but this time is not afraid of Tom and buys them all a drink. Further, he is accepted - the Major invites him over.

*****Wolves Clothing*****

In entering the World of the Sword, the Hero and Allies again camouflage themselves in the Wolves Clothing. They become invisible on some level. In Harry Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry literarily puts on an invisible cloak. In Raging Bull (1980), Tommy has to speak to the mafia don and behave as though he was one of them. In Diamonds are Forever (1971), James Bond pretends to be a worker in the plan.

*****New World of the Transformation and Trials*****

Even though the Hero may be willing, he (or she) may not be happy with the way the progression is turning out. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Clyde is angry because they?ve committed murder.

*****Refusal of the Call*****

A staple of the Hero's Journey and Transformation. The Hero refuses psychologically for a number of reasons, is interdicted by the interdictor (punishments for following the Call) and blocked by Doves using a number of techniques. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie plays hard to get, she?s is going to work. She walks, Clyde follows.

Learn more?

WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!

The Complete 188 stage Hero?s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.monomyth.info/

188 stages of the Hero's Journey can also be reached from http://www.heros-journey.info/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author's name is retained and the link to our site URL remains active.

Hybrid Car Comparisons For 2007 - Buy A Hybrid Save The Planet?

For the past couple -three years, there has been much buzz going on about Hybrid Cars and the many benefits they seem to offer. It seems that Hybrid Cars may be the solution to both major problems we face in the United States today when it comes to transportation...

What are those two problems facing the United States when it comes to transportation?

1. Surging Oil Prices

2. Concern about the environment

So, how do you know which hybrid car to buy?

Compare your options and the benefits.

Owning a Hybrid car will offer you many, many benefits.

To name a few hybrid benefits:

1. Tax breaks by many states and Federal Government
2. Fuel cost savings - Hybrids use less fuel
3. Hybrid Cars are better for the environment producing less emissions

For these reasons and the never ending surge of gas pump prices, hybrid cars have experienced a sharp increase in sales.

More and more car manufacturers are joining the hybrid vehicle arena with their own versions. Both the old stand by companies that have been around for ever as well as many new "green car" companies are popping up to enter into the Hybrid Car Revolution. This is wonderful for those of you who are planning to buy a hybrid car, you now have so many choices it's almost unbelievable, that?s why you really need to compare hybrid cars to see which one would fit perfectly with your needs.

In this article we will only compare two of the worlds leading hybrid car manufactures, the Japanese giant's Toyota and Honda.

Toyota and Honda are credited with producing many top innovations of hybrid technology and their hybrid cars are the most popular, most awarded hybrid vehicles on the hybrid market today.

Here, in this article we will compare the hybrid cars they are offering for 2007 year, these will include the Honda Accord Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, Lexus GS 450H, Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

Their fuel efficiency can be compared through their average consumption per mile in different situations, like; City Driving ? where the traffic is constantly stopping, Highway Driving ? where the engine can freely operate at maximum level and their combined average usage.

Miles Per Gallon and Average Used Per Gallon

• Honda Accord Hybrid ? 28 MPG (city), 35 MPG (Highway) and 31 MPG (Combined Average)
• Honda Civic - 49 MPG (city), 51 MPG (Highway) and 50 MPG (Combined Average)
• Lexus GS 450H - 25 MPG (city), 28 MPG (Highway) and 26 MPG (Combined Average)
• Toyota Camry Hybrid - 40 MPG (city), 38 MPG (Highway) and 39 MPG (Combined Average)
• Toyota Prius - 60 MPG (city), 51 MPG (Highway) and 55 MPG (Combined Average)

Before you just go out and pick the one with the highest MPG average, you need to consider something else.

Fuel type.

All of these vehicles use regular gasoline except for the Lexus which uses Premium Gasoline that is much pricier per gallon.

You also need to compare the size class of each hybrid car as well as the engine size and liters of the engine.

• Accord Hybrid is a midsize car with a 3 liter - 6 cylinder engine.
• Civic Hybrid is a compact car with a 1.3 liter ? 4 cylinder engine.
• Lexus GS 450H is another compact car with a 3.5 liter ? 6 cylinder engine.
• Toyota Camry Hybrid is a midsize sedan equipped with a 2.4 liter ? 4 cylinder engine
• Toyota Prius is a compact car with a 1.5 liter ? 4 cylinder engine.

The bigger the car and the more powerful the engine is, the more fuel will be consumed. Considering all these aspects and doing your homework can lead to a fantastic hybrid vehicle purchase.

You have to put all of the considerations on the table when searching for the best hybrid to buy.

So, before you rush right out an get that shiny new hybrid car, compare first and do your homework. Find the one that will suit your needs and fit your personality best and you will be on your way to helping save the environment as well as saving yourself some money on fuel.

Frederick Musser is the owner of e85 Tips. A site dedicated to informing the world about alternative fuels and energy and their many benefits.

For more information on e85 and alternative fuels please visit e85Tips.com

Treadmill Comparison - Smooth 7.1 HR PRO vs Nordic Track E3200

Before you make your treadmill purchase, it is important to make a treadmill comparison to find the right model for you. Finding and purchasing a treadmill can be an excellent start to your fitness program. Both the Nordic Track E3200 and the Smooth 9.3 are good treadmills with benefits and drawbacks of each.

Nordic Track E3200

A treadmill comparison between the Nordic Track E3200 and the Smooth 9.3 should start with the benefits of the Nordic Track. It comes with four preset programs, a twenty by fifty-six running surface, and a 3.0 horsepower motor. It is both durable and sturdy. It is a machine that is built to handle your toughest workout programs. It is quiet, and it has some great panel features to help you monitor your workout progress. It has a reasonable price, and it is very comfortable.

For all of the features of this machine, though, there are a few drawbacks. It is very heavy and difficult to move. It requires some space, and it can be tough to set-up.

Smooth 7.1 HR PRO

In this treadmill comparison, the Smooth 7.1 has some great benefits, too. While the Nordic Track has four present programs, the Smooth 7.1, in comparison, has eight. Two of those are for people who are ready for some serious cardio training. It features a massive 2.75 horsepower motor and it is also durable and sturdy. It will handle most workouts in the home environment. It, too, is a quiet machine, and it makes for a great jogging workout.

When you compare it with the Nordic Track model, it, too, has some drawbacks. It could be a bit faster (it has a top speed of ten miles per hour), and the running surface does not offer a decline function. However I do prefer the Smooth Fitness brand. All their treadmills are of a very high quality.

A treadmill comparison of both of these models reveals that either is a good choice for the home model you are looking for.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of a home exercise equipment website providing reviews of the best dumbbells and used fitness equipment including, treadmills and ellipticals from top brands including Proform, Precor, Total Gym, Smooth, Weider and more.

ISO 9001 - 2000 -- Implement Your Quality Management System With Minimum Headaches

If you have been unlucky enough to have been saddled with the onerous task of achieving ISO 9001:2000 compliance for your company, this article may prove to be your big break. At the very least it will put you on a minimum fuss path to ISO 9001 certification. It may very well also rescue your career, because--as you already know--as a great deal is riding on your success.

ISO, of course, stands for the International Organization of Standardization, a worldwide organization responsible for the development of many different kinds of standards. ISO 9001:2000 is the most recent version of their Quality Management System Standard. It consists of a collection of documentation that describes how a company should implement their quality management system.

To achieve certification, a company must produce both a Quality Manual and a Quality Procedures Manual. This is no light undertaking. These manuals must be audited by a registrar for compliancy, and renewed at the end of each 3 year period. The larger and more complex your company, the more difficult the process will be.

So why would a company chose to conform to an ISO 9001 profile? Rarely is it because it seems like a good idea. Many companies are filled with bright people who can develop their own quality management system. The primary motivating force is market pressure. Your quality management system may well be up to scratch, but who is to say?

A potential customer surveying the marketplace, and presented with two or more competing companies he might choose to do business with, needs to feel good about his final choice. If the decision comes down to who has the best quality management system in place, common sense suggests he go with the company that has gone through the ISO 9001 certification process.

In the long run, an organization that implements an ISO 9001 system is likely to discover the company runs better, with improved performance and higher profitability. But for a company just getting started, such considerations are often seen as "ideals" that get short shrift as managers race to make the company profitable in the shortest amount of time. It therefore takes commitment and foresight, as well as an acute understanding of market vision in order to get to the ISO 9001 finish line.

If your company already has a decent quality management system in place, your main task will be to redesign the system so that it addresses all the sticking points of the ISO 9001 documentation. If your company is large, this may prove to be some not insignificant undertaking.

You might be tempted to hire ISO 9001 consultants. This will be expensive, and may not in fact lead to the desired result, which is a streamlined version of the Quality Manual and Quality Procedures Manual that you must submit for certification.

The reason for this is that consultants never fully appreciate the scope and depth of your company, and cannot be expected to share the urgency of your plight to get it right the first time. For this reason, choosing the right in-house person to head the job may be the best option for your company. Perhaps, even, that person is you. If so, you definitely have your work cut out for you, particularly if you work for a company of any real size.

The benefit, and it is a big one, of having been tasked with preparation for ISO 9001 certification is that your personal value to the company is going to be cemented--no, it will be cast in iron--by a successful conclusion to certification.

The trick then, is to find a way to achieve the desired result WITHOUT saddling yourself with all the headaches this job can provide. If you have already peeked at the ISO 9001:2000 documentation you can be forgiven for thinking that you may have bit off more than you can chew. Going from zero to sixty on this task can seem like a formidable proposition.

But it need not. If it seems like you are destined to begin dreaming that you personally will be taking the ISO 9001 certification test, night after restless night, instead of your quality management system, take heart. Because there is a way to get a jump start on the process, and avoid so much of the hassle that you have taken on.

To find out how to leverage the ISO 9001 proficiency of an already successfully certified company, and dramatically cut your expected ISO 9001 development costs by slashing the time it takes to achieve certification, get across to my Squidoo lens on Isom's Quality Handbook For ISO 9001 Certification. This may prove to be the best decision you have made this year!

ISO 9000 Elements

ISO 9000 is a set of standards for quality management systems. Perhaps, it is the most popular generic international standard today. First published in 1987 and modified in 1994, it is the true basis for businesses to develop or improve their quality assurance systems. Today, most international businesses document their quality systems according to the ISO 9001 elements.

There are a total of 20 elements (sections) in the overall ISO 9000 standard. Each section explains what a company has to do in order to show that it is abiding by the ISO 9000 rules. Each of these elements should be clearly and completely documented.

The twenty ISO 9000 elements include management responsibility, quality management system (QMS), contract review, design control, document control, purchasing, purchaser supplied product, process control, inspection and testing, inspection, measuring and test equipment, inspection and test status, control of non-conforming product, corrective action, handling, storage, packaging and delivery, control of quality records, internal quality audits, training, servicing, and statistical techniques and product ID and traceability.

Management responsibility addresses the responsibility of an organization to set up a system that frequently meets consumer requirements and expectations, even in times of managerial change. Quality management system defines general requirements, along with documentation requirements such as quality manual, procedures, work instructions and records.

Design control requires that all phases in the designing of products or services must be managed and conducted by qualified employees. The ISO element document control requires that all documents and data used must be controlled and authorized.

The section of statistical techniques includes data analysis, sampling methods, and SPC (statistical process control). These processes should be based on established procedures and sound statistical techniques.

ISO 9000 provides detailed information on ISO 9000, ISO 9000 Standards, ISO 9000 Software, ISO 9000 Consulting and more. ISO 9000 is affiliated with Home Inspections.

ISO 9000 History

ISO 9000 is an important marketing tool and is recognized world wide. Maintained by the ISO (international standards organization), it is a family of ISO standards for quality management systems. ISO 9000 grew out of British standards institution's BS 5750. The ISO 9000 series are managed by several accreditation and certification bodies. Though the standard was first applied to manufacturing industries, it is now employed across a variety of other types of businesses.

Studies show that the history of industrialization has seen lots of standards on quality issues. For instance, during the two world wars, a high percentage of bullets and bombs went off in the factories themselves in the course of manufacturing. In an effort to curb such causalities, UK?s ministry of defense appointed inspectors in the factories to supervise the production process.

In 1959, the United States introduced Mil-Q-9858a, the first quality standard for military procurement. By 1962, NASA developed its quality system requirements for suppliers. Six years later, NATO accepted the AQAP (allied quality assurance procedures) specifications for the procurement of equipments. In 1969, UK and Canada introduced suppliers? quality assurance standards.

During the 1970s, British standards institution (BSI) published BS 9000 (the first UK standard for quality assurance) and BS 5179 (guidelines for quality assurance) norms. During the period, the BSI held meetings with industry to set a common standard. Consequently, in 1979, the institution developed BS 5750, a series of standards for use by manufacturing companies. They were enforced through assessments and audits.

In 1987, the BSI revised the standard to take in service providers and manufacturing industries also. In 1988, ISO adopted the BS 5750 standard without changes and published it globally under the name, ISO 9000.

In 1994, ISO revised the standard. In December 2000, the standard was again reorganized. The new ISO 9000 standard has many resemblances to its predecessors.

ISO 9000 provides detailed information on ISO 9000, ISO 9000 Standards, ISO 9000 Software, ISO 9000 Consulting and more. ISO 9000 is affiliated with Home Inspections

ISO 9001 Software

ISO 9001 Software

Companies that need quality management systems realize that products like ISO 9001 software are important tools to insure their product safety, consistency and profitability. Using ISO 9001 software can help guarantee that any company can monitor productivity, customer satisfaction and product quality with reports that contain solid information. This information is now vital to management in order for maximum efficiency in any industry. This is why ISO 9001 software is vital to any sized company. Continuous improvement means continuous profitability. Here are just a few reasons why:

o Companies increase sales because of better performance, quality, and delivery. This propels you ahead of your competition.

o ISO 9001 software helps retain employees and attract more highly qualified employees because they are assured of a controlled and consistent work environment.

o The experience of a more professional workplace boosts employee morale.

o Reduced operating costs dramatically increase your company?s productivity, leading to higher profitability.

o Customer satisfaction and higher profitability expand your market share and demand for your consistently higher product quality.

o When you're compliant or certified to the appropriate standard, the businesses that work with you know that quality objectives, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction are your goals. Many companies require that their suppliers are ISO 9001 compliant; therefore, once you're certified, your opportunities increase.

ISO 9001 software has be utilized and has developed experience of helping manufacturing, service, and distribution organizations to be more efficient and more profitable through continuous improvement programs. We help you to implement the time-tested methods of continuous improvement to measure performance, analyze data, and apply the appropriate process changes. This includes using ISO 9001 software.

ISO 9001 software also offers a suite of modules to enable you to manage the document management and ISO 9001 Compliance Management process. These modules enable complete transparent system measurement with targeted action items ensuring all persons are notified of tasks and carry them out in a prompt and efficient manner.

ISO 9001 software provides training in there software and also bring extensive experience in implementing the ISO 9001 software in various environments.

Training Options

There are also three other ways ISO delivers training to help companies comply with industry standards:

1. Full training program help for administrators of our ISO 9001 software program at your location this training includes full orientation to our document management, corrective action calibration records , training records and numerous other features of our software

2. General users training to assist users in the company in utilizing the ISO 9001 software system in there day to day environment for document management and responding to action items.

3. Upgrade training program help for companies who experience personnel turnover to bring the new person up to speed on the ISO 9001 software system.

4. Overview seminars providing orientation sessions for those new employees or those new to the software

The ISO 9001 software comes from extensive experience introducing effective and affordable quality management systems to a wide variety of industries and service organizations. Numerous companies who have worked with us reap the benefits of increased profitability, enhanced customer relations, elevated employee morale, and increased sales. Clients enjoy our flexibility in organizing the process around their needs and their schedules. We have a proven track record of success and customer satisfaction.

Becky King is a well respected software reviewer who lives in California with her family and two dogs.

Learn More at: www.interaxgrp.com

redkoch@yahoo.com

ISO 9001, What Next?

The overriding goal of ISO-14000. (History 1995)

As ISO-9000 becomes a way of life for the global business community, ISO-14000 is almost ready to debut with its own set of standards for voluntary environmental compliance.

Much has been heard recently about the antiregulation sentiment sweeping across the country. Lawmakers in Washington have responded with talk of "regulatory reform" and programs aimed at "re-inventing government."

One of the targets of this regulatory backlash has been the ever-burgeoning flood of environmental laws and regulations continuing to impose burdens on corporate America. A common thread running throughout this rhetoric has been a perception that government is too big and that corporate self-policing and self-management can achieve far greater benefits at far less cost.

It is unlikely that meaningful relief from environmental regulations will come any time soon. However, a major step in the direction of voluntary corporate initiatives in this area is on the horizon.

Getting Ready for 14000

The Geneva-based International Standards Organization, with the assistance of representatives from over 40 countries, is in the final stages of developing ISO-14000, a set of voluntary international environmental quality standards designed to promote sound corporate management of environmental compliance matters.

When fully adopted in early 1996, the standards will allow companies to obtain ISO-14000 certification of their operations in recognition of the development of these comprehensive environmental quality standards.

ISO-14000 is the second major undertaking of the International Standards Organization in developing international quality management systems for business enterprises. In the mid-1980s the Organization adopted its ISO-9000 series of standards for corporate quality management. The ISO-9000 program provided a formal mechanism for certifying that a company had developed and integrated certain quality management principles into its business operations.

While initially slow to gain acceptance in the business community, ISO-9000 certification is fast becoming a necessary part of standard business practices, both in the US and abroad. It is estimated that by 1996, 12,000 US companies will be ISO-9000-certified, up from only 100 in 1990. Internationally, more than 50,000 companies have received ISO-9000 certification.

The idea behind extending the ISO quality management principles into the environmental arena arose out of the historic United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Joe Cascio, IBM program director/environmental, health and safety standardization, and chairman of one of the ISO technical advisor groups, reports that the Rio conference discussions produced "a proliferation of national and regional environmental management, labeling and audit schemes that could have impacted international trade in a very severe way." The need to bring some standardization to these conflicting programs ultimately provided the impetus for the formation of ISO-14000.

What IS0-14000 is - and isn't - About

What, then, is ISO-14000 all about? The overriding goal of ISO-14000 is to develop a comprehensive system of universally accepted corporate standards to ensure that companies will be in a position to successfully manage their environmental compliance matters.

ISO-14000 is not about developing regulations to attain certain pollution standards. Instead, the focus is on the management of environmental issues or the development of internal corporate management programs ultimately leading to responsible and verifiable operating strategies that will result in the efficient use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

ISO-14000 calls for the development of corporate Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) to guide not only the environmental performance of a company's industrial operations but also the potential environmental impact of the goods or services produced.

As envisioned by ISO-14000, an effective corporate EMS requires that a company review the environmental issues and challenges confronting the organization and ultimately develop policies, objectives, target strategies and production processes to meet and properly manage these challenges.

ISO-14000 spells out in detail the guiding principles for the development of effective EMS programs:

First and foremost, ISO-14000 acknowledges that environmental management must be among the highest corporate priorities. ISO-14000 also acknowledges that a company and its highest levels of management must demonstrate their commitment to the EMS process.

Additionally, for effective implementation of EMS programs, ISO-14000 recognizes the importance of adequate resources, including proper employee training, to the success of any EMS.

Finally, ISO-14000 recognizes that standardized and comprehensive procedures must be in place in order to correctly assess the effectiveness of these EMS programs and ensure the accountability of responsible corporate managers for the success or failure of these endeavors.

Moving beyond philosophical principles, ISO-14000 also details the critical elements of an effective EMS. It requires companies to perform an "Initial Environmental Review" of their operations. This review will include an identification of all regulatory obligations and potentially significant environmental impacts of a company's operations. This initial review must also include an honest assessment of the company's compliance status and the extent to which the company is meeting its regulatory obligations.

Once this review is completed and a company understands the status of its environmental compliance efforts, it can then move on to the EMS planning process. ISO-14000 states as one of its guiding principles that "an organization should focus on what needs to be done - it should have a purpose and a plan."

For the implementation of an EMS, the purpose and plan includes the development of overriding environmental policies, the establishment of environmental objectives and targets to meet these policy goals, and the preparation of a strategic plan and management program aimed at implementing these identified policies and objectives through scheduled action items.

The remaining critical component of an effective EMS, as recognized in ISO-14000, is the development of procedures to measure and monitor a company's success in carrying out its EMS and achieving its environmental policy and performance goals.

Critical components of ISO-14000 are the development of standardized performance evaluation and auditing procedures. Once completed, these procedures will be used as benchmarks to assess the true effectiveness of any EMS.

The EMS program outlined in ISO-14000 is by no means revolutionary. In fact, critics of ISO-14000 argue the program is nothing more than a paperwork exercise with few benefits and many burdens. Proponents offer that evaluating existing compliance, documenting findings and actively attempting to manage the environmental impact of one's operation is a challenge for even the most e nvironmentally responsible of corporate citizens.

The corresponding benefits to be gained from this process, say these proponents, include the fostering of good public relations and community and consumer support, the simplification of the compliance challenge through an understandable and orderly EMS implementation process, and the opportunity for cost savings and increased profits resulting from proactive management of environmental liabilities and the thoughtful development of pollution prevention and resource conservation strategies.

What Will the Impact Be?

At this early stage in the ISO-14000 development process, it is hard to predict the exact impact these new standards will have on the industrial community, including the converting industry. Many observers are predicting the impact to be significant and pervasive. In part, this view is bolstered by the dramatic integration of the ISO-9000 standards into the industrial community.

It is expected that companies with substantial international operations will be obligated to pursue ISO-14000 certification as this program continues to gain momentum abroad.

For US operations the impact is a little less certain. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has adopted a "wait and see" attitude on ISO-14000. To date, the Agency has resisted programs that have strayed too far from traditional "command and control" regulatory schemes. Recently, though, with its Common Sense Initiatives and Environmental Leadership Program, EPA appears to be moving in the direction of affirming, if not promoting, ISO-14000-styled programs.

In order for ISO-14000 to truly catch on in the US, however, EPA must move beyond merely a tacit recognition of the program and provide tangible benefits to the regulated community for achieving ISO-14000 recognition.

Driso provide ISO 9001 2000 consultancy, auditing, software, and training Services. They also supply Easy ISO 9001 2000® software for initially setting up an ISO 9001 2000 compliant Quality Management System or improving upon an existing one.

To contact Driso Consultancy Services visit the web site below and see what they can do for you and your business. Contact: http://www.driso.co.uk for more details.

ISO 9001 2000, Getting Started on The Route To Registration

 

ISO 9001 2000, Getting started

Before starting the ISO 9001 2000 route to registration you will need to have the top management on board. This can be achieved by highlighting to top management the cost benefits to the business of ISO 9001 2000 registration.

If you feel unable to sell the benefits of ISO 9001 registration to your business or that you are unqualified to do this then it will be worth you contacting a consultant to assist you with this process. The consultant will have all the necessary tools and examples to hand.

Next you will need to consider what your business is trying to achieve, most businesses want to make money but as with all things there are many ways of achieving the same goal. Some businesses are very good at what they do but I have never yet encountered the perfect business.

If you feel there is no room for improvement in you business you may need to see your doctor about delusional thoughts.

(If you genuinely think you have the perfect business, be it ISO 9001 2000 related or otherwise please contact me at [admindriso.co.uk] and invite me to audit your business. Yes I do charge, albeit the normal daily rate.)

Okay, so you now know what your business is trying to achieve. I'm sure it will be something like:

"We aim to provide our customers with the best value (Widgets or service) on time, every time etc.

Well done, you have just written your companies Quality Management System Policy.

Next we have to look at how your business is going to work towards and then achieve its new Policy. A good starting point is to identify the objectives each department need to set in order to meet the requirements of your policy. Some typical examples for a Sales order process might be:

Reply to customer enquiries within 1 hours of receipt.

Update sales database with customer details before order acknowledgment.

After sales database entry send order acknowledgement on the same day as order received.

Send product catalogue to new customer on day of order receipt.

Run credit check on new customers before loading order to production schedule.

The process objectives can be documented in text format or as flow simple flow diagram. Many businesses now opt for a simple flow diagram because it dictates pictorially how a process works.

Great, you have now documented your first process. Next we need to consider what records to keep so that you can demonstrate the process objectives have been met. In the above example all the necessary records are kept on the sales database. The database automatically records the time between order entry, reply to customer, completion of customer details, acknowledgment sent, product catalogue sent, completion of credit check and loading of order to production schedule. The database will only allow things to be completed in a certain order; for example it will not allow the order to be loaded to the production schedule prior to an acceptable credit check being received. To ensure that only authorised people access the sales database it is password protected and it records the computer users ID against each sales database entry.

At the end of each week the sales manager runs an exception report to identify which targets have or have not been met, this gives him the opportunity to implement corrective action if the process is not being operated as planned. The corrective action may simply involve the re-allocation resources or additional employee training. You can of course run this process without a computer system by using a check-sheet where the process checkpoints are recorded. Using a paper-based system relies heavily on your business not entering into a blame culture, otherwise your employees may decide to falsify results rather than report a process failure. A business that operates a blame culture will never be successful, as there is no incentive for employees to report process errors and more importantly the business does not know where its processes are breaking down.

Excellent, you have documented a Quality Management System policy for your business, set departmental objectives needed to meet that policy and generated records which can be used for business process improvement.

Driso provide ISO 9001 2000 consultancy, auditing, software, and training Services. They also supply Easy ISO 9001 2000® software for initially setting up an ISO 9001 2000 compliant Quality Management System or improving upon an existing one.

To contact Driso Consultancy Services visit the web site below and see what they can do for you and your business. Contact: http://www.driso.co.uk for more details.